Review: "Blood Type: Ragu"

Courtesy of 360 Media

By Machelle Tran, Akure Imes and Sage Nenyue
VOX Staff

Down three flights of stairs into the belly of the 14th Street Playhouse in Midtown, a man in his mid-forties of average build, with an olive complexion and a warming smile stood centered in front of the audience. And from the first two minutes of the one-man, one-act show “Blood Type: Ragu,” we found ourselves bewitched by the director, playwright and actor, Frank Ingrasciotta. Plus, we were laughing our heads off.

“Blood Type: Ragu” is the story of an Italian-American growing up in Brooklyn who tries to come to terms with the two cultures that he was born into: his Sicilian heritage and American lifestyle. The story is 100% believable because it’s based on Ingrasciotta’s life. It’s as if he was confiding in you himself with a unique blend of Ital-glish and jokes that could only be gotten if you were there.

What blew us away was Ingrasciotta’s ability to not only play himself but to interchange between over 20 different characters. These are not just extras or flat characters with the stage time of 10 seconds, as most people would expect with so many roles. Each one was acted out fluently and there was a balance in their quality. We got the sense that we actually knew each person, as if we were watching his life play out as it happened in real time. And we couldn’t help but hold our laughter-filled sides when the mother and father spit insults at each other with little Italian phrases thrown in.

The clever dialogue and well-written scenes in “Blood Type: Ragu” entice all ages although the show is geared toward a more mature audience. It’s entertaining non-fiction that stands out because it’s relatable and real. It only requires the audience to hang on for the ride through the hilarious, the beautiful, the touching, the melancholy and the authenticity. We praise Frank Ingrasciotta for allowing us a peek into his life. He recently sat down with VOX to bring readers behind the scenes.

VOX: If you could describe “Blood Type: Ragu” in one sentence, what would it be?
Ingrasciotta: It’s a heartfelt story about embracing heritage and making peace with your past.

VOX: How do some of the characters relate to you?
Ingrasciotta: All of the characters relate to me because it’s all based on experience. I relate to my parents the most and I really lived in their shoes when I wrote “Blood Type: Ragu. “

VOX: How did you get into acting?
Ingrasciotta: I always had these stories. I wanted my stories to be rooted in something real [heritage]. “Ragu” was inspired by a photo of my dad.

VOX: You said that you liked to work with students, how come?
Ingrasciotta: I love to do it. I can connect with kids. They’re inspirational to me. I like to think I have an affinity for it.

VOX: What can teens do to become successful actors?
Ingrasciotta: Discipline, passion and commitment. They also need to listen. Young people are so quick to talk when they ought to be listening.

The spectacular blow “Blood Type: Ragu” delivers can only be experienced in person through May 11 at the 14th Street Playhouse.  Shows start at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $15. More information can be found by clicking here.