The grandmother of all comedies comes to the Studio Theatre
Nick has just received a job offer in Seattle that he simply can’t refuse. Trouble is, accepting it means he’ll have to tell his grandparents he’s moving away from New Jersey. And if you’re Italian and Catholic, with grandparents like Nunzio, Emma,Frank and Aida, that’s a big problem.
Premiering Thursday, September 22nd at the Studio Theatre it’s Joe DiPietro’s comedy Over The River And Through The Woods, a heartwarming story about family, faith, food, and other things that sound good but sometimes make life more than a little complicated.
In the minds of Nick’s beloved (annoying) Italian grandparents there is nothing more sacred than family. So for years Nick has dutifully attended Sunday dinner in an effort to atone for the sins of his parents who had done the unthinkable and moved to Fort Lauderdale. Over The River And Through The Woods (in case you missed the connection, the next line is “to grandmother’s house we go…”) has everything a family comedy requires — big-hearted grandparents adrift in a new world, a thoroughly modern grandson they just don’t understand, and the Grand Canyon of a generation gap that exists between them. When Nunzio and the others try to set Nick up with beautiful young Caitlin to make him stay in the East, the cake is iced with all the ingredients of a comedy that any generation will appreciate.
“This play is both funny and heartwarming”, says Director Patricia Parry, a veteran of stage comedy. “It’s about life, love, and learning to let go — a family show even kids will enjoy.”
Tickets
Over The River And Through The Woods premieres at the Studio Theatre on Thursday, September 22nd, with performances Sept. 22, 23, 24, 30 and Oct. 1st at 7:30 pm, and 2 pm matinees on Sept. 25 and Oct. 2nd.
Tickets are $22 (cash only) at the Book Nook, 60 Gore St. E, and $22 plus convenience fee at Shadowfax, 67 Foster St., (613-267-6817; shadowfax.on.ca) and Tickets Please, in the Matheson House Museum Visitor Centre, 11 Gore St. E. (485-6434; ticketsplease.ca) both of which accept in-store, phone, online and credit card purchases.
Tickets are $24 at the door, and $10 at the door for students with ID. Attend opening night and save $5!
All in the family: (L to R) Connor Williamson (Nick Cristano), Sheila Jasiak (Emma Cristano, Nick’s paternal grandmother), Jennifer Jasiak (Caitlin O’Hara) and Rob Glas (Frank Gianelli, Nick’s maternal grandfather) rehearse a scene from Over The River And Through The Woods, premiering at the Studio Theatre September 22nd.
Photo by Len Modderman
