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Over The
River & Through The Woods November 24 - December
16, 2000 Love of family is the mantra that runs throughout this endearingly warm-hearted comedy by Joe DiPietro. The audience is taken on a sweet and sentimental journey to grandparent's house in Hoboken, New Jersey. At the heart of the plot is a tight-knit Italian-American family. Nick Christano is a 29-year old marketing executive who dutifully visits his four grandparents every Sunday for dinners which are governed by "the three F's" - family, faith, and food.
One Sunday he has an exciting, though devastating announcement: He's being promoted to a new position in Seattle. As Nick is their only relative left in the area, the prospect of losing him calls for some heavy Golden-Ager artillery.
Playwright Joe DiPietro has become a very prolific writer, having penned four plays since 1995. He is best known for his witty musical "I Love You! You're Perfect! Now Change!" and "Over The River and Through The Woods," which have both been long running hits Off-Broadway in New York. Several critics have compared DiPietro's writing to Neil Simon's later autobiographical comedy-dramas. DiPietro says that while the characters are based loosely on his own four grandparents, the plot is completely fictional.
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.
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