Mambo Italiano, at Westchester Broadway Theatre (WBT) through Sept. 29, is an ambitious, musically-packed, and checkered affair, which also describes the motif of the stage floor and the tablecloths. (For tickets: (914) 592-2222; BroadwayTheatre.com Based on a Canadian movie, which in turn was based on an autobiographical play by Steve Galluccio, it tells the story of the Barbieris, a proud family of restaurateurs. It is set in 2000 in Hammonton, New Jersey.
As we see right away, in light-hearted style during the opening scenes, bombastic Barbieri matriarch Maria (Joy Hermalyn) and gentle patriarch Gino (Bill Nolte) are not unlike many a long-married couple who work together: when they're not lovey-dovey, they bicker with the best of them. They are proprietors of Famiglia Italiana Ristorante, a name emblazoned high above the stage for the entire show.
