Leonardo da Vinci Centre & Pellegrini Productions's DON'T BLAME IT ON THE STORK Begins Tonight

Presented by Leonardo da Vinci Centre and Pellegrini Productions, Don't Blame it on the Stork will be at Leonardo da Vinci Centre from tonight, Sept. 15, through Oct. 11. Written by Tony Calabretta (writer of hit show, Damn Those Wedding Bells!) and directed by Antonio DiVerdis, audiences will enjoy this hilarious and heart-warming comedy about the trials and tribulations of a typical Montreal-Italian family when a very pregnant daughter and her Anglo husband move into the top floor of the in-law's duplex. Warning: contains Italian-family-fighting language, minghia!

The stellar cast, many who perform locally in French, English and Italian, includes Montreal favourites Tony Calabretta as Lou (The Envelope and Paradise by the River, Centaur Theatre; Ciao Bella, CBC/Radio-Canada), Shawn Campbell as Derrick (The Envelope, Centaur Theatre; Stratford Festival), Guido Cocomello as Mario (stand-up comic and actor including six Centaur Theatre productions and Just for Laughs' Zoofest), Veronica Melis as Bettina (international multifaceted theatre and circus director/creator in her first original English production), Eleanor Noble as Theresa (August, An Afternoon in the Country and Social Studies, Centaur Theatre; Wife Begins at Forty, Hudson Village Theatre), Dino Tavarone as Mimmo (Omertà; Mambo Italiano; Long Long Short Short, Infinitheatre) and Nadia Verrucci as Carmie (Carmela's Table, Centaur Theatre; Billy (The Days of Howling), Talisman Theatre; The Jazz Singer, Segal Centre).

What's a pregnant woman to do when she thinks her husband doesn't love her anymore? Turn to her parents who live downstairs? They meddle enough as it is. Turn to her brother whom she worships? Too humiliating. Turn to her sister-in-law? With her perfect husband, she couldn't possibly relate. That leaves Lou, life-long friend and first high-school sweetheart. A master of malapropisms, Lou's 'lights are on but nobody's home'. It'll take more than the ever-present javel bottles to get this cleaned up... A comedy about love, lies and family ties; who will survive this mid-wife crisis?

As reflected ever increasingly in today's economic climate, the story in Don't Blame it on the Stork starts as a financially motivated decision by newlyweds Carmie and Derrick. This quickly turns into a test of their patience and endurance as Carmie's well-meaning parents smother them with unsolicited help and attention, inevitably putting a strain on their relationship. Are cultural differences to blame? Carmie's non-Italian sister-in-law Theresa has embraced the all-involved family, so what else is going on under the surface?

For playwright Tony Calabretta, the challenge was to render some very serious situations funny and relatable for all audience members, regardless of age or ethnicity, "I love putting regular people in extraordinary situations and see how they react, all the while finding the comedy. The more conflict I can give my characters, the better. Among the many issues that the extended family deals with however, it was crucial that the play also promote the importance of family values."

After a career directing film, television, live musical performances and music videos, director Antonio DiVerdis is thrilled about this, his first theatrical direction. He laughed out loud when he first read the script, then found he couldn't stop thinking about the characters, "The play has an underlying bite that stayed with me and provided lively discussions for days to come. What is truth? What is love? Why are we happy or why are we not?" He explains what drew him to the piece, "I believe that theatre should be stimulating and thought provoking even as it makes us laugh. Don't Blame it on the Stork tackles universal, age old questions that by the very nature of their simplicity, are extremely complex."

Bettina: "Did we force you to come and live here or take the food we cook for you? When things go wrong people like to find out why and sometimes look for someone to blame."

Pellegrini Productions is honoured to be in partnership with Leonardo da Vinci Centre in its initial collaboration presenting live theatre. This is the first of what is hoped to be many joint ventures for the Centre, bringing professional theatre to both its patrons and greater Montreal area audiences. With its plush velvet seats and pin-drop acoustics, the Mirella and Lino Saputo Theatre, inspired by La Scala in Milan, ensures no bad seats in the house. The cast, crew and design team are looking forward to working in this beautiful, state-of-the-art theatre and exposing Montrealers to one of the city's best-kept secrets.

Set and costume designer Evita Karasek has created an almost life-sized environment, bringing audiences practically into the families' kitchens and living rooms. Enhancing the experience is lighting designer Robert Lamarre; music arrangement is by Alex Crow. Danielle Skene is the stage manager.

The cast's 'family ties' run deeper than just this production: Guido Cocomello and Eleanor Noble have already played husband and wife in HVT's Wife Begins at 40; Dino Tavarone and Veronica Melis have already worked together as husband and wife in the film Hot Dog; Cocomello, Shawn Campbell and Calabretta recently appeared together in The Envelope at Centaur Theatre; and DiVerdis and Calabretta are collaborating on a TV series, Up, Down, Sideways, (where Calabretta and Nadia Verrucci will play husband and wife) as well as a movie version of Calabretta's hit play, Damn Those Wedding Bells!

Don't Blame it on the Stork- Tuesday, September 15- Sunday, October 11

Playing at Leonardo da Vinci Centre, Mirella and Lino Saputo Theatre

8370 Boul. Lacordaire, St. Leonard- Lots of free parking!

Tuesday to Saturday at 8:00pm; Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinées at 2:00pm

Tickets: $34.50-$52.50- senior, student, group rates available

Box office: 514 955-8370 or online at Leonardo da Vinci Centre Box Office

Special early-bird tickets for Tues. Sept. 15 & Wed. 16 at 8pm, and Sat. Sept. 19 at 2pm:

$26.75 (including tax and service charge) until Sept. 11 with the code word 'Stork'

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