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Over The River At Stage 3 Is All About Family
They say the only thing permanent in life is change. Sometimes that's good. Sometimes that's bad. Sometimes, as in Stage 3's family holiday offering of "Over the River and through the Woods", change can be devastatingly funny, achingly heartbreaking and poignantly revealing.
The comic drama, written by Joe DiPietro ("I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change") centers on a tight knit Italian-American family. Despite the fact that the house is always August-in-Ethiopia hot, and they are the loudest people you ever met, Nick Cristano dutifully visits his loving and loony grandparents for dinner every Sunday.
"My grandparents firmly believed in the three F's of life", Nick confides, "family, faith and food." He takes us on a sweet and sentimental journey into the heart of the family you might have had, or wish you did. Oversized and overbearing at times, these four are always good for a laugh, a story or a piece of crumb cake.
Disaster strikes when Nick announces that he has been offered a job across the country in Washington ("Not the close Washington. The far-away Washington – by California.") the four concoct a scheme that sets in motion a chain of events that surprises them all. The New York Daily News deemed "Over the River and through the Woods" 'deliriously funny' and the Houston Chronicle says the play "wins the audience with humor, warmth and charm".
Under the cacophony of brilliant dialogue, including one of the wackiest Trivial Pursuit games ever seen on stage, the play has a serious cultural point to make. Previous generations worked hard to give their children and grandchildren better lives. Those "better lives" are now so far removed from their own reality that they don't understand them at all. Speaking about his characters, Mr. DiPietro says, "The biggest difference between these generations is their concept of family and home. They believed that the family was central, and work is something you just do to provide for them. For our generation, it's a lot more complicated."
Joe DiPietro is the recipient of the William Inge Theater Festival New Voices In American Theatre Award and the winner of the O’Neill National Playwright’s Conference MacArthur Award for comic writing. Director Van Gordon is one of the region's most popular performers. A huge comic talent himself, Gordon is enthusiastic about the project. "I never laugh when I read plays" he says. "I laughed all through this one and cried at the end. What more could I ask?"
Included in the cast are some of the Foothill's best loved actors. Todd Thomas takes the central character of Nick. His grandparents are played by Maryann Curmi , Doug Scott, Dorothy Mulvihill and Seth Turoonjian. Senta Connolly plays the young lady caught up in the old folk's plot.
The Critics Loved it!!
Face it. Few plays genuinely make you both laugh and cry. That's just a cliché that directors print on publicity posters to sell tickets.
But Stage 3 Theatre achieves this rare feat with its new show, "Over the River and Through the Woods."
This gem has realistic, hilarious and poignant dialogue, true-to-life characters and a story that will stick in your mind for days. It's easily one of the top five plays of the 50 I've seen this year. You're missing out if you don't make plans to see it.
Modesto Bee
"Over the River and Through the Woods" is the most hilarious evening of theatre I have ever experienced.
I can't quite describe the wonderful feelings that gush through you when you see this show. If you see just one play throughout this hectic season, this is the one to see. You'll laugh; you'll cry; and you'll remember just what the holidays are supposed to be about. "Tengo familia."
Calaveras Enterprise
What a script. It was written by Joe DiPietro, who wrote "I Love You, You',re Perfect, Now Change" and this new play offers the same bounty of laughs. But it's deeper. Without you even knowing it, until a day later, it's got you thinking about society and family and the choices we make.
The first thing I did after watching this play was make reservations to see it again. This one's going to sell out.
Union Democrat
Costumes will be designed by Diana Newington, lights by Adrianna Wulfe and set by Denny Anderson and Chris Sutherst.
This production is partially made possible by a generous sponsorship from Sonora Video and Electronics Inc., your local Radio Shack Dealer.
"Over the River and through the Woods" will run at Stage 3, 208 S. Green St., downtown Sonora, from November 21-December 21. Performances are on an expanding schedule. First week: Fri. and Sat., November 21 and 22. Second week: Fri.and Sat. November 28 and 29. Beginning December 4, the show will run Thursday through Sunday. Curtain times are 7 pm, Thursday, 8 pm Friday and Saturday and 2 pm Sunday. Ticket prices are $10 Thursday, $14 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Senior Sundays are $10. Students always $8. Call 209-536-1778 for reservations and information. Visit www.stage3.org.
For reservations or information, please call 209-536-1778, or e-mail info@stage3.org.
