by Mj Ferruzza

Created on: May 01, 2010

Mafia Daughter (The Play) is a three act comedy/drama written by Mike Ferruzza, Jr. Inspired by an idea from Erin Cohenour. Cohenour had appeared previously with the playwright in Die! Mommie! Die! and thought she'd like to play a role of a mafia princess. She was muse for the project in its writing stage. Ferruzza. directed the show and appeared as the character Don Angelina during the world premiere run in May 2009 at Theatre on the Square in Indianapolis, IN.

The play is set in the home of crime boss Vincent Angelina in New York City. Each of the three acts covers an era in Angelica Angelina's life.The first act is set in the 1950s, when the crime family is at an impasse following the death of the Don's wife. Angelica is a teen wallflower and bullied by her two elder brothers, Vince Jr and Paulie. They set Angelica up on a blind date with someone 'outside the family business'. He turns out to be Tom Raines, a budding IRS agent.

The second act is set in the flower power 1960s after Angelica returns from a whirlwind tour of Europe. She comes back a little too worldly-wise for the men in the house. Middle brother Paulie leaves the security of the family (money and favors) to pursue show business. Tom Raines reappears in the family's life to put the Don away in jail. This leaves a gaping hole of who will keep the family together.

The third act takes place in the 1970s. Angelica has taken over calling all the shots, but has hired her brother Paulie to play figurehead head of the family. Vince, Jr returns from Europe where he has been hiding since his father's arrest. Vince Sr has been released from prison after suffering a stroke, allowed to live his final days at home (under the watchful eye of the FBI situated conveniently across the street). Vince Jr returns to the house and wants to know if he is to be the true heir to the chair at the head of the family's table. Paulie and Angelica convince him otherwise.
The play culminates into a showdown between the family and all the informants (Cops, FBI and other family plants) who were in on taking the Angelina crime family down. Don Angelina proving he was truly the actor of the family. And Angelica winning the seat at the head of the table (and the Family Business).

The play is more a twist on the family structure than the violence so often found in mob stories from TV and Hollywood. The tension and suspense happens without need to fire a bullet or hundreds of them as the genre usually demands. It is a sweet comedy wrapped in a hard shell.

The play was first read in February of 2009 with most of the original stage cast with addition of Brian Hartz, Josh Ramsey and Phillip Armstrong.

The original stage cast of Mafia Daughter featured
Erin Cohenour as Angelica Angelina
Mike  Ferruzza Jr. as Don Angelina
Tristan Ross as Vince, Jr.
Dannon Crews as Paulie
Noah Winston as IRS agent Tom Raines
KO Jackson as Chops Hayes
Sean Seagar as Eddie Roseatti
and Adrienne Resiwerg as Rosa Roseatti

Originally produced at Theatre on the Square May 2009 by Ron Spencer and Therese Burns. The rights to the play are available to professional and non-professional theater groups. It is also being considered for a film project.

More can be found at www.mafiadaughter.com

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