REVIEW: Mobsters and age-old divisions prevail in ‘A Bronx Tale’

 The touring production of Chazz Palminteri’s semi-autobiographical work “A Bronx Tale,” entertains but never fully satisfies.

Los Angeles is the touring company’s third stop on its national tour since closing on Broadway in August after a two-year run. The musical follows the story of a boy named Calogero (Joey Barreiro) who grows up in the Bronx in the 1960s.

The show begins with the number “Belmont Avenue,” in which Calogero and his neighbors, a talented ensemble of dancers go about their daily lives as, Italian American. The audience is introduced to 9-year-old Calogero (Frankie Leoni), who witnesses a mob boss named Sonny (Joe Barbara) commit a murder.

Young Calogero does not give Sonny up to the cops, and Sonny takes a liking to the little boy, who he decides to call “C.” Calogero starts working for Sonny, rolling dice for him in the bar (depicted in the energetic musical number, “Roll ’Em”), and doing other odd jobs.

When Calogero’s father Lorenzo (Richard H. Blake) finds out Sonny has been paying the young boy, Lorenzo reprimands them both. But Calogero is hardly discouraged; 10 years later, Sonny becomes like a second father to him.

Barbara, who plays Sonny, executes the facade of an Italian mobster with ease. For a character whose first moment on stage involves murder, Barbara exhibited an impressive ability to win the audience over with his charm.

The plot takes a turn when Calogero falls in love with Jane (Brianna-Marie Bell), a fellow Bronx native from a black neighborhood. Their star-crossed romance reflects the growing racial tensions in the post-Civil Rights movement, and as their lives become further entangled, the risks of being involved with the Mafia become increasingly apparent to the now-teenaged Calogero.

The various storylines of “A Bronx Tale” run the gamut from effective to confusing.

In the beginning of the first act, during which Leoni delights endlessly with his energy and musicality as young Calogero, the show presents itself as Calogero’s slow-moving journey into adulthood, which it partly is. But as themes of race, loyalty and violence make their way into the story, character development falls to the wayside and the melodrama of the second act feels unearned.

The production was co-directed by Robert De Niro, who starred alongside Palminteri in the film version. The direction comes across as slightly misguided and fails to adequately serve the script, which could use extra character development at the beginning of the second act.

But the real highlight of the show is the witty writing by Glenn Slater and Palminteri. Palminteri addresses the sensitive content in a respectful and lighthearted way, while Slater’s lyrics are simple and catchy. “Out of Your Head” and “Webster Avenue” show off foot-tapping melodies by Alan Menken, but all of the songs are a testament to Menken’s illustrious career as a composer.

Bell, who played Jane on Broadway before joining the touring company, shines as a formidable triple threat. She brings the perfect amount of spunk and ingenuity to a role that lacks depth.

The show also noticeably lacks female representation, with only four women total in the Italian American and black ensembles. Aside from Jane, the only other female character is Rosina (Michelle Aravena), Calogero’s mom.

But both the male and female ensemble members shine in the dance sequences, especially “I Like It,” with Leoni expertly leading them front and center. The fight choreography is also remarkable, which helps the Mafia storyline appear as realistic and entertaining as the sometimes-hammy comedic moments.

“A Bronx Tale” tells a timeless story of love and revenge, in a recycled narrative of divisions that has proved its worth over the past 40 years. The touring production does the story justice, with a talented and hilarious cast to boot.