A Bronx Tale

By Isamaris Rivera

Actor and native New Yorker Chazz Palminteri performed his one-man show “ A Bronx Tale” at Lehman’s Lovinger Theater in October. Palminteri wrote the story, a semi-autobiographical tale about growing up in the Bronx in the 1960s. It first premiered as a one-man play in 1990.

Although Palminteri returned to Broadway in the role in 2009, it was the first time he had brought the play to his hometown. The people of the Bronx welcomed him with a completely sold out crowd.

Lenny Caro, president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, helped organize the event. “He’s a Bronx boy and so am I,” said Caro before the event. “It’s an extremely happy day for us to be here. It’s going to be a phenomenal show.”

The original play was adapted into film in 1993. Robert De Niro directed, and also starred in the hit movie. Fans were excited to see Palminteri take his award-winning movie to the stage once again. “I’ve watched the movie about 100 times in my life, and it was great because he brought out such an emotion, being a son, being a father, being a fan, it was absolutely amazing”, said Tom Marinaro, one of the sponsors for the event.

In the energetic one-man show, Palminteri takes on the challenge of playing all 18 roles from the movie in just 90 minutes. “I do all the parts myself, when I did the film I only had to play Sonny,” he said. “This is a little more work, but this is how De Niro saw it, and this is how the movie got made.”

All proceeds from the performance were donated to the Child Reach Foundation, an organization that helps children living with rare blood disorders and diseases, founded by Palminteri and his wife Gianna. “To do really wonderful work for a cause, and to have children benefit from it, is a gift, and I’m really happy to be a part of it.”

Treasurer of the Child Reach Foundation, Phil Foglia, explained the foundation’s dual missions. “One is to fund research into pediatric blood disorders. The other is to provide assistance to law enforcement families who are raising children with special needs.”

The show in the Lovinger Theater raised over $50,000 for the foundation. “We wanted to do the play in the beautiful borough that the play unfolded in, and we’re thinking that because it was so successful, that we’ll do it again next year,” said Foglia.

Palminteri was happy to perform in his hometown and he ended the night with a special message for the young. “To all the kids in the Bronx, I’m going to tell you what my dad told me when I was nine years old. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent. If you feel like you have some talent, and I’m sure you do, whatever you want to be, whether it’s show business, a cop, a fireman, or if you want to start your own business, you can do it if you try. The talent is inside you. Everybody has the talent. The idea is not to blow it. Don’t waste it, and do something. Surprise yourself! God Bless you.”