Plays
LIST OF PLAYS BY MARY MELFI
7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo, a romantic comedy/drama (2 males, 1 female)
My Italian Wife, a comedy in 3 acts (2 females, 2 males)
Foreplay, a black comedy in 4 acts (2 females, 1 male)
Sex Therapy, a black comedy in 13 scenes (5 females, 3 males)
Via Roma, a tragicomedy in 4 acts (4 females, 3 males)
Italy Revisited, a drama in 2 acts (1 female)
Tell Me Why I Should Say, Yes, a drama in 3 acts (2 females, 1 male)
Painting Moments, a one act play (1 male)
Becoming Artemisia, a one act play (1 female)
The Year of the Sister, a romantic period drama (6 males, 4 females)
2 Magic Accordions, a play for children (7 females, 5 males)
Ubu, the Ghetto Witch and Superkid, a play for children (6 females, 6 males)
THEATRE PRODUCTION
7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo, a romantic comedy/drama about unexpected second chances, written by Mary Melfi, directed by Leo Sama and produced by The Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in Montreal premiered at the Casa d’Italia on June 13th and June 14th 2025 to a sold-out audience. The cast included Julie Montpetit as Tina De Luca, Santino Credali as Francesco Marino and Paolo De Paola as Tom Dixon. Angela Federici was responsible for the costumes & accessories; Joe Ribuffo & Joe Fratino, the set, Sonia Faoro, public relations & marketing, and Jullien Boivert Blot, lights & sound.
Synopsis
Mary Melfi’s 7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo, a romantic comedy-drama explores the beauty and complexities of falling in love the second time around. It delves into the nuanced relationship between a man and a woman who, though not seeking love, find it. But love —especially the second time around — comes with its own set of challenges. Is it more complicated than the first time Cupid struck? And if so, can these complications be untangled before it’s time to say Arrivederci? The not-so-young couple at the heart of the play are Dr. Francesco Marino, a clinical psychologist, and Tina Deluca, a medical secretary. Both are second-generation Italian immigrants navigating personal baggage and cultural expectations. Francesco struggles with the trauma of betrayal by his estranged wife, while Tina remains emotionally tied to her late husband—who still appears to her, offering unsolicited advice. She must also confront unresolved tensions with her authoritarian Italian father. As Francesco and Tina grow closer, they form a charming alliance in search of emotional healing. But can friendship blossom into romance? Is the strongest love built on friendship, or is it driven by passion…? These are the kinds of questions Mary Melfi explored in her earlier work My Italian Wife, also produced by OFFI in 2015. That production quickly sold out and even added an extra show. Audience members called it “entertaining and funny.” Writer and filmmaker Antonio D’Alfonso described Melfi as “a female Oscar Wilde—an Oscar Wildette.” Italian-Canadian artist and sculptor Egidio Vincelli praised the show: “Out of ten, I give it an eleven.” Mary Melfi, author of more than a dozen books — two of which have been translated into French and Italian — continues to be a powerful and distinctive voice in the Canadian literary landscape.
ABOUT THE CAST:
Julie Montpetit. Professionally trained, Julie portrayed for the stage Mollie Raiston in The Mousetrap and Estella in Waltz of the Torreadors. Her television acting roles include The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair (Apple TV) with Patrick Dempsey, Indéfendables (TVA), as well as the upcoming thriller 56 Days (Amazon). Her creativity is guided by love, energy and the ever-present magic life offers. Julie is represented by Ian Ellemo at LMO Talent.
Santino Credali is a Canadian actor known for his role as Detective Meunier in Laila Nadene (2023). On stage, he portrayed multiple characters in Christopher Durang’s one-act plays. This is Santino’s first participation in a stage production directed by Leo Sama. He is represented by Top Talents Montreal.
Paolo De Paola is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. He has appeared in several Montreal productions directed by Leo Sama including Filumena Marturano, The Crazy Time, My Italian Wife and The Rose Tattoo. He was also part of the cast of Elizabeth Rex produced by Tableau d’Hôte at the Segal Centre, and Phaedra’s Love written and directed by Sarah Kane in London (England). TV work includes the role of Inspector Rizzoli on As the World Turns and recently, the role of Benetto in the TV series Indéfendable.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Leo Sama. From 1982 to 2001 Leo worked mainly writing and directing his own plays in Italian. Among these St-Viateur ’65, Residenza, Donne di Briganti, ‘U Bloccu and Sotto Vuoto. In 2001 he founded his own theatre company, naming it PIER 21 Productions, recalling his port of entry (Halifax) to Canada from his native Italy at the age of five. He accepted thus the challenge to promote English theatre in the north-eastern end of Montreal. Norm Foster’s Wrong for Each Other, Addolorata by Marco Micone and the classic Filumena Marturano by Eduardo De Filippo are only a few of the new group’s productions. Leo is also co-founder of the Teatro Stabile Leonardo Da Vinci. This is the third Order Sons and Daughters of Italy Production: Sam Bobrick’s The Crazy Time and Mary Melfi’s My Italian Wife and current, 7 Ways to Say Ti Amo.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Mary Melfi has published over a dozen books of poetry and prose. Her novels Infertility Rites and Via Roma have been translated into French. Her critically acclaimed memoir, Italy Revisited, has been translated into both French and Italian. Also, a playwright, Melfi wrote, My Italian Wife, a comedy produced by The Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in 2015; the production sold out. Becoming Artemisia, a short film for which she was commissioned to write the script for by the renowned actor and producer Jennifer Dale, is currently available on YouTube. Melfi’s work has been described as bold, witty and refreshingly humorous. Critics regard her as a powerful force in the Canadian literary landscape. Born in Casacalenda, Molise, she immigrated to Canada in 1957 and currently resides in Montreal.
PRESS REVIEW TO SOLD-OUT PRODUCTION
Il Cittadino Canadese 18 Luglio 2025
Grande successo per 7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo
Sul palco della Casa d’Italia. Da sinistra: Joe Fratino, Presidente OFFI, Mary Melfi, autrice del pezzo teatrale, gli attori Paolo Di Paolo, Julie Montpetit, Santino Credali e Leo Sama, direttore artistico (fotografia OFFI)
Lo spettacolo teatrale è andato in scena il 13 e 14 giugno alla Casa d’Italia
Gli attori sul palco della Casa d’Italia in una scena del pezzo teatrale 7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo (fotografia OFFI)
MONTRÉAL – Lunghi applausi carichi di emozione hanno accompagnato lo spettacolo teatrale 7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo, organizzato dall’Ordine Figli e Figlie d’Italia (OFFI) e andato in scena venerdì 13 e sabato 14 giugno nella sala delle Celebrazioni della Casa d’Italia. Entrambe le serate hanno registrato il tutto esaurito, confermando il meritato successo di critica e di pubblico. La commedia romantica e drammatica, scritta da Mary Melfi e diretta da Leo Sama, si è rivelata commovente, intensa ed emozionante, in un continuo equilibrio tra impegno e leggerezza, frutto di mesi di lavoro ma anche di divertimento. La performance, coinvolgente e ricca di sorprese, ha offerto riflessioni profonde sulla condizione umana, sulle relazioni, sui sentimenti e sui drammi personali, esplorando la bellezza e la complessità dell’innamorarsi una seconda volta. La regia esigente e precisa, unita a una ricercata colonna sonora, ha valorizzato le interpretazioni di Julie Montpetit (Tina De Luca), Santino Credali (Dott. Francesco Marino) e Paolo De Paolo (fantasma di Tom Dixon), che hanno portato in scena talento, passione e maturità artistica.L’opera, scritta anni fa da Mary Melfi, analizza le sfumature di una relazione nata quando l’amore sembra ormai impossibile.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Il Cittadino Canadese July 18 2025
7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo Is a Huge Success
The theatrical performance was staged on June 13th and 14th at the Casa d'Italia
Actors on stage at the Casa d'Italia in a scene from the play 7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo (OFFI photo)
MONTRÉAL – Long, emotional applause greeted the theatrical production "7 Ways to Say, Ti Amo" organized by the Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy (OFFI), which premiered on Friday, June 13th and Saturday, June 14th in the Celebration Hall of the Casa d'Italia. Both performances were sold out, confirming its well-deserved critical and public success. The romantic comedy-drama, written by Mary Melfi and directed by Leo Sama, was moving, intense, and emotional, striking a perfect balance between commitment and lightheartedness, the fruit of months of work but also of pure fun. The performance, engaging and full of surprises, offered profound reflections on the human condition, relationships, feelings, and personal dramas, exploring the beauty and complexity of falling in love a second time. The demanding and precise direction, combined with a refined soundtrack, enhanced the performances of Julie Montpetit (Tina De Luca), Santino Credali (Dr. Francesco Marino), and Paolo De Paolo (Tom Dixon's ghost), who brought talent, passion, and artistic maturity to the stage. The play, written years ago by Mary Melfi, explores the nuances of a relationship born when love seems impossible.
My Italian Wife A light-hearted comedy about 2 sisters and their marital foibles
Written byMary Melfi
Directed byLeo Samà
Dates:Nov. 26th to Nov. 29th 2015
Place: Casa d’Italia, Montreal
Starring
Lisa Giannini as Rita Romano, an English teacher of Italian descent
Paolo De Paola as Dr. John Ross, a Montreal surgeon (Rita's husband)
Catherine De Luca as Paula Romano, a secretary (Rita's sister)
Anthony Gervasi as Carlo Ferrara, an actor
SYNOPSIS
Mary Melfi’s “My Italian Wife” is a light-hearted comedy about sex, love and marriage. In the play,
Rita Romano, a teacher of Italian descent, suspects her much younger sister, Paula, of having an
affair with her husband, a Montreal surgeon. Rita, who grew up poor but is now rich, battles it out
with Paula, who grew up rich but is now poor. Complications, misunderstandings and disagreements
arise. Strong emotions clash; tradition and contemporary values conflict. The two sisters, one Italian-
born, the other Canadian-born, seemingly have nothing in common and yet their love for each other
is evident (Or is it?). You don’t have to be Italian to recognize yourself in them.
Audience Reaction to Sold-Out Production (One extra show added)
“Out of ten I give it an eleven” Egidio Vincelli (Italian-Canadian artist & sculptor)
“Mary Melfi is a female Oscar Wilde – an Oscar Wildette” (writer and filmmaker, Antonio D’Alfonso)
“Entertaining and funny” Robert Albanese (musician & theatre enthusiast)
“A masterpiece” Lisa Leder (nurse & playwright’s cousin)
TV INTERVIEWS
CTV What’s On with Christine Long Wednesday November 25th 2015
Radio Interviews
CFMB AM 1280 Montreal Multilingual Radio Station. Interviewer: Lidia Russo: Nov. 18th 2015.
On-line Magazine interviews (re. book publication of "My Italian Wife")
Open Book/ Interviewer: Grace, January 10th 2013
Italocanadese Interviewer: Agata De Santis, Oct 10th 2012
General Comments on the Playwright’s Works
“Melfi... thrives as a powerful force in the Canadian literary landscape.”
Italian Canadiana, Vol XXX, 2016
“While Melfi’s writing exhibits a mastery of understanding, sympathizing with and challenging her characters, her proclivity for exploring subjects that are close to home has also allowed her to develop an ability to speak to complex, human subjects and relationships. Her writing is humorous and truthful….”
Panoram Italia June/July 2015 vol.10 No. 3
“Melfi’s work is not only – to use those hanging definitions – a work of excellence, it is so remarkably well-developed in all genres, from poetry to the novel, from the play to the modern fairy tale, that it deserves a recognition that has been late in coming. Melfi’s work achieves importance by bringing into play, displacement, irony, ethnicity, class and gender – for being both of the times and outside of time…. A body of work of international stature…. Mary Melfi’s works are a source of ‘energy delight,’ an oeuvre that continues to entertain, inform, amaze and stimulate interpretation of this critical world we have come to call home, however different it is made to be, by a joyous polyphony of being.”
Dr. William Anselmi, Essays on Her Work (Guernica Editions, 2007)
Her writings are characterized by an avant-garde sensibility that transgress the
conventions of a given literary form (whether it is poetry, drama, or fiction)…. Melfi is
interested in the metaphysical side of human existence, the difficulties of establishing a
coherent feminine identity, cultural dislocation, and the artist’s attempt to create a new
reality.
The Concise Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature, 2011
As a writer who works across genre lines, producing an impressive number of plays,
poetry collections, novels, children’s books, and biography, Melfi’s work explicitly
addresses issues of class, ethnicity, and gender in a highly ironic, surrealistic style. It is
this well-developed sense of style, and her precise, careful manipulation of narrative
form… that presents, unarguably, a writer whose skill and complex negotiations with
identity is glaringly absent from the Canadian literary canon.
Vanessa Lent, Canadian Literature, Spring 2010
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Leo Sama - Playwright, director and producer, Leo emigrated to Canada from his native Calabria (Italy) at the age of five. His passion for theatre, emigration and anything Italian have driven him not only to stage and direct but also to write his own plays. From 1982 to 2001 he worked mainly writing and staging his own plays in Italian (St-Viateur ‘65, Residenza, ‘U Bloccu, Sotto Vuoto, Donne di Briganti). In 2001 he founded PIER 21 PRODUCTIONS, accepting thus the huge challenge of promoting English theatre in the north-eastern corner of the Island of Montreal. Norm Foster’s Wrong for Each Other, Addolorata by Marco Micone and the classic Filumena Marturano by Eduardo De Filippo are only a few of the Leo's productions. St-Viateur ‘65 and The Bunker (firstly Sotto Vuoto in Italian), two Leo Sama original plays, were translated and adapted from Italian to English and have been staged at the Leonardo Da Vinci Center in the past few years, obtaining good media reviews and favorable spectator response. Leo is also co-founder and administrator of the Teatro Stabile Leonardo da Vinci. Directing Mary Melfi's light-hearted comedy My Italian Wife represents Leo his latest project, having emigration and Italian-Canadians as the central theme.
ABOUT THE CAST
Lisa Giannini – Has extensive stage experience, especially in Italian theatre; she began her acting career back in 1994 with the Gruppo Teatrale Calabresi nel Mondo. Appeared in most of Leo Sama’s plays. Who can forget all the extraordinary characters she has played? Filumena Marturano in Eduardo de Filippo’s classic, Addolorata in Marco Micone’s play carrying the same name and Michela in Donne di Briganti by Leo Sama. With enthusiasm, she takes on the role of Rita in Mary Melfi's My Italian Wife.
Paolo De Paola – Left Italy at the age of 23 to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York where he developed his acting and playwright talents. He taught in Paris, London and New York. Paolo’s passion for theatre has no limits. Important to mention the two plays he has written, produced and directed: Donald’s Affair and Soleil Rose. He is also very involved in Montreal’s Italian theatre community. His stage work with Leo Sama includes Eduardo de Filippo’s Filumena Marturano and The Bunker a Leo Sama creation. He plays John in Mary Melfi's My Italian Wife.
Catherine De Luca - is a John Abbot College graduate: Professional Theatre Acting Program. Some of her teachers include Joan McBride, Rob Burns, Terry Donald, Jason Howell and Andy Cuk. Her most noteworthy theatre performances includes "Ali" in Soleil Rose and "Amanda" in Donald's Affair, both Paolo De Paola creations, "Chrissy" in Hair and "Sandy" in Grease. She worked on several independent films, including Pimp by Meal and Vintage Lingerie. My Italian Wife marks her debut in a play directed by Leo Sama. She plays Paula.
Anthony Gervasi - A Dawson College Professional Theater Program graduate in Montreal has been active in the Montreal artistic stage for over a decade. He has performed in a several Pier 21 theatre productions with Leo Sama. Noteworthy, his performance in Dawson College's production of Gemini, in which he played the lead role of Fran. Independent film productions and modeling are some of Anthony's other passions. In Mary Melfi's My Italian Wife, he plays Carlo.
THEATRE PRODUCTION
Script-in-hand reading of Mary Melfi’s play, “Via Roma,” & Book launch of, “In the Backyard”
PUBLISHED PLAYS (SUMMARIES)
TITLE: FOREPLAY, a black comedy in 4 acts (publisher: Guernica Editions, 2012)
TAGLINE: How far will a man go to give his woman an orgasm? If cunnilingus and S&M won’t do it, will solving a murder mystery do the trick?
CHARACTERS: 2 woman, 1 man
TIME: The Present
PLACE: An island off the West Coast in the late autumn
SYNOPSIS: Foreplay explores the relationship of an economically well-off but emotionally insecure couple, who take a vacation on a remote island on the West Coast, supposedly to improve their sex lives. Nothing is quite as it seems -- the couple may or may not have been recently unfaithful, a murder may or may not have been committed in their rented cottage, and the presumed murder victim may or may not have been the husband’s past life therapist. Circumstances force the young couple to face their mutual fears and suspicions, allowing the expression of their underlying genuine attraction, passion and love for each other to surface. As they set out to unravel the tangle of their at times confused thoughts and feelings, the solution of the “murder mystery” is also revealed.
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
DATE AND LOCATION: Nov. 3rd, 1995; a Montreal studio; a script-in-hand-reading
DIRECTOR AND DRAMATURG: Ann Page
CAST: Claire Sherwood, Richard Lock, Anne Page
DATE AND LOCATION: April 10-12, 1980; Factory Theatre Lab, Toronto, a script-in-hand reading, originally titled, “Equation: Sex + Death”
SPONSOR: The University of York Theatre Department
DRAMATURG: Don Rubin. DIRECTOR: Faith Shur.
CAST: Barbara Ades and Shawn Zevit.
TITLE: MY ITALIAN WIFE, a comedy in 3 acts (publisher: Guernica Editions, 2012; revised for the Casa d’Italia 2015 production)
TAGLINE: A light-hearted comedy about 2 sisters and their marital foibles… Is being too Italian good for a marriage?
CHARACTERS: 2 women, 2 men.
TIME: mid-1990s.
PLACE: A park by a lake.
SYNOPSIS: My Italian Wife is a light-hearted comedy about sex, love and marriage. In the play, a teacher of Italian descent, Rita Romano, suspects her much younger sister, Paula, of having an affair with her husband, a heart surgeon. Rita, who grew up poor but is now rich, battles it out with Paula, who grew up rich but is now poor. Complications, misunderstandings and disagreements arise. The two sisters, one Italian-born, the other Canadian-born, seemingly have nothing in common and yet their love for each other is evident (Or is it?) You don’t have to be Italian to recognize yourself in them.
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
DATE AND LOCATION: November 26-29, 2015; Casa d’Italia, Montreal, full production (sold out).
PRODUCER: The Sons of Italy (Montreal chapter).
DRAMATURG AND DIRECTOR: Leo Sama.
CAST: Lisa Giannini, Paolo De Paolo, Catherine De Luca and Anthony Gervasi.
-DATE AND LOCATION: October 26, 1996; Davenport Perth Center, Toronto, a script-in-hand reading, originally titled “½ Italian, ½ Klingon”
DRAMATURG AND DIRECTOR: Ann Page.
SPONSOR: The Association of Italian-Canadian Writers
Director: Ann Page
CAST (Act 1): Deborah Verginelli, Ann Page and Bill Radwan
TITLE: SEX THERAPY, a black comedy in 13 scenes (publisher: Guernica Editions, 1996)
TAGLINE: A patient’s attempts to seduce her therapist turn real nasty when both individuals become suspects in an art theft
CHARACTERS: 5 women, 3 men
TIME: The present
PLACE: A psychologist’s office.
SYNOPSIS: Sex Therapy takes a whimsical look at the relationship between a group therapist and his patients, exploring the nature of their shared intimacies. When one of the patients makes a bold attempt to seduce the therapist, complications arise. The theft of an antiquarian Roman doll implicating therapist and patients alike further challenges one’s traditional ideas about doctor/patient roles and expectations. Strange and sensuous, this play, part realistic, part Kafkaesque (Scene 12) is imbued with caustic wit and irreverence toward the status quo.
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
-DATE AND LOCATION: Oct. 24, 1998, Vancouver, script-in-hand reading
SPONSOR: Italian-Canadian Writers’ Conference
CAST (Scene 3): Thrasso Petras and Lopa Das.
-DATE AND LOCATION: July 28, 1994, The Green Room, 499 Bloor St. West Toronto.
SPONSOR: The Toronto Community Italian Television Station & The Nice Italian Girls, Subversive Poetry, Short Fiction and Drama Evening.
CAST (Scene 3): Deborah Verginelli and Geoff Wiebe
-DATE AND LOCATION: February 10, 1994; Liberal Arts College, Concordia University, Montreal, a script-in-hand reading
DRAMATURG AND DIRECTOR: Ann Page
CAST: Emma Campbell, Martin David Chochinov, Paul Dijkman, Alana Ghent, Niki Landau, Rosmarie MacNeil, Andrew Matheson and Ann Page
UNPUBLISHED PLAYS SUMMARIES
TITLE: VIA ROMA, a play in 4 acts (adapted for the stage by the author from the novel of the same name, published by Guernica Editions, 2015)
TAGLINE: a murder mystery with a romantic & metaphysical twist
CHARACTERS: 4 women, 3 men
TIME: The Present
PLACE: A restaurant/bar in Montreal’s Little Italy
SYNOPSIS: Drawn to and intrigued by two men of Italian descent, Sophie Wolfe, a native-born Montrealer, chooses one over the other, setting into motion a series of events that culminates in the death of her husband. Determined to find out if her husband was accidentally killed or deliberately killed, Sophie Wolfe sets out on a road trip of a lifetime. Can she manage to stay alive long enough in a shady area of Rome, during the Carnival season, to find out the answers she is looking for? All is fair in love and war (Or is it?).
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
-DATE AND LOCATION: August 23, 2018. Concordia University, Loyola Chapel, Montreal.
SPONSORS: NDG Arts Week, Theatre NDG (Artistic director, Ryan Madden).
CAST: Marissa M Blair, Erin Farmer-Perrine, Michael Aronovitch, Irwin Rapoport, Mel Guimont, Ira Salman and Elise DeBussac.
-DATE AND LOCATION: November 16, 2017, Casa d’Italia; script-in-hand-reading.
DRAMATURG AND DIRECTOR: Paolo De Paolo.
CAST: Catherine De Luca, Patricia Legare, Nick Fontaine, Paolo Di Paolo, Erine Perrine and Elise DeBussac.
TITLE: TELL ME WHY I SHOULD SAY YES, a play in 3 acts
TAGLINE: Will finding 13 reasons why life is beautiful put an end to existential blues? And if they don’t, what will?
CHARACTERS: 2 women, 1 man
TIME: The Present
PLACE: A room in the abstract
SYNOPSIS: When the going gets tough, one can either tough it out, or crawl up to Heaven and knock on its door. Are there other options? Can therapy help? Will finding 13 reasons why life is beautiful put a damper on suicidal thoughts? “Tell Me Why I Should Say Yes,” explores the havoc existential blues can play on an individual’s life. It also suggests that resistance is not futile – humor, compassion and self-awareness can do wonders for one’s morale.
DATE AND LOCATION: Script-in-hand reading, October 30th, 2019.
The Unitarian Church of Montreal
THEATRE COMPANY: Theatre NDG; Artistic director, Ryan Madden
CAST: Erin Perrine, Ryan Madden, Anna Berlyn, Christine Dandurand and Melanie Guimont.
TITLE: Becoming Artemisia
TAGLINE: The life and turbulent times of Artemisia Gentileschi, an accomplished Italian Baroque painter
CHARACTERS: a woman in her mid-fifties
TIME: c1650
PLACE: An artist’s studio in Naples, Italy
SYNOPSIS: In Becoming Artemisia, a monologue, the talented Italian Baroque painter,
Artemisia Gentileschi, talks about her life, her career and the times she is living in. She
acknowledges that despite the few opportunities women are given in the country she is
living in, she has excelled. She notes that she was the first woman to be admitted to the
Academy of Art and Design in Florence. Also, her paintings fetch a high price in the art
world. Still, she admits, that despite her achievements as an artist her biographers often
focus on the trauma she experienced as a young girl rather than on anything else. At
the age of 16 she was raped, but as awful as that was, she has decided that it will not
define her. She believes she has had an extraordinary life, and is confident she has
made a significant contribution to the visual arts.
PRODUCTION HISTORY:*
DATE AND LOCATION: June 26 th , 2024, Toronto
DIRECTOR AND DRAMATURG: Antonio D’Alfonso
CAST: Jennifer Dale
*Available on youtube; google, Mary Melfi Becoming Artemisia
TITLE: ITALY REVISITED, a play in 2 acts (adapted for the stage by the playwright from her memoir, “Italy Revisited, Conversations with my Mother: Guernica Editions, 2009)
TAGLINE: Will the quest for one’s ancestral roots help bridge the gap between the children of immigrants and their parents, or will it simply widen it?
CHARACTERS: 1 woman
TIME: 1993
PLACE: A kitchen in the abstract
SYNOPSIS: In Italy Revisited, a one woman play, Nina Ferrara, in an attempt to help her daughter
find her ancestral roots, sets out to describe what life was like when she was growing up
in south of Italy in the 1930s. Nina Ferrara recalls that when she was a little girl there
were no amenities of any kind -- no electricity, no telephones, no indoor plumbing and
no motorcars; it was akin to living in the 12 th century. In this part of the world barter was
still in use and marriages were as much about property as they were about love.
Understanding the Old Country and its value system should help bridge the gap
between the generations, but does it? Is it ever possible for the children of immigrants to
fully understand what their parents’ lives were like prior to moving to North America?
Mary Melfi’s Italy Revisited comes up with unexpected answers.
TITLE: Painting Moments, a one act play
TAGLINE: Painting Moments tells the true-life story of Nick
Palazzo, a brilliant and prolific young painter who died of AIDS before his thirtieth
birthday.
CHARACTERS: 1 male
TIME: 1991
PLACE: A doctor’s office in the abstract
SYNOPSIS: Painting Moments tells the true life story of Nick
Palazzo, a young Montreal painter who created an immense body of work -- over 2,000
paintings -- prior to dying of AIDs-related complications at the age of 29. Using Nick
Palazzo’s own journal entries for material in which he describes his gay love affairs, and
showcasing hundreds of his paintings on a projection screen, as well as providing
critical analysis of his work by established art critics, Mary Melfi’s one man play,
adapted from the book she edited (Painting Moments, Art, AIDS & Nick Palazzo:
Guernica Editions, 1998) takes the audience on an emotional roller-coaster ride. It
offers a graphic and detailed portrait of an artist as a young man. Looking to answer the
question: ‘Can a relatively unknown 29 year old artist produce great works of art that will
one day be compared to Francis Bacon’s, Edward Hooper’s, Salvador Dali’s, and yes,
even Pablo Picasso’s?’ Mary Melfi’s play, Painting Moments,
comes up with a surprising answer. To view 124 paintings of Nick
Palazzo visit the following
website.
TITLE: The Year of the Sister, a romantic period drama
TAGLINE: A coming-of-age story about a young woman who will do just about anything to get her dream job as a news photographer with a leading New York daily, including disguising herself as a 15-year-old boy
CHARACTERS: 2 teen girls, 4 men and 2 women
SYNOPSIS: Set in New York City in1909, Mary Melfi’s romantic period drama, The Year of the Sister, revolves around the adventures of Anna Ferrara, who disguises herself as a teenage boy to pursue her dream of becoming a news photographer in a male-dominated field. Anna, the well-do daughter of an Italian diplomat, encounters Sister Margherita, a young postulant determined to help her fellow countrymen struggling in the New World, alongside the head of her religious order, Mother Cabrini. Complications arise when Anna and Sister Margherita both find themselves in love, leading to unexpected results. Melfi’s action-packed, gender-bending, coming-of-age tale offers a fresh and unconventional perspective on the challenges women faced in the early 20th century, weaving a story of courage and resilience.
TITLE: 2 Magic Accordions, a play for children
TAGLINE: Against all odds 2 kids, 2 genies and one Magic Accordion player, Grandma M&N, are determined to solve the case of The Missing Aussie Boy
CHARACTERS: 1 girl, 1 boy, 6 women and 4 men
SYNOPSIS: Grandma M&N owns a Magic Accordion. Despite being able to use the Magic Accordion to fly around in the City by the Bay, she has been unable to find her orphaned grandson, Nikki. The boy’s care was taken over by his unscrupulous Aussie grannie, who might be involved in the illegal sale of endangered birds. Detectives hired to locate Nikki and his Aussie grannie have failed to find them. Fortunately, two Grandma M&N encounters two kids, Raffi and Maya who decide to take on the missing person case. With the help of a Magister, an ill-tempered genie housed inside Grand M&N’s Magic Accordion, and the Magistra, a teen genie the kiddie-detectives get valuable clues to Nikki’s whereabouts. They might, just might, make it possible for Grandma M&N to realize her dream to meet her beloved grandson.
TITLE: Ubu, the Ghetto Witch & Superkid, a play for children
TAGLINE: Fed up with being poor, Ubu, a nine-year-old girl, gets a degree in witchcraft, hoping it will make her rich, but she soon discovers it’s against the rules to use it for this purpose, so what are her options? Turn wicked?
CHARACTERS: 2 girls, 1 boy, 5 women and 4 men
SYNOPSIS: Ubu is all alone in the topsy-turvy world of Terra Nova where children often behave like adults, and adults like children. Fed up with being poor, she turns to witchcraft in the hope of striking it rich. But no sooner can the young girl make use of her super powers to get money to grow on trees, than she is told Not to do it – Or Else! Determined to be a member in good standing of the Agency for Well-Being Witches (AWW), Ubu turns to science, confident it can make her wealthy. But, no sooner does the wanna-be-inventor hit upon the formula to make the Philosopher’s Stone – the chemical substance that can change cheap metals into gold – than the head of WWA (Wicked Witches Agency) tries to steal it. Can Ubu prevent the crime boss from having access to the formula? Can she resist being recruited into the WWA with promises of cash and other goodies? Adapted by Mary Melfi from her novel, Ubu, the Witch Who Who Be Rich (Doubleday Canada,1994) this amusing and sometimes shocking tale of witches, warlocks and working children is guaranteed to charm. Mary Melfi conjures a magical story peopled with quirky characters, an unpredictable plot and a strong does of whimsical humor.
TITLE: VARIATIONS ON A THEME, a one act play, done in 3 different versions
TAGLINE: A man and woman ask themselves what they want from their relationship
CHARACTERS: 1 women, 1 men.
TIME: The Present.
PLACE: A room.
SYNOPSIS: A couple wonder it is what they want out of life and from each other; neither of the two listen to the other. The state of the world is examined, and found meaningless.
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
DATE AND LOCATION: December 2-4, 1970; Loyola College, Montreal.
SPONSOR: The Literary Theatre of The Loyola College English Department.
DRAMATURG AND DIRECTOR: Dr. Peter Davies.
CAST: Linda McKenty and Bryan Doubt.
REVIEWS of published plays
[Foreplay and My Italian Wife] “Both Foreplay and My Italian Wife examine the complex dynamics in any relationship – love, trust, and sex. Foreplay centers around the relationship of an emotionally insecure couple that a much-needed vacation on a New Age refuse island in order to improve their sex lives. The more light-hearted tongue-in-cheek My Italian Wife looks at the mind-set and preoccupations of second-generation Italian immigrants.” Agata De Santis, italocanadese
[Sex Therapy] Melfi’s intense, lyric, occasionally prophetic language produces a rich, magic texture of strong words and funny bittersweet imagery and action.” Dawn
[Sex Therapy] “Mary Melfi examines the reversal of roles, in which a therapist becomes the patient and a patient becomes the therapist, in her satirical dramatization of desire and sexuality. Sex Therapy, like other work by Mary Melfi, brings together a variety of elements: the anxieties of modern womanhood; and the textures and feelings of living in Italian and Canadian culture. These elements are shot through with Melfi’s wit, bouts of black humour. In her own way, she celebrates the absurdities of contemporary human existence.” AICW Bollettino
[Sex Therapy] “An existentialist/absurdist tragicomic farce with more than a touch of futurist mystery novel, Sex Therapy is replete with word games and epigrams.” Drama
[Sex Therapy] “The characters that inhabit her poetry, theatre, and fiction frequent ultra-familiar jaunts, the common places of Western societies. We find them in such settings as the wedding hall, the home, the office, the cottage. They are there tending, especially to a key theme of Western literature and art – sexual relations. Heterosexual relations, to be exact….Texts such as A Bride in Three Acts or Infertility Rites or Office Politics or Sex Therapy point out to us the literary ramifications, confirm to us – as only someone with Melfi’s very refined, very sophisticated awareness of how literature functions could – that if you are writer and manifest some interest in those topics you are not just “doing sociology.” You are automatically extending the scope of literariness, you are adding your two cents’ worth to what has been a lengthy conversation on literature and aesthetics…. It is comedy in the Dantesque (Catholic?) mode, a plot which reformulates in poetic parlance the case for the secular, modern currency of faith, hope and charity, of the triad that used to be known as the theological virtues.”
Dr. Francesco Loriggio, Essays on Her Works (Guernica, 2007)
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