THE CAST
Nick Cristano. . . . . William Steffen
Frank Gianelli. . . . . John Zinzi
Aida Gianelli. . . . . Judy Chiariello
Nunzio Cristano. . . . . Moses M. Howden
Emma Cristano. . . . . Robin Alcocer
Caitlin O'Hare. . . . . Patricia Howden
THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer. . . . . Charlotte Roberts
Director. . . . . Ken Roberts
Stage Manager / Food Prep. . . . . Fior Zinzi
Make-Up. . . . . Minna Badanes
Lights. . . . . Eric Van Druff
Sound. . . . . Tanaka Van Druff
Stage Crew. . . . . Tim Hunter
Tickets. . . . . Caddy Greenidge, Dorothy Greenidge
Audience Services. . . . . Diane Campbell
ABOUT THE SHOW
Over the River and Through the Woods...to Grandmother’s Hoboken, New Jersey living room we go. An amalgamation of every fantasy and realistic matriarchal home with which we have ever come in contact or conceived on some plane of fantasy is revealed. The stage is intricately set as a tribute to lace doilies, fine china-stocked cabinets, wooden heirloom furniture and vintage family photographs circa 1940. Despite a probable stuffiness, the room is welcoming in its years of well-groomed yet tattered wear. With the holiday season looming in the near future, Joe DiPietro’s Over the River and Through the Woods is mental preparation for the charming stifle annual gatherings of family en masse promise. DiPietro, with I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change also to his credit, offers the tale of Nick Cristano (William Steffen) struggling with the inevitable separation from his four doting East Coast grandparents that a Seattle based promotion will entail. Orlando’s Nick embodies the tongue biting frustration too commonly felt when one is inundated with interfering relatives. Grandparents Aida & Frank (Judy Chiariello & John Zinzi), Emma & Nunzio (Robin Alcocer & Moses M. Howden) each comically relieve along the way. Cooing, awing and guffawing are conjured with Aida’s overzealous cooking and in turn mailing of 16 lb lasagnas to family members, Frank’s inability to relinquish car keys or the rights to his ratty arm chair, Emma’s need to correct her grandson’s bachelorhood with fervent Catholic prayer and Nunzio’s amusingly nonintellectual way of answering game board questions. The four cohorts then secretly set up Nick with a bubbly Irish blonde, Caitlin (Patricia Howden) proving to be delightfully disastrous. Over a gut busting Sunday dinner they, quite typically, reveal embarrassing tales of Nick’s youth and blatantly propose that Caitlin consider marriage with their grandson. Unconventional interceptions of side narratives provide sporadic insights into the thoughts of each character and reveal some reasoning behind the quirky idiosyncratic mannerisms of Senior Citizens. The grandparents and, later, an enlightened Nick, reveal this force-feeding of potential brides and their despair at his likely departure as an endearingly frantic effort of elders to continue the family line, to procure a better life for their progeny. Over the River and Through the Woods is a hearty marinara à la nonna, with meaty dialogue, juicy humor and an aftertaste that will leave you scraping your plate for more. from http://centerstage.net/theatre/articles/overtheriver.html
Season 27 concludes as
OCT presents
Joe DiPietro's
Hilarious Generational Comedy
Over the River
and
Through the Woods
directed by Ken Roberts
Friday, SEP 15 - 7:30p
Saturday, SEP 16 - 7:30p
Sunday, SEP 17 - 2:00p
Portville Central School
Portville, New York (map it!)
Our Online Box Office
IS OPEN!
Our Online Box Office
IS OPEN!
Prelude to Performance
Beginning ONE HOUR before curtain at each performance, OCT presenter Mary Rolick will present a preview of the show with a behind the scenes look at the playwright, the history of the show, things to watch for during the show and other interesting tidbits to enhance your enjoyment of the performance to follow.
This Prelude to Performance is free and open to all ticket holders for the show... just arrive an hour before curtain and enter the theatre. Doors for the Prelude will close ten minutes after it has begun and will last approximately half an hour.
Auditorium doors will open for general show seating one half hour before curtain. Don't miss this opportunity to go gain a special perspective on the show. Join us for this OCT extra!
