FROM
OUR REVIEWS
Corriere della Sera - Alessandra Farkas
"The theater was sold out and there was roaring
applause at the end. I could not have been happier for the debut
of Obama in Naples, the musical written by Claudio Angelini (former
director of the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, and for
20 years the anchorman of Tg1) and directed by
Stephan Morrow. It opened its doors on Wednesday in the June Havoc
Theater, Off Broadway where it will run until May 6.The plot which
is funny and original, also convinced the Americans in the audience."
Scopri New York - Piero Armenti
"A comedy with songs - the musical is ('made in Italy' )
by Claudio Angelini and has conquered the Big Apple. The show,
staged last night at the June Havoc Theater, one of the more fashionable
off Broadway stages around, was applauded more than thirty times
with a final standing ovation. Full of humor but also a romantic
story it is written by Angelini, journalist, author of numerous
novels, and president of the 'Dante Alighieri Society’ in
New York City where he has lived for many years and where he was
also director of the Italian Cultural Institute and a noted political
anchorman for RAI. He also wrote most of the music, songs
and ballads with arrangements by Simone de Filippis - giving rhythm
to the piece: 'The bed squeaks,' ''A City' in three versions and
'The Barbarians.'"
NY Times Reader Review - maria teresa cometto,
New York
"witty and funny! loving towards both Naples and America,
with some non-politically correct gags that are quite hilarious.
Among many characters: the nun "Mother Concetta" is
moving when she sings her ballad and hilarious when she invokes
Obama; and Obama is perfect in his role. It's totally worthwhile
going to see it."
Libero Quotidiano - Glauco Maggi
"Obama is funny when he teases, "you want 6 million
jobs? I promised that in America so I can do that here too. How
many jobs do you want? ". Then he admits that "America
does not want me anymore" and almost gives up but then when
Hillary Clinton announces that if he doesn’t return she’ll
run again he blurts out 'Whoah. I’m comin’ back. America
needs me. God bless America!' Obviously we are in a theater, with
Toby Blackwell playing Barack Obama and Elyse Knight as Hillary.
Not in front of the TV, where even American comedians have begun
to reveal the nuances of the Obama presidency and have thrown
off the muzzle which was always sympathetic to the Democrats agenda.
"The debut of Claudio Angelini as a playwright
was on April 25 at The June Havoc Theater, 312 West 36th Street,
between Eighth and the Ninth Avenue. Angelini ...has returned
to his old passion for writing poems and songs, lyrics and music
and has now taken material from his drawer and written about the
experiences of a reporter who covered the earthquake of 1980 in
Irpinia which devastated large parts of Campania. Thus was born
a comedy with which you laugh, but but which also knows how to
be very serious satire."
ABOUT
THE PLAY
Neapolitan
crazyness and fun break out when an Italian journalist, who covered
the terrible Irpinia earthquake of 1980, returns to Naples to
investigate whether conditions will ever improve there. He is
mistaken for a member of President Obama's advance party and ends
up getting more involved in saving the city than he reckoned for.
When our
President coincidentally arrives, miraculously, bringing his message
of peace and hope, he is welcomed by the Neapolitans like a new
San Gennaro. For a few days Naples becomes the capital of the
world and Obama the new patron saint of the city.
The underlying
theme is Southern Italy’s never-ending woes, summed up by
the question: have things gotten better or worse in the last thirty
years? Can young folk across the continents--from Paris to Perth,
Bombay to Beijing--be inspired by Obama to fight corruption and
make a brighter future...or not? The play sparkles with songs.
Like most Italian comedies, it borrows from commedia dell'
arte but its humor is the genuine kind that stems from the
warmth of the characters themselves.
Playwright
Claudio Angelini is the well-known Italian TV news anchor known
as the Dan Rather of Italy. He has covered Obama since the primaries
and published a book with Rizzoli on the first years of his presidency,
Obama: Un Anno di Sfide (Obama: A Year of Challenges).
Among his many assignments, he covered the earthquake in Irpinia,
accompanying President Pertini. His play is a love poem to Naples
with humor and satire.
The play
is translated from the Italian and the Neapolitan by Angela Carabelli
and edited by Olga Cortese and Michael F. Moore (not the documentary
film maker). Olga Cortese is the producer.
For a
complete description, read
our press release.
Will
he come to Naples and save the day...or not?
A comedy with songs
 |
Scenographic
painting-in-progress by Lello Esposito |
SONG LIST
1) A CITY 1 - Composer Claudio Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
2) OBAMA BALLAD - Marco Cappelli arr. Cappelli
3) HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE - Diana Tejera arr. Simone de Filippis
4) CONCETTA SONG - Cappelli arr. Cappelli
5) THE BARBARIANS - Angelini arr. Cappelli
6) A CITY 2 (long version) - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
7) ENTANGLED IN YOUR HAIR - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
8) THIS BED THAT SQUEAKS - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
9) OH MY PRETTY, PRETTY LOVE - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
10) PRETTY LOVE REPRISE - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
11) HERE I AM AGAIN - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
12) MY GIFT TO YOU - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
13) LIGHT THESE EYES - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
14) A CITY 3 (long) - Angelini arr. Simone de Filippis
