As the children of Metropolitan Opera tenor Michele Farruggia and soprano Barbara de Deo, New City’s Robert and Cristina Farruggia have spent their lives in musical theater.
On May 18, 2003, they were on stage at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre — representing the next generation of musical theater artists as members of Nyack’s Helen Hayes Youth Theater — and took part in the closing night of “Les Miserables,” alongside Adam Chanler-Berat, who now stars in “Peter and the Starcatcher” on Broadway.
Even at their tender twenty-something ages (Robert is 24; Cristina is 26), they already have stories to tell, and songs to sing, about theater lives, auditions and dreams. They’ll sing their stories this weekend, in “Family Album,” a fund-raiser at Antrim Playhouse in Wesley Hills.
“We’ve been meaning to do a cabaret for a while,” Robert says. “And we called it ‘Family Album,’ a pun on a photo album and an album like a record.’”
Since they come from a musical family — and are routinely compared to the von Trapp Family Singers — they will sing a medley from “The Sound of Music.”
They’ll also sing original songs Robert wrote and songs from dream roles: Cristina’s from “Funny Girl,” Robert’s from “Jersey Boys.”
“All of the songs fit us, our personalities and where we are in our lives,” Robert says.
“Where they are” is pursuing careers in musical theater.
Where they are this weekend is Wesley Hills.
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‘Family Album,’ Cristina and Robert Farruggia, in a cabaret fund-raiser at Antrim Playhouse. 8 p.m. June 1 and 2. $15. Antrim Playhouse, 15 Spook Rock Road, Wesley Hills. 845-354-9503. www.antrimplayhouse.com
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Bravo, Cristina & Robert! Wonderful Show!