All tickets are now snapped up for a Vancouver reboot of Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding this month, but fans of the immersive theatre production can look forward to possible additional shows in the new year.
That's the word from Jeff Laurin, director of the popular comedy, based on a traditional Italian-American wedding and reception, set to play the Commercial Drive Legion on Nov. 22-23 in a pair of sold-out dates, 150 people per night, $87 a ticket.
"There is talk about more shows, probably February or March," said Laurin, who plays Vinnie Black in the show. "We will evaluate and look at moving the show around the Vancouver area as well, around the region. We are planning monthly shows next year."
The rebooted dinner-theatre production follows a brief pre-COVID run in Vancouver for Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding, and a much longer stretch of shows in the late-2000s.
Like Laurin, Surrey-based Larissa Dawn was among the actors in those days, and she's back as Donna Marsala, a friend of the bride and aspiring singer.
"I had played every female role in the show that was in my age demographic," explained Dawn. "It's been 15 years since I did the show, and for those four years, Tony 'n' Tina's was pretty much my entire young-adult life, doing shows every Thursday, Friday, Saturday for four years. It was a huge part of my life and I had the absolute best time doing it. Obviously, I wouldn't have stuck around as long as I did if I had not been having fun."
Premiered in 1988 in New York City, Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding sees audience members treated as wedding guests by an interactive, improvisational cast of stereotypical Italian-American characters — kind of like TV's The Sopranos with much less violence, much more comedy.
The two-nighter this month is from Hammer Up Productions, online at facebook.com/Fullmoontheatre.vancouver.
"I've been more involved as we've gone deeper into rehearsals here," reported Dawn. "I've helped create the bridesmaids costumes and now I am the official choreographer for the show. That was a nice addition because it's been a long time since I've done choreography, my own choreography for a project. So this has given me that that extra opportunity."
Dawn, who sings with the rock band Celestial Ruin and others, recently returned to acting after a decade-long hiatus, in a May 2023 production of The Sound of Music at Langley's Theatre in the Country. Last September she returned there to play witty theatre critic Daria Chase in The Game's Afoot.
In Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding, Dawn returns to play Donna.
"I spent a solid year just playing Donna (in the mid-2000s), and in my last two years in the show I became what was called a swing. So basically I would play various characters whenever needed. So if someone quit, I'd fill it until they found a replacement. If someone took time off, I'd fill in there. Sometimes I'd play a different character during all three shows in a weekend."
The current production is done "Vegas style," with the wedding and reception held in the same venue.
"Years ago, we would have the wedding at St. Andrew's-Wesley Church on Burrard Street and then everyone, cast and guests, would do a 15- to 20-minute walk to the restaurant at Queen Elizabeth Theatre," Dawn recalled. "And while that walk was taking place, a lot of the stories were unfolding as the guests were walking with us. We'd done it many times before, when the church was not available, doing everything in one place, and to be honest, besides the visual, I do prefer Vegas-style because this way our guests do not have to walk, especially if the weather decides not to co-operate that evening."
