New Story in an Old Neighborhood: RI Actor/Director Nick Albanese to Show His Film Charles Street

Directed by RI’s own Nick Albanese, Charles Street is a depiction of his life growing up on one of Providence’s main arteries. Now a resident of Lincoln, Albanese has fond memories of his old neighborhood. He was able to film his feature debut in the same bakery his family used to own, called Croce’s (original owner’s name). Today, it’s Borelli’s Bakery, and the present owner happily accommodated onsite filming time. If you see Charles Street, you’ll surely recognize other filming locations throughout the state including sites in Providence, Cranston, Cumberland, and North Providence.

Albanese has worked as a comedian, actor, screenplay writer, and director, and has now tried his hand at filmmaking. Often told he resembles the late former Mayor Buddy Cianci, Albanese created a play, Buddy: One Last Night. However, he is perhaps best known for his one-man, off-Broadway show, The Last Sicilian.
The son of Sicilian immigrants, Albanese describes his movie as a “dramedy” in which he can embrace his roots. The movie was adapted from a screenplay he’d written called The North End of Providence. “Even though the movie takes place in [the] present day, parts of the story were inspired by my own experiences growing up on Charles Street in the ’80s,” explained Albanese in a recent interview. He continues, “It’s the story of a young filmmaker who returns home to Providence to find himself caught between a mobster buddy and the FBI. It’s all fictional, but there are definitely characters and some story elements that are loosely based off of my life and people I knew.” He goes on to say, “The North End of Providence would have to be this huge production, with over 30 characters and period pieces, sets and costumes, since it takes place in 1985. I just thought that was a little too ambitious for my first feature film.”

Shooting took place last October over the course of a mere seven days, at venues including the popular comic open-mic venue, Pub on Park in Cranston, and of course, Charles Street itself. Albanese says, “Filming the entire movie on a tight, seven-day schedule was the most difficult part of the process. To make sure all of the important scenes and dialogue made it into the movie, I had to stay extremely organized.” He, along with the cast and crew, worked very long hours, and some scenes were combined at the last minute.

After reading the script, NYC-based executive producer Don Miller stepped up; then, Albanese’s friend and fellow RI actor Bob Mignarri matched Miller’s offer, raising the film’s budget to $10,000. Since the movie is a non-union production and filming took place during the SAG-AFTRA strike, Boston-based cinematographer Colin Munson was able to join the crew. “Colin’s work is unbelievable, and it was also his first time shooting a feature film, so we were kind of in it together,” says Albanese. “He brought a bunch of his buddies along to help out, and they really did a great job on this. I’ve directed plays and things like that, but this was the first time directing a feature film, and it was so much fun! I’m used to being in front of the camera, and I enjoyed being behind it more than I expected. Working with such talented actors and seeing my story come to life this way was a ‘pinch-me’ moment for sure!”

The all-original musical score was made specifically for the film. Albanese says, “A couple of musicians I’ve known for years and a few of their friends came together for this. One of them, Jon Gonsalves, I went to high school with. His brother was Dr. Metal from 94 HJY, the beloved radio host who perished in The Station Nightclub fire. The score was also composed by Andrew Liles, Tom Rao and Derrek DiPietro. Other musician friends lending their talents included Paul Phillips and Scott Giambanco. The song in the end credits was written and performed by recent Berklee graduate Katrina Brianne, who portrays Rebecca Romano in the film. 

Charles Street has a 75-minute run time and will premiere on June 23 at noon at the Avon Cinema in Providence. For tickets, visit Eventbrite.com or call the theater at (401) 421-0020. If you miss it, the Gamm Theatre in Warwick will be featuring the film in July and August as part of their special programming, and Albanese is considering streaming options for home viewing.