Cantone Leads 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE A BROOKLYN CHRISTMAS Reading 5/11

On Tuesday, May 11th at 7:00pm, film producer TEd KuRDYLA, will take over the off-Broadway theatre 45 Bleecker Street (at the corner of Bleecker and Lafayette Streets) where he will present a reading of Vincent Gogliormella and Charles Messina's screenplay ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE A BROOKLYN CHRISTMAS for the many, many members of the industry that have expressed interest in the very buzzed about comedy. 

Both Film and Broadway investors will be in attendance.

Mr. Messina will direct the reading.

Set against a musical background of Dean Martin's greatest and most seductive hits, ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE A BROOKLYN CHRISTMAS tells the story of the miraculous salvation of the soul of Angelo Mombolino (Michael Rispoli) who, after being gunned down on the steps of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, is given a second chance at everlasting life on the right side of the Pearly Gates after his already ‘passed' parents plead his case before the grand San Gennaro himself (Robert Cuccioli) to rescue their only son from the fires of eternal damnation.

San Gennaro, the most revered of all the Italian Saints, takes the case to the Highest Power who green-lights the project.

So. It's on. New York City's biggest, cruelest and toughest crime Boss is sent back to earth to untangle his illicit relationship with the delicious Kiley Taylor with whom he is cheating on his extremely loyal wife; rescue the degenerate gambler, Timmy Farrell, from his own leg-breakers who have been unleashed to retrieve all of the dead-beat Irishman's debts; and undo the hit he put out on his once-trusted Capo, Tiny Tony D'Agostino (Mario Cantone), a height-challenged sidekick Mombo had whacked on September 18th, 2008.

The fly in the olive oil is the two-for-one-deal the Highest Power has sent in via San Gennaro.
Mombo must complete all three tasks or he goes South and takes Tiny Tony with him.

This is a high-octane-fast-paced-eternal life-and-death comedy with two men's souls on the line.
Santa Claus makes a rather startling entrance at the end of Act I. San Gennaro does his best work at the top of Act III. Mombo's wife, Franny Mombolino, stays inexplicably faithful until the Credits roll. And all the while, Mombo and Tiny Tony battle valiantly to straighten out their metaphysical compasses. When they finally do, both compasses point directly at the entertainment industry's next big comedy. Think: A CHRISTMAS CAROL meets ANALYZE THIS.

ABOUT TEd KuRDYLA
(Producer)

TEd Kurdyla has distinguished himself as a successful producer while amassing a varied list of credits in film, television and cable throughout his producing career. Ted's film credits include. "Phone Booth," directed by Joel Schumacher for 20th Century Fox starring Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker and Katie Holmes opened as America's number one movie; "Tigerland," directed by Joel Schumacher, starring Colin Farrell in his first motion picture, for New Regency/ 20th Century Fox; "Isn't She Great," starring Bette Midler and Nathan Lane was directed by Andrew Bergman for Universal Pictures and co-stared Stockard Channing, David Hyde Pierce and John Cleese; "Fallen," starring Denzel Washington, John Goodman, James Gandolfini, Embeth Davidtz and Donald Sutherland was directed by Gregory Hoblit and distributed worldwide by Warner Bros; "The Confession," starring Alec Baldwin, Ben Kingsley, and Amy Irving directed by David Jones for Franchise Films; "Final Analysis," starring Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Uma Thurman and Eric Roberts directed by Phil Joanou for Warner Bros; "Cadillac Man," starring Robin Williams, Tim Robins, Annabella Sciorra and Fran Drescher directed by Roger Donaldson for Orion Pictures; "Johnny Handsome, " Starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Morgan Freeman and Lance Henriksen directed by Walter Hill for Carolco/Tri-star. Producer TEd Kurdyla and Kurdyla Entertainment have produced the four hour mini- series "Spartacus," shot in Bulgaria, starring Goran Visnjic, Alan Bates, Ben Cross, Angus MacFadyen, Henry Simmons and Rhona Mitra directed by Robert Dornhelm for Universal/USA Cable Entertainment. "Helen of Troy," a four hour mini series shot in Malta was produced by TEd Kurdyla, directed by John Kent Harrison with Rufus Sewell, Sienna Guillory, Matthew Marsden and Stellan Skarsgard aired on USA Cable Entertainment for Universal. Ted produced and directed live to tape "Sumo Battle of the Giants" at Madison Square Garden for Big Boy Productions and ESPN. Ted co-produced "The Cosby Mysteries" starring Bill Cosby, James Naughton, Lynn Whitfield and Rita Moreno for NBC Productions. Also for NBC, he produced the telefilm "Trapped," starring Kris Kristofferson. For Showtime he produced "Birds II: Land's End," with Brad Johnson, Tippi Hedren; "Twilight Man," starring Tim Matheson and Dean Stockwell was produced by Kurdyla for Encore. TEd Kurdyla's production manager credits include "Once Upon A Time In America," with Robert De Niro, James Woods, Joe Pesci, Elizabeth Mc Govern and Treat Williams directed by Sergio Leone for Warner Bros; "Year of The Dragon," starring Mickey Rourke, directed by Michael Cimino for MGM; "Blow Out," with John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow and Dennis Franz, directed by Brian De Palma for Filmways; "Fletch Lives," starring Chevy Chase, HAl Holbrook, Cleavon Little and Richard Belzer, directed by Michael Ritchie for Universal; "Imagine: John Lennon," with Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, Cynthia Lennon, Sean Lennon Paul Mc Cartney, Ringo Star, George Harrison and David Bowe directed by Andrew Solt for Warner Bros; "Bright Lights Big City," with Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, directed by James Bridges for United Artist; "*batteries not included," starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy directed by Matthew Robbins for Amblin/Universal; "Arthur 2 - On the Rocks," with Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud and Kathy Bates directed by Bud Yorkin for Warner Bros; "America," starring Zack Norman, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael J. Pollard directed by Robert Downey for Aries and "Fighting Back," starring Tom Skerritt, Patti Lu Pone and Michael Sarrazin directed by Lewis Teague for Paramount.

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