Chazz Palminteri Honored by Mayor Cicilline, Representative Lombardi At Via Roma

Chazz Palminteri, star and writer of the one-man play A BRONX TALE, was honored at a special luncheon at the Via Roma on FederAl Hill on Wednesday, April 7. The luncheon was attended by Mayor David N. Cicilline, 13th Ward Representative John J. Lombardi, and more than a hundred FederAl Hill business leaders. Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit the annual Columbus Day Parade.

Mayor Cicilline presented Mr. Palminteri with a Key to the City and declared April 7 as Chazz Palminteri Day. Representative Lombardi also honored Mr. Palminteri with a proclamation. Mr. Palminteri thanked Mayor Cicilline, Representative Lombardi, and the attendees and said that he "was proud to be an Italian-American."

Bob D'Uva, President of the FederAl Hill Commerce Association, hosted the event. "It is a great honor to have Mr. Palminteri with us at Via Roma today. He reflects the core values of the Italian-American community so well, and he was very gracious to his many fans and admirers at Via Roma."
A BRONX TALE is the critically-acclaimed one-man show inspired by Mr. Palminteri's own life experiences growing up in the Bronx during the tumultuous 1960s. During the course of the show, Palminteri depicts eighteen different characters. A BRONX TALE was named the #1 show in 2009 by Mike Weatherford of the Las Vegas Review Journal in his annual list of the Top Ten shows in Las Vegas. The play was the creative basis for the incredibly successful 1993 feature film A Bronx Tale, directed by Robert De Niro and written by Mr. Palminteri. Mr. Palminteri also played Sonny the mobster in the film. Mr. Palminteri has said, "If you like the movie, you will LOVE the play."

Performance Schedule and Box Office Information
Mr. Palminteri will return to Providence next week to perform A BRONX TALE at the Providence Performing Arts Center, April 15 to 18. The performance schedule is Thursday, April 15 at 7:30P, Friday, April 16 at 8P, Saturday, April 17 at 8P, and Sunday, April 18 at 1P & 6:30P. Patrons now have the opportunity to purchase tickets in front of the orchestra seating section. Please contact the PPAC Box Office at (401) 421-ARTS (2787) to learn more about these up-front orchestra seating locations. Regular Box Office Hours are Monday through Friday, 10A to 5P, Saturday, 10A to 2P, and through curtain time(s) on show days. Patrons can also purchase tickets online at www.ppacri.org or in-person at the Box Office, located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence.

Photo credit: Greg Rice