Elgin Theatre Company to put on 'Over the River and Through the Woods'
The Elgin Theatre Company presents "Over the River and Through the Woods" on Feb. 8-24. The hilarious family comedy by Tony-nominated playwright Joe DiPietro has touched the hearts of audiences across America.
Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday performances start at 2 p.m. All performances will be presented at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St.
Tickets are $20 and $18 for seniors, age 65 or older, and students. Group rates for this production of the Elgin Theatre Company are also available.
Twenty-something Nick Cristano is enjoying life as a young professional in New York City, but his grandparents won't let him forget where he belongs - in New Jersey, in the bosom of his loud, loving Italian-American grandparents who live two doors apart and lavish all their affection on their only unmarried grandchild.
Faithfully, Nick goes "over the river to Grandma's house" every week for Sunday dinner. But when he is suddenly offered a promotion and transfer to Seattle, their happy routine is thrown into jeopardy. Frank and Aida, Emma, and Nunzio are heartbroken at the prospect of their beloved grandson raising a family all the way across the country - or worse yet, not raising a family at all! So the wily elders cook up a matchmaking scheme and invite single nurse Caitlin O'Hare to Sunday dinner.
"Over the River and Through the Woods" is a warmhearted, funny, and touching story about intergenerational relationships, deep family love, and the inevitable heartbreaks that occur as time passes and children grow up. DiPietro examines the human experience with a style much like that of Neil Simon. His play will speak to anyone who has experienced a complicated relationship with family or who has felt torn between family and career. Grandparents and parents alike will recognize the urge to keep loved ones nearby forever.
The cast includes Matt Hellyer from Algonquin as Nick, Tom Ochocinski of Plainfield, Linda Sak of Palatine, Richard Johnson from Bartlett, and Arlene Arnone of St. Charles as his grandparents, and Jess Smith from Elgin as the Sunday caller.
The play is directed by Richard Pahl of Elgin and produced by Richard Grieger of Elgin with technical direction by Andrew Murschel from Elgin and technical support by Jude Cavallaro of South Elgin.
For information, call (847) 741-0532, email tickets@inil.com, or visit www.elgin-theatre.org to purchase tickets online.
"Over the River and Through the Woods" is produced by special arrangement by Dramatists Play Service Inc.
This production is funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.