Over the River and Through the Woods
by Joe DiPietro
(at the Bainbridge Library)
December 18 & 19, 2010 SATURDAY & SUNDAY 7:30 pm
Over the River and Through the Woods
By Joe DiPietro
Directed by Steve Stolee
A RAMBUNCTIOUS FAMILY COMEDY by the 2010 Tony winning author of the musical MEMPHIS and the long running Off-Broadway hit, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.
CAST: Sara Scribner, Charlie Hamilton, Barbara Klingberg, Larry Kight, Erica Varga and Carter Kight.
For 27 years, Nick Cristano has been showing up for Sunday dinner at the home of his maternal grandparents, Frank and Aida Gianelli. His paternal grandparents, Nunzio and Emma Cristano -- "the loudest people I ever met," Nick says -- are also there to eat and to nag: "Be a man. Start a family. Don't eat Chinese food." More to the point: "I want to see you married before I'm dead." Nick's parents moved to Fort Lauderdale, and Nick understands why.
One Sunday night Nick wants to tell his grandparents the good news that he is up for a promotion and the bad news that it’s in Seattle, Washington. "Not the close-by Washington," they quickly realize. So they conspire to find a reason to keep Nick home and Caitlin, a pretty neighbor, is the reason. She is invited to dinner; the elderly folks are on their best behavior.
"Over the River and Through the Woods" is a story about a young man's coming of age and two sets of old folks with an ever-deepening love. The price a younger generation pays for the devotion of the elders, the extent of sacrifice -- Is Nick's complicated existence better than his grandparents' good life? Or just different? It’s a story about faith and family and food and a good many stereotypes are dealt a good-natured whack.