By Fredric Dannen
When Frank Ingrasciotta’s one-man show “Blood Type: Ragu”, a laughter-and-pathos-filled autobiographical narrative of his immigrant Italian family, opened Off-Broadway at the Actor’s Playhouse in 2009, The New York Times took notice and sent a theater critic. Everyone involved in an Off-Broadway production prays for and seldom gets a Times writeup, but also dreads the prospect, because a bad review can doom a production.
There was nothing to fear. The critic, Andy Webster, warmed to the garrulous humor of the veteran performer’s “portraits of colorful Sicilian relatives and Brooklyn personalities,” which kept the audience laughing for most of the show’s 90 minutes, and was particularly taken with the actor-author’s hard-won sympathy for his difficult working-class immigrant parents. “Mr. Ingrasciotta’s compassion grows increasingly evident,” Webster wrote. “It is that kind of understanding and forgiveness that gives Blood Type: Ragu its lasting, rewarding flavor.”
Since the Off-Broadway opening, Ingrasciotta has toured and refined his show, giving over a thousand performances at prestigious venues throughout the United States and Canada. Along the way, he has picked up several awards, including two United Solo Awards for Best Comic Actor and Best Comedic Script. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, himself the grandson of Italian immigrants, invited Ingrasciotta to perform “Blood Type: Ragu” at the June 2011 legislative conference in Albany.
Now Ingrasciotta is doing something new: he’s taking his show south of the border. His chosen venue for the Latin American debut of “Blood Type: Ragu” is the San Miguel Playhouse, at avenida Independencia 82. There will be four performances, from Thursday, January 19 through Sunday, January 22, all at 7pm except for the Sunday show, a 3pm matinee. Reserved seat tickets are US$25 for the center section and US$20 for the side sections. Advance sales are online only, and the purchase page can be accessed by visiting boletocity.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door an hour before each show.
The Playhouse offers taxi concierge service and free secured street parking. At press time, the theater was still negotiating to regain use of the parking lot across the street.
A native of White Plains, New York, Ingrasciotta has appeared in numerous theatrical, film, and television productions, is an acting adjunct instructor at SUNY Purchase and Manhattanville College, and is the resident Stage Director for Standing-O Productions, a youth theatre program in New Jersey.
In Blood Type: Ragu, Ingrasciotta populates the stage with more than twenty different characters, young and old, male and female, with virtually no change of costume. The Times reviewer noted that “the most vivid characters in Mr. Ingrasciotta’s gallery are the women,” and commended the actor for avoiding the misogyny of drag humor in his portrayals.
The San Miguel Playhouse’s presentation of Blood Type: Ragu, directed by Ted Sod, continues the theater’s tradition of presenting the work of touring performers. In previous seasons, talented actors such as Pete Searles, Randy Noojin, and the late Janet Price have graced the Playhouse stage.
Theater
“Blood Type: Ragu,” starring Frank Ingrasciotta, directed by Ted Sod
Thurs., Jan. 19; Fri., Jan. 20; Sat., Jan. 21 at 7pm; Sun., Jan. 22 at 3pm
San Miguel Playhouse, avenida Independencia 82
Tickets: US$25/US$20
Advance sale at boletocity.com, or at the door
