Bedford’s Chazz Palminteri Returns to His ‘Bronx Tale’ Roots

The essence of a Bronx neighborhood, the heart of its characters, and the soul of its stories are set to dazzle audiences once again with the world premiere of “A Bronx Tale: The Original One Man Show,” on June 13 in New York City.

Directed by and starring Chazz Palminteri, a Bedford resident, the June 13 premiere serves as the opening night feature for “De Niro Con,” a special event hosted by Tribeca Film, and dedicated to honoring Robert De Niro’s illustrious career on his 80th birthday. De Niro acted in and directed the 1993 film adaptation of “A Bronx Tale.”

“People love the show and it’s been selling out for years, but now they’re going to see it up close – really up close and personal – because they will see every character, every nuance,” Palminteri stated in a press release. “If you loved it live, get ready to see it now on film.”

Palminteri’s journey with “A Bronx Tale” began in 1989 when he debuted the one-man play in Los Angeles. Despite lucrative offers from major studios, Palminteri remained steadfast in his vision, opting to retain creative control over his story.

It was a decision that would prove pivotal, as De Niro’s fortuitous attendance at one of Palminteri’s performances led to their ultimate partnership.

“I made the right decision,” Palminteri stated. “A great director can make a great script a classic, and that’s what Bob did.”

Having performed the stage play over 1,000 times to sold-out audiences, Palminteri sought to capture the intimacy and intensity of his live performances on film.

Shot in March of last year at The Paramount in Huntington, the new film aims to capture the essence of Palminteri’s original performance. He collaborated with Jason Nower, John J. Sheridan, and Mike “The Homeless Pimp” Lavin of 3 Nuts Studios, an emerging indie production company.

“I was looking for the right people to film it, and I didn’t want to do it in a conventional way,” Palminteri stated of 3 Nuts Studios. “I wanted to film it like an actual movie with one person playing all the characters, like I do onstage. I wanted to capture that feeling on stage in a film, and I was very fortunate to meet three nuts. Jason and Michael and John — they got it. They did an amazing job. It was the right people coming together and everything just seemed to work perfectly.”

In September of last year, three decades after “A Bronx Tale” first hit theaters, De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, also an original executive producer, joined the project as executive producers.

Jon Kilik of “The Hunger Games” also signed on, as did Brian Liebman as an executive producer.

“Chazz’s intention was to bring the world a version of ‘A Bronx Tale’ that De Niro originally saw — the version that inspired him to make the film,” Nower stated. “This new retelling hones in on the idea that all of us carry a story in our hearts about our friends, our families, and our neighborhoods that is as meaningful as anything you can watch on the big screen.”

In addition to the premiere of “A Bronx Tale: The Original One Man Show,” De Niro Con includes a celebration of the legendary actor’s career, featuring screenings of 13 of his classic films, as well as a conversation with Martin Scorsese moderated by rapper Nas, and a curated exhibition of memorabilia from De Niro’s personal archive.

Palminteri’s local connection extends beyond just his home address. He operates Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant on Main Street in White Plains.