I have noticed that the way I look at some of the experiences in my life, growing up Italian-American, and things I say in my live shows and on my radio show, Filippo and the Chef, strike a chord with so many people, Italians, Italian-Americans and people of all walks of life, that I decided to journal some of them on a weekly basis and I invite everyone to chime in about their Italian connections and experiences.
Vi auguro a tutti un Buon Capo d'Anno! (I wish you all a Happy New Year)!
da parte mia, (from me)
Filippo
P.S. Just for fun here is a video I found on Youtube.com which is a New Year's Eve Party sketch staring three Italian-Americans, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Ruth Buzzi. (In English)
I was invited to see a one-man play called "Frank Sinatra F#*ked Up My Love Life!!! - Confessions Of A Romance Addict," by a young Italian-American actor John Ciccolini. The title alone had me interested. Then I read that the show had been nominated for the "LA Weekly Best Solo Show" Award, even better.
But what could John possibly have to say about romance and the Chairman of the Board that hasn't already been said?
I invited an Italian friend of mine, Luciana, who was visiting from Italy to go to the show with me. Since she spoke perfect English, actually, more "perfect" than I since she was educated in England and therefore speaks "The Queen's English," I thought she would enjoy the play. Come to find out she too was a huge Frank Sinatra fan.
It was funny how when we got into the theater, my name was on the press list and with my complimentary tickets was a press packet. Luciana immediately pulled the packet away from me and asked with delight, as she looked at John's picture, "is this who we are seeing tonight?"
When I responded affirmatively she squealed with excitement. Evidently, she wasn't just a big fan of Frank Sinatra, but a big TV fan and recognized John from some TV Series he had done that she had seen in Italy, NYPD Blues or something. Then she noticed his name and noted that he, John, and her shared the same last name, only hers has another "o" in it as in "Cioccolini" where his is "Ciccolini." Boy did I pick the right person to bring to the play. John had all the cards stacked up in his favor for Luciana, and I to enjoy the play.
It turns out that John had all the cards stacked up even without all the coincidences. He and his play were funny, clever, well executed and quite unique. To look at him now you wouldn't have figured him a self-professed nerd as a child and so he describes learning how to "get along with the ladies" through Frank's songs that he listened to religiously, even in an era wherein all his friends were listening to rock and rap.
He even conjures up Frank, and plays him out as a figment of his imagination talking to him about romance and giving him tips while using real life examples from Frank's public life. In the end, John,... well, I don't want to give out the ending, but he cleverly ties it all up, figures it all out and "does it 'His' way." That much I can say.
Then at the end of the play, Cioccolini got to meet Ciccolini and found out they were brother and sister and that her long lost father had come to America and the "o" was dropped by accident and never recovered.
Now wouldn't that have been another play that Ciccolini could write? Only that part isn't true, I am just being funny.
Here I am pictured with Ciccolini wishing him well on the future of this and his next projects. Maybe someday someone will write a play about my music. Only instead of a "Frank Sinatra F#*ked Up My Life!!!" kind of title, maybe it would be "Filippo Voltaggio Saved My Life." Did I just make up that part too? Why not, it's my blog and I am going to write it the way I want.
That way, someday I can sing about my blog and say about it, "I DID IT MY WAY!"
Filippo
P.S. Speaking of Frank "F#*king" things up for John, so he jests. Here is a video I bet hardly any of you have seen. In it Frank does right but a little boy about to get beaten up by a gang of children, he does right by Americans, and the right to practice ones religion of choice. He uses language and references that we happily don't use anymore, but that was the language of the day and thankfully the meaning isn't lost in it. This is a short film I found on Youtube. com that Frank did in 1945 that won an Honorary Oscar and Golden Globe. (In English)
What can I say about my own show? Well, actually, it wasn't just my show so I guess I can say lots. It was a great show, I mean really, what can I say? I can say this, I had a lot of fun and so did the audience. First of all it was a sold out crowd and it was so funny. It was held at the Catalina Jazz Club which is a traditional Jazz Supper Club, very high end, in other words, not cheap, and they do things a certain way, and they get a wealthy clientele... you get the picture.
Well, the night of The Three Paisans, the place magically turned into a classy Las Vegas club of the '50's or something, reminiscent of an evening where Frank, Dean and Sammy would appear. And it is not just me that is saying that, the audience said that, and better yet, the Catalina management said the same thing.
So many "paisans" came out to see three of their own and to have a nice evening out, and they were ready to party and have some fun. The audience started coming in, in their furs and Italian suits, and you knew this was going to be a grand affair. Minutes before we were due to go on stage, the manager came to us in the green room and said that we couldn't start yet because they were behind in serving the food.
He went on to say that in the years that he has managed the place he had never seen anything like this. He said, "No one is sitting down to order, everyone is walking around talking to everyone else and hugging and kissing and no one is ordering." We had to laugh and we knew we were in the right place and we knew our audience was too. These we Italians! Gotta love it! We have a flair, don't we?
We didn't start till almost an hour afterwards and the timing couldn't have been better, not just the timing on when we started, but the timing of the three of us on stage. To say we had fun is an understatement. We all knew each other and we knew each others' work, but we had never been all three on the same stage at the same time "doin' tings togeda, you know what I mean?" And to watch it unfold was a blast for us.
From the reaction of the audience during the show, the standing ovation, and them hanging around afterwards not wanting to leave, I would say it was a party that has to be repeated.
Oh, and do I have to splain that everyone had a comment or suggestion to make. "You shudda done this song," "You shudda said this...." "Next time tell this joke..." We knew we had been successful in inviting the audience to have a good time with us when they felt so part of our family that they felt like they should tell us what to do.
Then again, when I tink about it, the audience was full of actors, directors, producers, agents, and all of them Italian, except Debbie Gibson, you remember her, well hold on cause she's making a comeback. Anyway, back to my story, they were all from Hollywood and all of them were our friends, so what would you expect? On the contrary, it couldn't have been better, except maybe us having had a second show. But we got those offers too, so I am sure I'll be writing more about that in the future.
Before the night was over Frankie opened up his restaurant, "Frakies on Melrose" for us so we could have a drink and celebrate together. Since I was on stage most of the time, I didn't take too many pictures, you know what I mean? But afterwards I took these of Joey Mike and I with a few friends, like Frankie's lovely daughters.
There, have I said too much? You just had to be there! And maybe you will be, who knows, "The Three Paisans" might just be coming to a theater near you.
Filippo
P.S. Here is a video I thought you all would enjoy. It is of the "Rat Pack," with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. with Dean's background vocals to the song "Ain't That a Kick In The Head." Now, Joey and I sang that, but those of you who were there know we changed the words a little bit. And by the way, contrary to popular belief, Frank, Dean and Sammy were not the original rat packers, there was another group before them called that. Anybody know who? In the words of Mike Marino, "I could tell you, but I don't want to be a snitch." (Background Song in English)
Then at the end of the play, Cioccolini got to meet Ciccolini and found out they were brother and sister and that her long lost father had come to America and the "o" was dropped by accident and never recovered.
He went on to say that in the years that he has managed the place he had never seen anything like this. He said, "No one is sitting down to order, everyone is walking around talking to everyone else and hugging and kissing and no one is ordering." We had to laugh and we knew we were in the right place and we knew our audience was too. These we Italians! Gotta love it! We have a flair, don't we?
Oh, and do I have to splain that everyone had a comment or suggestion to make. "You shudda done this song," "You shudda said this...." "Next time tell this joke..." We knew we had been successful in inviting the audience to have a good time with us when they felt so part of our family that they felt like they should tell us what to do.
