4th Wall Theatre Presents ONE HUNDRED YEARS INTO THE HEART

4th Wall Theatre, a non union professional theatre in Bloomfield, New Jersey is presenting an original musical by Pulitzer Nominee Richard Vetere. Based on a real incident in Vetere's life, when his young cousin fell from an apartment window in New York City and was miraculously caught by a young boy, passing underneath the window at that exact moment; the incident serves as the starting point for Vetere's imagination to take flight and create a story about the dynamics of an Italian family with secrets they are afraid to share. Vetere teamed up with music writer, Jeffrey Lodin and lyricist William Squier for this project.

The story of One Hundred Years into the Heart is set in Queens, NY and narrated by Carmine Sorrento, an Italian-American restaurant owner, who serves as the "father figure" in this musical tale. The show centers around an extended Italian American "famiglia," some 25 years later, whose lives intertwine. Through the musical we meet the young man who fell, the one who caught him and the people who intersect in their lives. It was the story that drew Artistic Director Gregory Allen to the piece when choosing this season's M.I.D. (Musicals-in-Development) Stage Series selection as well as the powerful music that propels the story along.

The M.I.D. Stage Series at 4th Wall started out as a bare-bones workshop, but has been anything but that, under the careful eye of Executive Director Gwen Ricks-Spencer who has directed the M.I.D Stage show each season. "We always wanted to showcase the text and the music by keeping sets and costumes to a bare minimum, but each cast I've worked with has loved delving into the lives of characters they have not seen, and music they cannot go out and purchase the CD for - that they end up memorizing the show and giving a performance that far exceeds a typical workshop."

The cast is lead by Richard Colonna (who has worked with 4th Wall since the group's first production in 1997) as Carmine Sorrento. He is joined by Christine Orzepowski as Regina Batista, Marisa Cucuzza as Stefanie Batista, Lenny Gallo as Vincent Iannuzi, and Craig Tiede rounds out the cast in the role of Sal Greco. They have all appeared on the 4th Wall stage in previous productions, as well as numerous productions in Northern New Jersey. Markus Hauck who music directed The Wild Party for 4th Wall last season returns as the music director for this production.

Performances are February 4, 5, and 6 with a 7:30 curtain each performance to accommodate a talk-back session with the creative team and cast after each show. Audiences will be able to discuss the creative process of writing a musical, in addition to finding out what is like for the cast to be able to turn to the writers with questions - something most actors seldom get a chance to experience.

One Hundred Years into the Heart has been presented at festivals and in concert at other theatres, but never in Northern, NJ. 4th Wall felt it was a perfect piece to present in their season focusing on the various interpretations of "families". Critics such as Peter Filichia have commented on the show: "A traditional score, beautifully provided by Lodin and Squier...And let's give a hand to Richard Vetere's book, too. From "not for nothing to the inevitable "ba-da-bing," it all rang true to me."

Performances run at the Westminster Arts Center in Bloomfield, NJ and tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for seniors and students. Reservations can be made at 973-748-9008 ext 279 and more information can be found at www.4thwalltheatre.org

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