Mike Piazza gets in on ballet action

By Lesley Abravanel4/2/2013

On May 3, Mike Piazza, will make his ballet debut at the Ziff Ballet Opera House when he appears as the Gangster in Miami City Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s Slaughter on Tenth Avenue at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. But Piazza won't be doing any pas de deux or even catching ballerinas. According to a ballet rep, he'll be "throwing out a few lines Al Capone-style and then sitting back and watching the stage come alive with dazzling dance routines, a gorgeous Strip Tease Girl, a tap-dancing Hoofer and the colorful Ladies of the Ballet." So how'd he score this gig? Piazza's six-year-old daughter Nicoletta is a student at the Miami City Ballet School and conspired with the ballet's artistic director Lourdes Lopez to get him involved. “It’s going to be a lot of fun seeing the reaction of my two little girls,” said Piazza. “My oldest daughter is a student at Miami City Ballet School and for her to have the opportunity to see Daddy on stage is my little gift. I’m looking forward to it.” Piazza starts rehearsals April 14.