Story by Thomas Caramanno In entertainment, good things come in pairs. Abbot and Costello, Sonny and Cher, Rogen and Franco. Unbeknownst to many, Astoria is home to its own show biz duo— The Rescignos. Paul and Robbie Rescigno are twin brothers who write and star in their eponymous show, The Rescignos. What the Olsen twins are to made-for- DVD flicks and bad fashion, the Rescignos are to musical theater and comedy. Replete with original songs, skits, witty selfdeprecating humor, and a vast collection of sweater vests, The Rescignos pay homage to television’s classic sitcoms and variety hours. According to their web site (TheRescignos. com), the show “hearkens back to oldschool vaudeville with contemporary material and brand-spanking new music.” Yet long before their foray onto the stage, Paul and Robbie were just kids imbued with passion, determination, and ample viewings of Nick-at-Nite reruns. Paul and Robbie were born in Brooklyn, but raised in Delaware. From their youth, the boys were enamored with entertainment and performing. “We grew up watching a lot of old television shows—Dick Van Dkyke, 52 | BOROMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2015 Mary Tyler Moore, The Muppets— and a lot of our comedy is influenced in that way,” says Robbie. After participating in high school theater, the Rescignos attended Syracuse University and earned BFAs in theater. Paul and Robbie first crafted their show twelve years ago when they were still college freshman, and eventually performed it as seniors. Knowing they were moving to New York to pursue acting careers, the boys wanted a go-to gig they could perform as a duo. “We wanted to build something we could take to New York in addition to our acting, so we created a basic premise for a show,” Paul explains. Following graduation, the Rescignos moved to New York City and settled in Astoria. In the midst of working and auditioning individually, opportunity knocked when a former Syracuse classmate named Cait Doyle asked the brothers to open for her show, Hot Mess in Manhattan, at The Duplex Piano Bar in NYC. After performing three songs, the Rescignos impressed management and were invited back as headlining acts. Since then, Paul and Robbie have played thirty shows at The Duplex and regularly perform around Christmas time and on their birthday— CHARACTERS
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