Tony n' Tina's Wedding: Creating a Theatre Tribe

In this two-part episode, hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta speak to two people who were instrumental in securing the longevity of Tony n' Tina's Wedding, Randall Thropp and David Rothenberg. In part one, Randall recounts how his involvement with Tony & Tina’s Wedding began by creating an elaborate fake wedding cake prop, then expanded into designing and dressing the original New York rec...

Hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta are joined by Tom Allen, who recounts how he got cast in Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding 41 years ago, navigating early rehearsals built on improvised tableaus before characters were fully formed. Tom describes his struggle to fit into the loud New York-Italian world, choosing to play Joey as a closeted gay man for the period rather than a stereotype, shaping the role through...

Hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta welcome Kevin Alexander, an original member of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, who performed in early versions at the American Legion/VFW Halls, describing the show’s largely improvised structure, early rehearsals with little audience, and the need to recruit friends as unpaid catering “Black staff.” Kevin explains how he built Vinny Black from restaurant experience and infl...

Hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta chat with Elizabeth Dennehy and James Altuner, who created Donna Marsala and Dominic Fabrizzi in Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, to revisit how the show grew out of overlapping “theater tribes” from Hofstra, Lambda, and David Kaplan’s acting class and early performances at the American Legion Hall before Carmelita’s. They share how characters, songs, and improvised bits evol...

Hosts Larry, Gret, and Concetta talk with director/performer Tony Lauria about how the tour model—bringing key roles on the road and hiring local casts—keeps the show evolving in cities like Milwaukee and Seattle. Tony shares his long history with the production, his approach to directing while performing Donny, and why leading with kindness, inclusivity, and positive choices creates instant “fami...

Hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta welcome original producer Joe Corcoran to revisit the show’s early days—from the American Legion Hall experiments and improvised “wedding” format to Joe raising $125,000 in a weekend and taking big risks to bring the production to Gus’ Place. Joe and Mark Nassar reflect on building a true party atmosphere, the challenges of producing an interactive show with food, a...

Hosts Larry, Gret and Christy welcome Christopher Fracchiolla, who played Mr. Nunzio and helped write the narrative-style character bios for the Samuel French version of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. Chris discusses how Nunzio’s manipulation, drinking, and escalating darkness helped give the show tension, how lore like Dominic being “his son” developed, and how the production evolved from New York to Lo...

Hosts Larry, Gret and Concetta welcome original Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding performers Susan Varon (Mrs. Vitale) and Jay Harran (Uncle Lui) to recount how the immersive show developed from early performances at the American Legion Hall and Carmelita’s into larger venues like Gus’ and later the Edison. They describe the DIY, “guerrilla theater” conditions—no dressing rooms, improvised makeup and latex a...

Hosts Larry, Gret, and Concetta welcome Mark Nassar, the original Tony, to discuss the early days and long legacy of the immersive improv show Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. Mark recalls the first performances in 1985 at the American Legion Hall, how hard the show was to rehearse without an audience, and how the first performance confirmed it had major potential (even if no one predicted its decades-long...

In this inaugural episode, hosts Larry Pellegrini, Gret Gonzalez, and Concetta Rella delve into the creation of 'Tony and Tina's Wedding,' the original immersive theatrical experience. They are joined by Nancy Cassaro, the original Tina and creator, and Mark Campbell, the original Barry Wheeler. They discuss the show's unpredictable beginnings, the inspiration behind its unique for...

Welcome to the "Tony n' Tina's Wedding: Creating a Theatre Tribe" podcast, a twice monthly look back at the creation of the long-running Off-Broadway sensation, Tony n' Tina's Wedding , along with the families created along the way and current productions being undertaken. Join podcast hosts Larry Pellegrini, Concetta Rose Rella, and Gret Menzies Gonzalez, along with tech...