Ronnie Marmo is Lenny Bruce

April 8, 2010 | Category: News

WARNING: This video contains adult language.

Five years ago, I met Charlie Brill who asked me if I knew who Lenny Bruce was.  I said yes, and he went on to introduce me to Sam Bobrick and Julie Stein.  Charlie directed me in our first run and it was an amazing experience. 
 
Since that production five years ago, I have had a yearning to revisit this material. So when I met Bob Guza and he expressed an interest in directing theatre again, I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to bring Lenny back to life for the second time. I handed him Lenny Bruce is Back (And Boy is He Pissed). He read it that night I gave it to him and called me the next day really excited about the project.  I called Charlie to get his blessing and he was thrilled to hear that I would be doing it again.
 
Bob is a fantastic director who has challenged me to take my embodiment of Lenny Bruce to the next level. He has pushed me past my comfort zone many times during this process, and I am constantly excited and fascinated by the process of learning, growing, and becoming, Lenny Bruce.
 
I am forever grateful to Charlie, and to Sam and Julie for thinking of me and for starting me on this incredible journey. I am thankful that Bob has been willing to help me grow and develop this character even more. And, most of all, I am grateful to Lenny Bruce, for being ahead of his time.

- Ronnie

6 Comments

  1. for2nate1
    on April 19th, 2010
    1

    Hollywood legend and comedic icon Garrett Morris and I attended tonight’s performance (4/18/10)…and were blown away…thank you for the incredible walk down memory lane…and an amazing, amazing job, Ronnie…

    Continued success…we’ll talk again, I’m sure…

    Peace,
    Lea Routledge

    “…not all who wander are lost…”
    Tolkien

  2. Kat
    on April 21st, 2010
    2

    I saw your one man show of “Lenny Bruce is Back (And Boy Is He Pissed) on Friday, April 16, 2010, and IMO, as always you gave nothing less than a 5 star performance. For me you definitely brought the late, but still great political satirist, Lenny Bruce back to life on that stage and definately deserved that standing ovation. I don’t have any doubt that you will knock ‘em dead anywhere you go whether it be on stage or screen. I definately plan to see more of of your shows @ Theatre 68. Both my Fedora & I salute you on your incredible performance, and for your future shows, break a leg.

    Kathleen (Kat) Gibney

    “Comedy is tragedy plus time.” – Lenny Bruce.

  3. Jeffery
    on May 11th, 2010
    3

    Ronnie, first of all ~ Taryl and I thoroughly enjoyed your reprisal of Lenny… you indeed took the “embodiment of Lenny Bruce to the next level” with your director Bob Guza. Lenny’s genius talent with words was dazzling, his cry for understanding was poignant, his emotional articulation of his torment and his tragic cry for understanding came through in your eyes, gestures and voice – loved the simplicity of the set with just headstones, and your lighting & music transitions — well thought out to capture the internal depth of “Lenny’s Words”. Well one. In Pride.

    Jeffrey Cordone, Producer
    Pizza With Bullets

  4. Brian
    on May 15th, 2010
    4

    This is an amazing night of entertainment. It takes an interesting angle on telling the story of the iconic comedian. We become visitors at the Eden Memorial Park Cemetery in the San Fernando Valley and witness the resurrection of Bruce. He appears at his tombstone and for about an hour and twenty minutes we are treated to anecdotes, observances and an amazing bearing of his soul. This is a real roller coaster ride of emotions as you laugh, cry, think and are thoroughly entertained by the words coming out of the mouth of an incredibly gifted actor. Ronnie Marmo gives a tour de force performance as Lenny. His humor, anger, intelligence and sensitivity make this a must see performance. Marmo (who plays the tough, streetwise cop Ronnie Dimestico on General Hospital) is riveting as Bruce. He effortlessly glides through every moment with a cool, hip control that keeps you mesmerized until the last word. For an actor to command a stark stage for almost an hour and a half and keep an audience totally involved and entertained is a special and unique experience and one that should not be missed. The time with Bruce passes much too quickly and with his encouragement to “drop by anytime because he’s not going anywhere” definitely had me reserving tickets for a second go round. Big kudos also go to Bob Guza for his well paced, sensitive direction. Congratulations to everyone involved.

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  5. thehealingartist
    on May 15th, 2010
    5

    Having seen Lenny Bruce live in San Francisco back in the 60′s when I was a pre-teen and my parents couldn’t get a babysitter while on vacation, I was skeptical anyone could capture Lenny’s wit, sarcasm and nails on chalkboard hunger for truth. After all it was Lenny Bruce who made me ask those serious questions only a teenager with too much creative time on her hands had at the time such as: Why is Fuck a dirty word? and Why are we so afraid of people, like communists, jews, catholics, pot smokers, etc? Lenny gave me reason to keep asking new questions even to this day… His unique brand of comic creative expression challenged our culture into demanding Free Speech for everyone, even at the expense of his own, plus his happiness, health and sanity. He paved the way for so many comedians, pundits, and editorialists to question the status quo. How could anyone capture Lenny Bruce’s juice? Like I said, I was skeptical, that is, until the lights went down and… Two minutes into Ronnie Marmo’s portrayal of the man who gave me a logical reason to swear – I had tears in my eyes having been magically transported back to the city by the bay, ready to snap my fingers in beat approval for the spell-binding performance I was witnessing. Ronnie brings to life Lenny’s comic-driven- socio-political questions, haunted family history, his hip-cool reflections of the infamous beat-generation in a way that honors our Free Speech Hero. Ronnie Marmo deftly captures Lenny’s stance, manner of speech, comic timing and often brooding mood, all of which were powerfully accentuated by careful lighting and periodic saxophone riffs. Ronnie Marmo has given Lenny Bruce a new lease on life. I wonder if he knows it, and is snapping his fingers. Cool, man.

  6. MariaLucia
    on September 30th, 2010
    6

    Looks like a great show. You’ll have to consider bringing it to the East Coast! Would love to see it!

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