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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews Over the
River and Through the Woods Reviewed by Sherry Deatrick Entire contents are copyright © 2008 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved.
If you dread visiting your grandparents for the holidays, you might find this play too close to home. Surely yours aren't as overbearing as Nick Cristano's. Every Sunday, upwardly mobile Nick (Michael Anthony Catapano) eats dinner with both sets of his Italian immigrant grandparents in Hoboken, New Jersey. If he can stand it, you can easily endure one measly turkey dinner. Nick's parents moved to Florida to escape from their meddling old-world parents, and Nick is about to announce his impending move to Seattle for a big job promotion as the play begins. There's more than a skipped generation between Nick and his grandparents. When Nick explains his white-collar job to them, he may as well be speaking Chinese (a food style they've admonished him to avoid). Likewise, Nick doesn't understand what motivates his relatives, who value family above career. Emma (Pat Wetherton) conspires to invite Caitlin (Erin Block), a young Irish woman, to dinner one Sunday to get Nick hitched so he'll stay in Hoboken. Nick is embarrassed by his grandparents. Although she's desperate for a date, Caitlin calls him an asshole who doesn't appreciate having all four grandparents in his life. Nick has a panic attack and spends a few weeks recuperating at the home of grandparents Aida (Betty Zielinski) and Frank (Bob Zielinski). It's not the most well-constructed play – you don't need to do a lot of deep thinking, especially since the playwright tends to over-explain things. But the many laughs peppered throughout make the experience worthwhile if you can overlook the sweeping stereotypes – not only of Italians but also of senior citizens. Director Mark Athel Burks has performed at the Shelby County Community Theatre for 29 years, and is branching out into directing with this lighthearted comedy about family values. Apparently his years of treading the boards have given him special insight into how to direct, because the actors performed their roles seamlessly, and appeared comfortable on the vast stage. The only problem with the layout is that the audience is arranged in an L-shape around the long rectangular stage, so that if you are seated at the side the actors often have their backs toward you. I hope that Burks will take this into consideration for future productions he might direct here. Michael Anthony Catapano is simply outstanding as Nick, especially at such a young age (19). He reminded me of a young Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire (although not menacing) as he strode confidently across the stage, rolling his eyes at his grandparents' comments. He subtly engages the audience as co-conspirators to get them on his side. His accent is truly authentic, probably because he grew up on Long Island and is, in fact, of Italian American extraction. It's as if he were made for this role. It's unfortunate that Catapano, a student at JCC, plans to transfer to Savannah College of Art and Design to study illustration. However, there's no doubt he will find plenty of work there as an actor if he wants to continue performing. The set designers, Gary Steinhilber and John Hurt, have lovingly created a typical first generation Italian American blue collar home, with family portraits mingling with one of the Pope. Gold-rimmed wine glasses and brocade napkins adorn the heavy wooden table. Actual veal parmesan is served and eaten. The only things missing are plastic furniture coverings, etched glass doors, and porcelain statues of the Virgin Mary. The program is well-designed, with easy-to-read information an artistic cover on high-quality cardstock.
Over the River and Through the Woods
Posted Nov. 23, 2008
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