PHOTO BY LISA GREGORY
Lexington Park, MD – Only a few performances remain of Joe DiPietro’s family comedy Over The River and Through the Woods now playing at the Three Notch Theatre with the Newtowne Players in Lexington Park. The play opened April 21. The final curtain comes down May 7. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8p.m. and the Sunday matinee starts at 3:30 p.m. For ticket information you may contact the Box Office at (301)737-5447 or www.thenewtowneplayers.org.
Joe DiPietro was born in 1961 in Teaneck, New Jersey. This play is one of his early works which premiered in the Bronx in 1994, amidst an audience encompassing a robust Italian-American population. Beginning in 1998, it enjoyed a two-year run off-Broadway. DiPietro is known for writing the book and lyrics to the musical I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change which ran for twelve years off-Broadway, for his book for the 2005 Elvis Presley Broadway juke-box-style musical All Shook Up, and for his book and lyrics for Memphis, which won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2010.
Over The River and Through the Woods revolves around Nick, an eligible 32-year-old Italian-American bachelor who dutifully visits both sets of grandparents in Hoboken, NJ each Sunday by bus from New York City. He breaks from his usual routine by popping in one Thursday with the bombshell announcement that he’s considering accepting a promotion at work which will require him to re-locate to Seattle. His doting grandparents conspire to introduce him to a nice, Catholic girl so that he’ll have a reason to continue to stay close to them. Some of the comical situations which ensue are as relevant today as they were in the ‘90s (how to operate an answering machine or a VCR, or how to properly play “Trivial Pursuit”). The play’s sentimental message of honoring family (“tengo famiglia”) and tradition is timeless – and priceless. The title of the play is derived from the children’s song…”Over the River and Through the Woods…to grandmother’s house we go!” which Nick points out during Act II is “supposed to be fun!”.
Thom Esposito directed this same play with NTP in 2010. This is the only play in the history of the Newtowne Players to enjoy a repeat run. The original production was plagued by several severe snowstorms, and many performances had to be cancelled. He has assembled a talented cast of veteran NTP performers (John Giusti as Frank and Dawn Weber as Emma are reprising their roles from the original NTP production) as well as other NTP veterans—Linda Lagle as Aida, Dave Bayles as Nunzio and Hunter Martin as Nick—while introducing Randi Wright as Caitlin, in her debut NTP performance. Indeed, the cast seems more like a family than merely an ensemble, the camaraderie is evident from the start and it is obvious that the performers treat each other with great affection – a credit not only to the actors but to the director, as well.
The single set encompasses the living/dining room area of Frank and Aida’s house with entryways leading to the off-stage kitchen and bedrooms, and a view of the outdoor patio at the front door. The set is beautifully designed and furnished; the audience will feel as much at home as the actors do. Note the reproduction of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper displayed prominently on the wall. The lighting effectively showcases the indoor and outdoor scenes and focuses in on individual actor’s monologues, but, occasionally, shadows are cast on their faces.
Members of the Production Crew are: Beth Sanford, producer/stage manager; David V. Groupe, set designer; Dave Kyser, lighting designer; Diane Trautman, properties manager; Dana M. DiGregorio, assistant stage manager; Ginger Serafin, crew member.
Coming soon to the Three Notch Theatre: A Night on Broadway May 26 – June 4 and Once Upon a Mattress July 7.
