As an Italian American, I was intrigued when I read the press description for the play American, Italian, written by Anthony P. Pennino and directed by Mike Keller. The question posed, “on what side of the hyphen do you stand?”, is one that feels familiar. It’s a question about identity, inheritance,  and belonging. In American, Italian, we see how family dynamics, language, and cruelty, sometimes disguised as “tough love”, can shape a life in devastating ways.

The play opens with two young men, one in jeans and a headband, the other, neatly dressed, attending a Bruce Springsteen concert. Their differences are comical and in time, we learn that these two are cousins. The younger, Gio, is stiff, formal, and incredibly well educated. The elder, Vin, portrays the epitome of a New York street kid. Their fathers, brothers raised in the same household, walk through the world in radically different ways. Vincenzo seethes with rage. He tells his son, Vin,  daily that he will never amount to anything. He ridicules his nephew, Gio, for his intelligence and curiosity, dismissively calling him a “robot.” These words are delivered as deep, emotional blows. When Vin begins to believe his father’s rhetoric, when he internalizes the message that he is worthless, the consequences are heartbreaking. He spirals into a destructive path of drug abuse, desperate for some kind of validation and love.

As Vin screams for attention, he is either denied or let down by circumstance. Watching this unfold is painful, but it is also deeply truthful. Gio, who is only 17, but behaves like an older brother, is the only one who truly cares for Vin. Vin, in a final selfless act, decides to turn away from Gio to, in his mind, let him be free to be expansive in his life and not burdened by Vin’s demons.

Despite its sadness, the play achieves multiple notes.  There is humor throughout the piece, against the backdrop of the searing pain inflicted by Vin’s father.  I especially enjoyed the intelligent and refreshing cultural and literary references peppered throughout the play.

Dante Palminteri plays Vin opposite Donovan Counts as Gio, and together they form a compelling pair. While Vin and Gio are first cousins, as opposite as you can imagine, they are bound together as friends, filled with love and respect for each other. Paul Romanello, who is also producer of the play , is effective as Vincenzo, the volatile and oppressive father. In contrast, Marc Romeo, playing Vincenzo’s brother Frank, provides a steady, cooling presence to the part, offering a sense of balance amid the chaos.

Also on stage are Sara Romanello as Vin’s girlfriend, Lisa, and Isabella Bertoni as Gina, Vin’s sister. Both performances add wit and emotional depth, reinforcing the idea that no one in  or around this family is untouched by its dynamics.

Because American, Italian exposes the lives of two brothers and their very different sons, in the next incarnation of the play, I would like to see the playwright offer context as to why Vincenzo is so angry and mean, while his younger brother, Frank, is filled with sensitivity and love, as well as a bit more background about the apparent non-Italian maternal side of Gio’s family. For me, those were missing links in the story.

Nonetheless, American, Italian is a powerful piece, and plays through May 16 at the Chain Theatre, 312 W. 36^th Street Go to: https://sooptheatre.booktix.com/dept/main/e/AI