By Breanne Sanders
A vibrant portrayal of family, generational change, and individuality awaits at Over the River and Through the Woods at the Covey Center in Provo. Directed by Robinne Booth, the play explores the family dynamics of character Nick Cristano (Matthew DelaFuente) and his 4 grandparents. His maternal grandparents Frank and Aida Gianelli (Lon Keith and Arlene McGregor) and his paternal grandparents Nunzio and Emma Cristano (Ben Wake and Booth) live on the same street in Hoboken, New Jersey and get together each week for Sunday dinner. The grandparents lament how far away the rest of their family lives, so Nick’s announcement of moving away for a job promotion comes as an unpleasant surprise. They devise a plan to keep him home. Next Sunday dinner, the family has a guest, Caitlin (Hannah Spencer): a blind date for Nick. Throughout the show the family laughs, jokes, argues, cries, and creates honest moments with each other as Nick tries to balance his personal aspirations with the wishes of his family.
As soon as I walked into the Brinton Black Box, I felt right at home. The cozy space allowed me to feel as though I was in the room with the characters, and the scenic design by Alex Winder, Boh Loveland, Emma Snow, Katrina Young, Rayna Sannar, and Tony Wright added to the comfortable feeling. The living room furniture felt familiar, including worn games on the coffee table that spoke to the type of friendly family who lived there.
From the moment the play begins, DelaFuente as Nick sets a conversational tone that drew me in to the story. Each of the characters have asides – moments when they speak directly to the audience – which gave me the feeling that they were the main character in their own story. During each aside, the lights dim except for a spotlight around the character speaking thanks to masterful lighting by Spencer Powell.
I could easily connect to DelaFuente’s character when he visits his maternal grandparents, Frank and Aida Gianelli, since I’ve had similar experiences with my own grandparents. McGregor’s character Aida loves to feed people, and you could feel her love and concern as she tries to press meals on anyone who walks through her door. She delivers her lines in a way that made it hard to say no. Keith’s character Frank is a constant fixture in his chair, reminding everyone that family is the most important thing – “Tengo famiglia!” Keith portrays this well, especially when his character is reminiscing about the past. Keith and McGregor have a fun dynamic together.
Wake as Nunzio and Booth as Emma were equally delightful. Booth gives Emma such a smart and fun-loving aura, and Wake givese a thoughtfulness to his character at just the right times. I was impressed with their ability to convey both the enjoyable, laughable parts of their relationship as well as the heartbreaking, frustrating moments.
DelaFuente’s acting is wonderful, and I especially liked how exasperated he becomes when his grandparents aren’t looking – or sometimes when they are. The show dives into many generational issues that become a source of tension between the characters, and DelaFuente balances that well with love and appreciation, and the idea that we owe our family and ancestors something.
Caitlin, Nick’s blind date, is brought to life by Spencer. She provides the character a breezy confidence that means she can hold her own against the antics of the four grandparents. Throughout the play her character reveals more depth, and Spencer’s emotions are touching, especially when Caitlin is remembering her own grandmother.
The costuming by Elizabeth Crandall fits each character very well. The Gianellis wear more comfortable and traditional clothing to match their comfortable, casual lifestyle. The Cristano’s clothing is slightly more chic to match their slightly busier lifestyle. Nick’s and Caitlin’s costuming emphasize how young they are in comparison to the grandparents, to help the audience remember the themes at play.
Over the River and through the Woods sets out to remind the audience that we do owe care and respect to those who love us, and that we can use the tools and gifts they’ve given us to find our own individuality in an ever changing world. I highly recommend it.
The Covey Center for the Arts presents Over the River and through the Woods by Joe DiPietro.
The Covey Center for the Arts (Brinton Black Box), 425 W Center St., Provo, UT 84601
February 9th — March 4th, 2023, Monday, Thursday- Saturday, 7:30 PM.
Tickets: $20 -Adult seating, $18- Student, Senior, and Military.
Contact: Main Office: 80-) 852-7007, Box Office: 801- 852-7007
The Covey Center for the Arts Facebook Page
Over the River and Through the Woods Facebook Event
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