"Over the River" teaches "Tengo Famiglia"
By Beth Pitts

Although I think I caught EVERY red light between Memorial and Lewis on 71st Street, I made it to Howard Auditorium just in time for the last show of "Over the River and Through the Woods," by Joe DiPietro, Apr. 13 at 2 p.m. As I took my seat on the stage (it was set as a "theater in the round" much like Showcase 2003), I heard several people describing their expectations of the play. "I heard it was like 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' meets 'While You were Sleeping'," my friend said as she sat next to me. "No," another disagreed, "I heard it was like 'Steel Magnolias.'" So needless to say, when the lights went down I had high expectations.

The audience is first introduced to Nick Cristiano (played by Anthony Manganaro), a 29-year-old Italian living in New Jersey. He describes his family as they enter, and much of the play's humor comes from his quips about their behaviors. We meet Frank and Aida Gianelli (Christopher Crawford and Cassandra Mary Eyres) who amuse us with their ukelale playing and constant prodding about food. "You look hungry," Aida tells everyone who enters the home, and she usually disappears to find a sandwich. "You have exactly two minutes before she comes back with an entirely roasted Butterball turkey," Nick says at one point. Nunzio and Emma Cristiano (Chris Martin and Courtneay Sanders) are my grandparents, and I was delighted with their playful banter-very well performed and hugely believable.

With the entrance of Caitlin O'Hare (Kelly Natalina Cretti), we take a second look at the family relationships on stage. Her perspective causes the audience to realize that perhaps it has misconceptions about the characters, and her comments about how precious the grandparents are remind us how precious our own families are.

Yes, some of the lines made me laugh so hard I worried that I was disturbing the action onstage. Of course, the "goodbye" scene made me cry, although it was comforting to hear others in the audience sniffling as well. The scene was incredibly well performed in many elements: Aida's nearly inconsolable grief at her grandson's decision, Emma's taking her cue from Nunzio not to share the news that he has cancer-in order that Nick might leave without the burden of knowledge-and Frank instructing his grandson "Tengo Famiglia" just before he starts on his new life were priceless.

But what I appreciated most was the message: that while families take care of each other, sometimes loving a person means letting him find his own way. The theme of "Tengo Famiglia" means, in essence, "Take care of the family." The juxtaposition of Frank, who left Italy to come to America, and Nick, who is deciding to take a promotion in Seattle, reminded me how families move apart in order to continue on.

So to all those involved, from the actors to the director to the box office assistant, thank you for your work on this production. It touched me and caused me to remember the people who are most precious in my life.

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