American Idol Finalist Joe Murena to Join the Kooky Off-Broadway Cast of My Big Gay Italian Funeral

American Idol finalist Joe Murena is the newest mourner to take the stage at off-Broadway's My Big Gay Italian Funeral! Murena will play Ezio in the zany comedy beginning February 2 at off-Broadway’s St. Luke’s Theatre. The production currently plays in repertory with My Big Gay Italian Wedding—both are scheduled to run through March 30, 2014.

Murena will make his off-Broadway debut in My Big Gay Italian Funeral. In addition to season four of American Idol, his TV appearances include Star Search, Good Morning America and Showtime at the Apollo. He has appeared in Long Island community theater productions of West Side Story and Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.

Written by and featuring Anthony Wilkinson, My Big Gay Italian Funeral tells the story of Anthony Pinnunziato, a man who reunites with his gay brother Peter (David Demato) at the funeral of their father Joe. Family drama and crazy characters unite when everything that can possibly happen at an Italian wake certainly will!

In addition to Murena, Wilkinson and Demato, My Big Gay Italian Wedding stars Hugh Hysell as Maurizio, Donna Castellano as Angela, Marissa Perry as Maria, Debra Toscano as Toniann, Meagan Robar as Connie/Eva/Aunt Donna, Erik Ransom as Vidal, Chad Kessler as Rabbi Horowitz/Lou, David Demato as Peter, Mustafa Gatollari as Dominick, Beth Dzuricky as Ondine and Marie Fontaine.