Here come the wives! Ramona Rizzo and Karen Gravano, stars of VH1’s deliciously dramatic reality series Mob Wives, will make one-night-only special appearances in My Big Gay Italian Wedding. On November 17 and December 1, respectively, Rizzo and Gravano will officiate the wedding of Anthony and Andrew in the kooky comedy. The new production of My Big Gay Italian Wedding will reopen on November 3 at St. Luke’s Theatre.
My Big Gay Italian Wedding premiered at the Actor’s Playhouse in 2003. A revamped version of the production moved to St Luke’s Theatre in 2010, and featured special appearances by The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Lance Bass, Tabatha Coffey, Vincent Pastore, Dr. Joy Browne and more. The comedy satirizes the controversy surrounding same-sex marriage while drawing on larger-than-life gay, Italian characters.
The cast of My Big Gay Italian Wedding includes Brett Douglas as Maurizio, Donna Castellano as Angela, Joe Scanio as Joseph, Meredith Cullen as Maria, Justin Flexen as Gregorio, Liz Gericitano as Lucia, Meagan Robar as Connie, Tommaso Antico as Mario, Michael Gellert as Frankie, Erik Ransom as Rodney and Chad Kessler as Father Rosalia, as well as Paul Moon and Lea Gerstel.
Rizzo became a Mob Wives cast member during season two. She is the granddaughter of Benjamin “Lefty Guns” Ruggiero, whose likeness was portrayed by Al Pacino in the film Donnie Brasco. Gravano, who has been a cast member since the first season of the hit reality series, is the daughter of Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano. Both Rizzo and Gravano are making their off-Broadway debuts in My Big Gay Italian Wedding.