Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Kim Pirrella Returns to My Big Gay Italian Wedding & Funeral

She’s ba-ack! Kim Pirrella, sister of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga, is returning for another walk down the aisle in My Big Gay Italian Wedding and My Big Gay Italian Funeral. Pirella will play Lucia Fuccio on January 25 and 26 and February 15 and 16, filling in for current star Liz Gerecitano. Both shows play in repertory at off-Broadway’s St. Luke’s Theatre.

Starring and written by Anthony Wilkinson, My Big Gay Italian Wedding and My Big Gay Italian Funeral are both loosely based on his own wacky Italian family. Wedding tells the story of Anthony Pinnunziato (Wilkinson), a gay Italian-American who wants to marry his boyfriend Andrew in a traditional wedding ceremony. Funeral centers on the came family, who is mourning the death of Anthony’s father. In both plays, Pirrella plays Lucia, a lipstick lesbian from New Jersey.

Pirrella, a food blogger who posts instructional videos about healthy cooking, makes guest appearances on Real Housewives of New jersey. She made her off-Broadway debut in My Big Gay Italian Wedding and Funeral in October 2013.

In addition to Wilkinson and Pirrella, Wedding and Funeral both star Hugh Hysell, Donna Castellano, Marissa Perry, Debra Toscano, Meagan Robar, Erik Ransom, Chad Kessler and Brandon Goins. Wedding also stars Joe Scanio, Drew Little, Rocco DeFinis and Paul Moon. Funeral also stars David Demato, Mustafa Gatollari and Beth Dzuricky. Marie Fontaine and Jonathan Wiener round out the ensemble.