Dina Manzo, one of the stars of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" will make her first foray into theater as one of the producers of My Big Gay Italian Wedding, by Anthony J. Wilkinson, featuring "Amazing Race" winner Reichen Lehmkuhl, Off-Broadway at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street, beginning May 5th.
Dina Manzo is a family woman, a business owner, and the founder of the charitable organization Project Ladybug. She balances a career as an interior designer and owner of a successful event planning company with being a loving wife to her husband Tommy and mother to her teenage daughter, Alexia. Dina is best friends with her sister, Caroline, and both of their husbands work together running one of New Jersey's premiere catering facilities, The Brownstone. She calls her husband the love of her life and they have been happily married for more than four years. Dina is extremely passionate about her foundation, Project Ladybug, and is dedicated to giving back to children with cancer. Her goal is to one day open "Ladybug Houses" so that these children and their families have somewhere safe and comfortable to call home while receiving treatment.
When the original production of My Big Gay Italian Wedding premiered in 2003, the idea of GAY MARRIAGE was a fantasy. In 2010, the International debate on Gay Marriage reaches new heights: Gay Marriage is now legal in eight and a half countries (Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and parts of Mexico) and seven states in the US (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and District of Columbia). So playwright Anthony Wilkinson has gone back to the typewriter and brought his acclaimed comedy into this new era of hope and optimism for same sex marriage.
Planning a wedding can be hell... or a hell of a lot of fun! Two handsome grooms, one overbearing Italian mother, a jealous ex-boyfriend, the wedding planner from Hell, and an assortment of kooky family and friends all gather together for Off-Broadway's newest laugh-out-loud comedy with a heart.
My Big Gay Italian Wedding is presented by Anndee Productions, Donna DiCrescento, Frank Levinson, and Dolores Naso, in addition of Ms Manzo.
Performances of My Big Gay Italian Wedding will be at St. Luke's Theatre (308 West 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Tickets are $66.50, including $1.50 restoration fee, and are available through Telecharge.com or by phone at 212/239-6200.
For more information visit www.BigGayItalianWedding.com
