HeyJaredTony n' Tina's Wedding: Creating a Theatre Tribe
Follow along with original director of "Tony n' Tina's Wedding", Larry Pellegrini, as he discusses his journey from the early days of the Off-Broadway phenomenon to adapting the show about 2 Italian kids from NYC to cities around the world.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 5
- Latest publication
- Sep 14, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 14, 2026
Latest episodes
Vinnie Was Not a Pervert (opens the original)
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Guest Vinnie Floriani joins the podcast to recall how he joined the original company, first reconnecting with Nancy Cassaro years after a 1970s middle-school play. He describes creating Sal, the obnoxious wedding photographer at Carmelita’s, and later stepping in as Father Mark, including the challenges of pacing, improv, and staying in character. Vinnie reflects on the show’s realism, subtle peripheral performance, and memorable bits, and discusses going to LA, deferring and abandoning law scho
Teresa Controls the Chaos (opens the original)
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Original Stage Manager of Tony n' Tina's Wedding, Teresa Hagar, joins the podcast to reflect on the early downtown days at Gus’s, including working from a timeline with virtually no cue sheet, handling everything from lights and props to security, transport, and even calling the police when an intoxicated armed audience member caused problems. She and Christy compare how the show ran across different venues and eras, from boombox church cues and live-band timing to later tech changes, and share
Hal and Juan Choreograph & Costume the Company (opens the original)
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In this episode, hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta reunite with choreographer Hal Simons and costume designer Juan de Armas to reminisce about the early days and evolution of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. They discuss how iconic dance moments were built and changed over time (from “Love Is a Battlefield” and “Bad” to “Cold Hearted Snake” and later “Bye Bye Bye”), how choreography ensured safety in immersive, audience-close staging, and how city rules affected elements like sparklers. Juan shares resource
Kia and Michael Develop Fusion (opens the original)
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Hosts Larry and Gret interview original Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding cast members Michael Winther (Donny Dolce) and Kia Colton (Celeste Romano), recalling the early Carmelita’s days, tiny performance space, and how the band Donny Dolce & Fusion helped shape the show’s energy, cues, and structure. They discuss the evolving set list, licensing issues that led Kia to write original songs like “Heaven Made Love” with Murray Weinstein, and variations across New York, Philadelphia, and LA productions while
Eli and Denise Round Out the Nunzios (opens the original)
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Hosts Larry, Gret, and Concetta welcome Eli Ganias (original Johnny) and Denise Moses (Grandma Nunzio) from the early New York City run of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, recalling the show’s beginnings at Carmelita’s and how characters and bits were built through improvisation, timelines, and audience interaction. They discuss Johnny’s development, family dynamics with Mr. Nunzio, Grandma’s physical and makeup challenges, and famous moments like the “snowball,” the dollar dance, and Grandma slipping on
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