Help Yourself to Another Serving of “Italian Bred”

As any lover of Italian food knows, a satisfying meal always involves going back for seconds on the bread. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to help yourself to a third serving. And so it is with Candice Guardino’s one-woman show, “Italian Bred” – 85 minutes of hilarious theatrical comedy that she created, wrote, and stars in, taking on the persona of various family members and bringing to life what it’s like to grow up in an Italian family in Staten Island, NY.

Guardino first brought her show to this area in July 2017, appearing at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ. Due to popular demand, she returned a second time in July 2018, performing at the Two River Theater in Red Bank. This month, on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 8 pm, “Italian Bred” will be served up once again at that same Red Bank venue.

Born in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, raised on Staten Island, and with family living in Monmouth County, Guardino has strong family ties in the region. In an interview, she smiles as she explains, “I wrote the show from my real life experiences. It’s awkward, it’s funny, it’s embarrassing; it’s basically all of our childhood upbringings. First I started using standup as a way to explore these characters. I would go to comedy houses and perform the characters, and see what worked and what didn’t. Then I started to cultivate a show.”

Throughout the performance, she impersonates her relatives’ unique personalities, sings iconic tunes, and interacts with popular celebrities via virtual cameo appearances. They include Mario Cantone (“Sex & the City”), Steve Schirripa (“Sopranos”), Leslie Jordan (“Will & Grace”), and comedian Vic DiBitetto (“Mall Cop 2”). “These guys are just tons of fun to be around,” Guardino says.

The end result of that irresistible Italian recipe has earned rave reviews for sold-out shows in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and Los Angeles from critics and audience members alike, who applaud its blend of comedy and personal, sentimental storytelling that strikes a familiar chord. The show is on tour and currently booked for dates through spring of 2020.

“To have an audience who can relate to every member in their own way” is the incentive that drives Guardino, who adds, “You don’t have to be Italian to enjoy this show. What I always say is that I want you to leave the theater changed somehow. I want you to feel like you had an experience, because it is a full theatrical experience. The biggest compliment I get is, ‘My family is just like your family.’ So why not write about it?”

Candice Guardino invites you to come out and see reminders of your own family onstage, too. For information about “Italian Bred,” visit www.italianbredshow.com. To order tickets for “Italian Bred” at the Two River Theater on July 20, call 732-345-1400 or go to https://tworivertheater.org/italian-bred/.