Piazza to perform with Miami Ballet

MIAMI, April 3 (UPI) -- Former baseball catcher Mike Piazza will make his debut with the Miami City Ballet in May in a non-dancing role, the ballet company announced Wednesday.

He will portray "The Gangster" in a production of George Balanchine's "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" at the Ziff Ballet Opera House in Miami, The Miami Herald reported.

In his role, Piazza will be "throwing out a few lines, Al Capone-style, then sitting back and watching dazzling dance routines, a gorgeous striptease girl, a tap-dancing hoofer and colorful ladies of the ballet," a Miami City Ballet spokesman explained.

Piazza's daughter Nicoletta, 6, is a student at the Ballet's school, the newspaper said.

"For her to have the opportunity to see Daddy on stage is my little gift. I'm looking forward to it," Piazza said.

He begins rehearsals April 14, under the tutelage of Balanchine Trust acting coach Philip Neal.