The Calamari Sisters Returning to Bristol Riverside Theatre, 7/29-8/2

The riotous and wacky Calamari Sisters return to Bristol Riverside Theatre on July 29-August 2 with The Calamari Sisters' Big Fat Italian Wedding starring Delphine Calamari and Carmela Calamari. Delightfully zany hilarity ensues as this time the larger-than-life Italian sisters prepare for a wedding.

Performances run Wednesday, July 29 at 2:00 and 7:30, Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 PM, Friday, July 31 at 8:00 PM, Saturday, August 1 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and Sunday, August 2 at 3:00 PM. Tickets starting at $30 ($15 for students) are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.

When the Calamari Sisters bulldozed upon the musical comedy scene, who knew that three years later, one of them would be tying the knot? Or will she? There's nothing like an arranged Italian wedding to bring out the crazy relatives, wacky missteps, and of course, the food, food, FOOD! As usual, Delphine and Carmela sing, dance, and cook their way through such favorites as "Chapel of Love," "Love and Marriage," "Daddy's Little Girl," "Get Me To The Church On Time," and "River Deep, Mountain High." in an attempt to cater their big fat Italian wedding. Will the Sisters make it to the church on time or simply collapse at the end of aisle?

DELPHINE CALAMARI was born in Bay Ridge, NY, the eldest daughter of Rocco and Vittoria Calamari. By age seven, she was assisting her grandmother cater every major event at the legendary Rigatoni Lodge of the Brooklyn Federation of Italian-American Societies. Her love for meat began soon thereafter, and within a few years she was known throughout the borough as "that Italian girl that can tell you which butcher a sausage comes from with her eyes closed." By the time Delphine was a young woman, it was widely believed that unless you served Delphine's meatballs at your wedding reception, your marriage would be doomed and you would never conceive a son to carry on your family name. Delphine was Founder and President of the Pasta and Meat Club at St. Lady of the Divine Pain High School, as well as unofficial Cookie Maker for the Drama Club, where she also landed such roles as Nurse Flinn in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, the Kit Kat Club Janitor in Cabaret, and Rusty Charlie in Guys And Dolls. Upon graduating, she teamed up with her sister, Carmela, and founded the borough-famous Calamari Sisters' Catering Company. They soon became well-known for their song-and-dance-and-cooking routines, being hired by such notable public figures as Ed Koch, Hoda Kotb, and Nancy Harrigan. Four years ago, their Uncle JoJo accidentally went swimming without taking off his cement block, and left them a large inheritance, which they used to finance their public access cable TV show, MANGIA ITALIANO.

CARMELA CALAMARI was born in Bay Ridge, NY, the lightest daughter of Rocco and Vittoria Calamari, weighing 15 pounds at birth. Carmela began turning heads with her cooking from a very young age, combining a lemonade stand with a kissing booth at the age of eight. After being promptly shut down by her uncle, and several of her customers mysteriously disappearing, she turned her attention to more conventional outlets and began competing in the Bay Ridge pageant circuit. Carmela was crowned Miss Salami of Bay Ridge, first runner-up Miss Wooden Spoon of Bay Ridge, and Miss Congeniality for Miss Stuck Pig of Bay Ridge, always wowing the crowd with some extraordinary new and unusual talent. While competing for the famous Miss Macaroni of Greater Brooklyn Carmela was allegedly caught feeding one of the judges minestrone soup out of her Gucci knock-off pump was disqualified from any and all future Italian pageants in all five boroughs. Never one to accept defeat, Carmela dove into helping her sister, Delphine, and their grandmother cater events at the Rigatoni Lodge, becoming the fastest cake frost-er in all of Brooklyn. In addition, she became the darling of the St. Lady of the Divine Pain High School's Drama Club, playing such roles as Effie in Dreamgirls, Eliza DooLittle in My Fairy Lady, and Mary in The Secret Garden. When her sister, Delphine, suggested they start a singing-dancing-cooking business together, Carmela knew it was the perfect marriage of her two favorite things: cooking and performing, and so Calamari Sisters' Catering Company was born.

Summer fun continues at BRT with the final Summer Musicale Fest concert Broadway Serenade on August 13-23 including songs from Hello, Dolly!, Pippin, Wicked, On the Town, and Bye Bye Birdie.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintains a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 70 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by Theatre Philadelphia. In addition to its Mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director Jameson Gilpatrick, BRT concludes its 28th season. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.