'A Bronx Tale' with Chazz Palminteri Begins Previews Tonight

Previews begin tonight, October 4, for Academy Award nominated actor Chazz Palminteri's Broadway debut in his acclaimed show A Bronx Tale. The show, directed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Zaks, plays a limited 18 week engagement at The Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street). Opening night is Thursday October 25. The engagement will run through February 10, 2008.

A Bronx Tale was first mounted off Broadway in 1989 and helped establish Palminteri as a writer and actor with a distinct voice.  "In A Bronx Tale, Palminteri brings 18 characters to vivid life, depicting a rough childhood on Bronx streets populated by a cast of friends and enemies," state press notes.

Performing the show in Los Angeles and New York, Palminteri caught the attention of studios, producers and directors – all of whom wanted to make the film version – without him. Palminteri turned down a million dollar offer for the film rights, despite having $200 in his bank account at the time. Robert DeNiro came to see the show, and brought both it and Palminteri to the screen, making his directorial debut in the process. 

A Bronx Tale will be produced on Broadway by Go Productions in association with Jujamcyn Theaters. Lighting design is by Paul Gallo, set design by James Noone, and original music and sound design by John Gromada.  Mr. Palminteri's wardrobe is supplied by Italian menswear designer ISAIA.

Chazz Palminteri has over 50 movies to his credit including The Usual Suspects, Bullets over Broadway, Analyze This, Hurly Burly, Mulholland Falls, and A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. He has also directed the HBO series "Oz" (episode, "Unnatural Disasters"), Showtime's "Women vs. Men," and the feature film Noel, starring Susan Sarandon, Penelope Cruz, Robin Williams and Paul Walker.   He was last seen on the New York stage in the play The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui starring with Al Pacino, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, and Billy Crudup.

Jerry Zaks is a four time Tony Award  winner and has directed over 30 New York productions.  Most recently, he directed Encores!' acclaimed Stairway to Paradise.  Other credits include, Broadway: The House of Blue Leaves (Tony Award), The Front Page, Anything Goes (Tony nomination), Lend Me a Tenor (Tony Award), Six Degrees of Separation (Tony Award), Guys and Dolls (Tony Award), Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Smokey Joe's Cafe (Tony nomination, Olivier nomination), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Tony nomination), The Man Who Came to Dinner, 45 Seconds From Broadway, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles (Tony Award, Best Revival), The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial; Off-Broadway: Sister Mary Ignatius, Beyond Therapy, Baby With the Bathwater, The Foreigner (Obie Award), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Obie Award), Wenceslas Square, Assassins, A Bad Friend. Film: Marvin's Room. TV: "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Frasier." He is a graduate of Dartmouth with an MFA from Smith and since 1990 has been proudly affiliated with Jujamcyn Theaters.

Tickets are $96.50, 76.50 and 26.50 and are now available through www.telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200.  Premium tickets and Group Sales are also available through www.telecharge.com. For details visit www.abronxtaleonbroadway.com