Woody Allen Adaptation Debuts at Italian Theatre Festival, Aug. 1


31 Jul 1998

The theatrical version of Woody Allen's highly-successful film Bullets Over Broadway will make its world premiere Aug. 1 at Italy's Borgio Verezzi Festival. The show will be directed by Enrico Maria Lamanna and will feature scenes by Renzo Castrense Bellanca and music by Lino Patruno. Giuseppe Pambieri and Lia Tanzi will play the lead roles of playwright David Shayne and bimbo Olive Neal.

The theatrical version of Woody Allen's highly-successful film Bullets Over Broadway will make its world premiere Aug. 1 at Italy's Borgio Verezzi Festival. The show will be directed by Enrico Maria Lamanna and will feature scenes by Renzo Castrense Bellanca and music by Lino Patruno. Giuseppe Pambieri and Lia Tanzi will play the lead roles of playwright David Shayne and bimbo Olive Neal.

The 1994 film, written by Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath, starred John Cusack, Chazz Palminteri, Jim Broadbent, Jennifer Tilly, Tracey Ullman and Dianne Wiest, who received an Academy Award for her featured performance. The film received numerous Academy Award nominations including Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Palminteri) and Best Supporting Actress (Tilly).

Set in 1920s New York City, Bullets over Broadway tells the story of idealistic young playwright David Shayne. Producer Julian Marx finally finds funding for David's project from gangster Nick Valenti on the condition that Nickšs actress/girlfriend Olive Neal plays a part. Unfortunately, Olive's strikingly-bad performance diminishes the entire play. At the end, the playwright must decide whether art or life is more important.

The show will play at Borgio Verezzi through Aug. 5 and will be revived for a winter tour. For further information call the Festival hotline at +39 019 610.167.

-- By Stefano Curti
Italy Correspondent