Romeo & Bernadette

Casting

3 female and 6 male featured roles

ROMEO (21-30; tenor, strong high A, falsetto or strong B): the Shakespearean character himself! Dashing, passionate, courtly, irresistibly handsome, swashbuckling, innocent, in pursuit of Bernadette. (“A World Away”)

BERNADETTE PENZA (21-25; strong singer, New York street accent, good comic skills. High Belt with strong mix. Strong belt to E, the money note at the end of her solo, “One Tender Word.”): Mafia Princess. Sexy, tough, vulgar, funny, spoiled, temperamental, with more tenderness in her heart than she realizes.

TITO TITONE (21-30; tenor, strong high B-flat): a studly thug, and Bernadette’s cold, domineering fiancee. Good singer, good comedian. New York street accent..

DINO DEL CANTO/BROOKLYN GUY (21-30; lyric baritone. Basically to F with a couple of growled jazz high A-flats at the end of his solo “Boom! In Love”): slick, smug, charming young mob upstart, streety and sexy. Romeo’s friend in New York.

DONNA DUBACEK / BROOKLYN GIRL (21-25; belt and mix, belt to C above middle C): Bernadette’s friend and maid of honor. Tough talking, blunt, pretty, earthy, with a superior attitude.

SAL PENZA (40-55; baritone to F, with optional A in unison with Tito in “Non La Famiglia”): Bernadette’s father. Funny, lovable, a down-to-earth, up-from-the-streets Tony Soprano style mob chief.

CAMILLE PENZA (40-50; mezzo, to C above middle C but with an operatic voice to high G): Bernadette’s mother. A stylish Brooklyn mob wife with high class aspirations and affectations. Good singer, good comedian.

CHARACTER MAN (30-45; lyric baritone): strong singer and an exceptional character comedian to play both male and female characters. He plays: ENZO ALIRIA: a self-loving Pavarotti-style opera singer, sings to high F. LOUIE: a nervous airport immigration agent, to G. ARDEN THE FLORIST: flamboyant and warm-hearted to G. FATHER KENEELY: well-meaning Irish priest to F-sharp. VIOLA DUKE: a cruel tyrant of a dance instructor. Non-singing. ROZ: a gravelly-voiced dressmaker. Non-singing.

(Another option is to have these roles played by ensemble/chorus members “LIPS” (35-50; character baritone to F-sharp): gruff, all-business, (but surprisingly heartfelt) tough-guy bodyguard. New York accent.

DON DEL CANTO/AIRPORT SUPERVISOR (baritone to high G): Don Del Canto is Dino’s elegant, aristocratic old country mob father. Refined Italian accent.

Orchestral Information

6 Musicians:

Keyboard 1: Piano/Conductor (Synthesizer)

Keyboard 2 (Synthesizer)

Reed (Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute)

Guitar (Acoustic with pick-up/Hollow Body Jazz Electric Guitar)

Mandolin with pick-up

Bass (Acoustic Upright Bass, Electric Jazz Bass)

Credits

ROMEO AND BERNADETTE

Book and Lyrics by MARK SALTZMAN Music Adapted, Arranged and Orchestrated by BRUCE W. COYLE

Originally produced by Coconut Grove Playhouse and Paper Mill Playhouse, The State Theatre of New Jersey