Farren Timoteo in 'Made in Italy', produced by Western Canada Theatre. Photo by Murray Mitchell.

Made in Italy

By Farren Timoteo

An Italian teenager growing up in Jasper in the 1970s, caught between two worlds and determined to make his mark. Could singing on TV’s “Search for Talent” be his ticket out of here? Filled with great songs (Italian and Disco!) this is a hilarious coming of age story about a kid with the heart of Rocky Balboa and the moves (and hair) of John Travolta.

Salvatore Mantini, an Italian immigrant from Abruzzo, invites the audience to eat with him in his traditional dining room in Jasper, Alberta. As he prepares the meal, course-by-course, aperitivo to dolce, Salvatore’s story unfolds. As does the story of Francesco Mantini, his teenage son, struggling in the 1970’s to find his place in small-town Alberta.

Fed up with years of bullying, Francesco finds inspiration in Italian cultural icons Rocky Balboa and John Travolta, and leaves his father behind to reinvent himself as the crooner and ladies man, Frank Martin. However, even with an entirely new identity, Francesco discovers just how difficult it is to escape where he truly comes from. Filled with popular music from both Italy and North America, Made in Italy is a raucous and heart-warming celebration of family best enjoyed with a glass of red wine.

Farren Timoteo. Set Designer Cory Sincennes, Costume Designer Cindy Wiebe, Lighting Designer Conor Moore. Photo by Dylan Hewlett
Farren Timoteo. Set Designer Cory Sincennes, Costume Designer Cindy Wiebe, Lighting Designer Conor Moore. Photo by Dylan Hewlett
Farren Timoteo. Set Designer Cory Sincennes, Costume Designer Cindy Wiebe, Lighting Designer Conor Moore. Photo by Dylan Hewlett
Farren Timoteo. Set Designer Cory Sincennes, Costume Designer Cindy Wiebe, Lighting Designer Conor Moore. Photo by Dylan Hewlett
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"It’s a bravura performance from a startlingly multi-talented playwright/ actor/ singer and — as we see before our very eyes in very funny scenes choreographed by Laura Krewski — acrobatic contortionist dancer."

12thnight.caLiz Nicholls
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“It's Rocky meets Saturday Night Fever”

Edmonton JournalLianne Faulder
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“Unique in a timely but old fashioned sense, this is one play you do not want to miss.”

The OmegaJennifer Will
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“This musical comedy is a story about life and is a must see for any theatregoer…”

The OmegaJennifer Will

Production Details

1 Male

1 hour 50 minutes with one intermission

By Farren Timoteo

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January 21, 2019

Made In Italy – The Arts Club (Vancouver, BC) February 4–March 7, 2021

April 18, 2011

PAST EVENT: Made In Italy – Thousand Islands Playhouse (Gananoque, ON) July 5-28, 2019

March 18, 2011

PAST EVENT: Made In Italy – Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (Winnipeg, MB) February 27 – March 16, 2019

March 13, 2011

PAST EVENT: Made In Italy – Citadel Theatre, The Club (Edmonton, AB) February 14-16, 2019

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Production History

Debut: Western Canada Theatre, September 8 to 24, 2016

Citadel Theatre (in association with Western Canada Theatre): April 27 – May 6, 2017

Western Canada Theatre: February 2019

Citadel Theatre (a Western Canada Theatre Production): February 14-16, 2019

Upcoming Productions

Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (a Western Canada Theatre Production): February 28-March 16, 2019

Thousand Islands Playhouse, Firehall Theatre: July 5-28, 2019

Disco Ponder
Looking at comb
Made in Italy at the Club
Disco Smile Cropped

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