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Steven Schirripa Brings Talking Sopranos to The United Theatre in Westerly

Talking Rhode Island and meatballs with The Sopranos and Blue Bloods star

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Steven Schirripa is best known for playing Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri on The Sopranos and Detective Anthony Abetemarco in Blue Bloods. This month, Schirripa brings the popular Talking Sopranos podcast to The United Theatre on November 23 to celebrate The Soprano's 25th anniversary. Along with co-stars Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti), and Vincent Pastore (Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero), Schirripa chats about his connections to Rhode Island, why the best meatball he has ever had is here in Lil Rhody, and what we can expect from a Talking Sopranos live show.

You are in Rhode Island frequently, whether for Talking Sopranos, or hosting Soupy Fest – what is your connection to the smallest state?

My friend Jerry used to own a restaurant in Providence and then moved down to Westerly to open Longo Ristorante & Pizzeria. It is the best meatball I have ever had, so I've been up there numerous times with him. I love the Ocean House, so I got to know some people. I’ve also hosted Soupy Fest and will be doing that again next year. 

How would you say Talking Sopranos has changed your interaction with your fan base? 

The Sopranos seems more popular now than when it aired 25 years ago, to be honest. There are a lot of younger people who couldn't watch it the first time around but are watching it in their late teens and ‘20s. When you play a character, the people think you're that guy. I think people thought I was Bacala, you know, like I was just this dumb guy and I'm far from that. You're in their home every Sunday, and like Dominic Chianese is as far away from Uncle Junior as could be. He is nothing like that. Michael is nothing like Christopher. The fans have always been great to me. I always try to bring some humor to the podcast; I think it enhances it. For the most part, fans' reactions have been positive.

Your dog Willie Boy has become a celebrity in his own right – will he be making an appearance at The United?

Willie is a celebrity. We have a children's book coming out called Willie Boy Eats the World. Last night I went to a Knicks game and Anthony Rizzo, who plays for the Yankees, asked me, “how's Willie Boy?” There's not a day that goes by that someone doesn't say, “where's the dog?” Willie Boy won't make it to The United this time; he was there last time. Willie Boy will be at the next Soupy Fest.

What can the audience expect at a Talking Sopranos live show?

It's all comedy-driven. We have a great comic, Joey Kola, who warms up for The Drew Barrymore Show. So Joey's gonna come out, do about 15 minutes. Then we'll show some clips before the three of us come out. We'll tell some stories. Joey will ask us questions and we give you a look behind the curtain, and we're showing slides. So if we're talking about Paulie Walnuts, you'll see Paulie Walnuts, and so on. It’s very loose on stage, sometimes we have a drink, and we do a Q&A with the audience. If you're a Sopranos fan, believe me, you will walk out with a lot of laughs and say, wow, I never knew that.  

Sopranos Live - 25th Anniversary Tour with Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, and Vincent Pastore, is sold out. Learn more at UnitedTheatre.org. This interview was edited for clarity, and a full audio version can be found on the Hey Rhody Podcast..

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