Italian Wedding/Funeral: Hugh Hysell to join cast

Tony Award winning Broadway producer Hugh Hysell will play the role of wedding/funeral planner 'Maurizio Le Grande' from 31 Aug 2013 in Anthony J. Wilkinson's comedies My Big Gay Italian wedding and My Big Gay Italian Funeral playing at St Luke's Theatre.

Hysell asumes the role from original cast member Brett Douglas who will play his final performance on 25 Aug 2013.

Hysell's Broadway producing credits include 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,' 'Peter and the Starcatcher' and 'Impressionism.' As an actor, he appeared in 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Pippin,' 'Pirates of Penzance,' 'The Fantasticks' and 'A Christmas Carol' on tour. His additional New York acting credits include The All-Male 'Importance of Being Earnest,' 'Young Abe Lincoln,' 'Babes in Toyland' and 'From Sea to Shining Sea.'

My Big Gay Italian wedding plays at St Luke's on Saturday's at 8pm, and My Big Gay Italian Funeral plays on Sunday's at 7pm.

Presented by Bianco Productions, both productions are directed by Emmy Award-winning director Sonia Blangiardo ("One Life To Live, "As the World Turns") and stars its creator Anthony J. Wilkinson who originated the role of 'Anthony Pinnunziato' back in Nov 2003. My Big Gay Italian wedding will celebrate its ten year anniversary on 02 Nov 2003.

My Big Gay Italian wedding Andrew and Anthony are getting married and everyone wants to 'help'!

My Big Gay Italian Funeral: After Anthony's father passes away, old family members are reunited after being on not the best of terms for over a decade.

The cast of wedding and Funeral currently includes Anthony J. Wilkinson as 'Anthony,' Brett Douglas as 'Maurizio,' Donna Castellano as 'Angela,' Marissa Perry as 'Maria,' Debra Toscano as 'Toniann,' Liz Gerecitano as 'Lucia,' Meagan Robar as 'Connie,' Erik Ransom as 'Rodney' (wedding) and Vidal (Funeral), Chad Kessler as 'Father Rosalia' (Wedding) and 'Rabbi Horowitz' (Funeral), Brandon Goins as 'Andrew' (Wedding) and 'Ezio' (Funeral), Joe Scanio as 'Joseph' (Wedding), Drew Little as Mario (Wedding), Nick Varrichio as 'Frankie' (Wedding), Paul Moon as 'Gregorio' (Wedding), BrIan Patrick Murphy as 'Peter' (Funeral), Mustafa Gatollari as 'Dominick' (Funeral), Beth Dzuricky as 'Ondine' (Funeral), with ensemble members Jody Lyn Flynn, Marie Fontaine and Jonathan Wiener.

My Big Gay Italian wedding premiered at the Actor's Playhouse in Nov 2003 and continues to be updated as the fight for marriage equality continues to make progress in the US. When Wilkinson first penned the script, gay marriage wasn't legal in any of the states. As of Jul 2013, thirteen states (California, Connecticut,Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington), the District of Columbia, and five Native American tribes have legalized same-sex marriage.