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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Over the River and Through the Woods Also see Gil's review of Angels in America: Perestroika
The plot focuses on Nick Cristano, who lives and works in New York City but visits both sets of his grandparents, who live close to each other in Hoboken, New Jersey, for dinner every Sunday night. His parents and his sister have moved away, so Nick is the only relative both sets of his grandparents have close by. The play begins right after Nick has been offered a promotion that will force him to move to Seattle. So, while his grandparents are happy for him, they set in motion a plan that they hope will keep him in town. What's great about DiPietro's well-crafted script is that, while the characters and story are fairly familiar, many of the plot points and the ending aren't predictable. Also, while there is plenty of humor in the piece, it's also a quite moving drama with an authentic resolution that makes the end result quite realistic. Under Janis Webb's direction, there is a nice balance to the performances. The comical moments shine while the dramatic ones aren't overly melodramatic. Brett Etzel brings a lovely combination of angst, guilt, and irritability to the role of the grandson who loves his grandparents but also wants to grow in his career by taking the promotion. In Etzel's performance we understand how Nick is both fond of and frustrated by his grandparents. The four actors who play Nick's grandparents all deliver warm and humorous portrayals while also playing couples whose relationships feel realistic. As Nick's maternal grandparents, Frank and Aida, who host the weekly Sunday family meals, Walt Pedano and Donna Kaufman bring plenty of passion to their performances. Pedano's Frank is both warm and has a strong sense of pride and responsibility while Kaufman's Aida, the emotional center of the play, oozes conviction and care. Gary Caswell and Martha Welty are just as good as Nunzio and Emma. Caswell and Welty have rich comic timing that's put to good use for their many comical scenes but there are also a few serious moments when they equally shine. Aurora Howard does a lovely job as Caitlin O'Hare, Nick's potential love interest his grandmother invites over for one of the Sunday dinners. Howard is bright and direct but also appropriately reserved at times. Cheryl Schaar's scenic and property designs deliver a warm and comfortable living and dining room setting and the costumes by Heather Riddle are character and period appropriate. The only quibbles I have are that the lighting doesn't always highlight the action appropriately and, due to the in-the-round venue, the blocking sometimes has characters speaking with their backs to the individual they are talking to, which doesn't seem realistic. Fortunately, those are the only two small issues I have with what is a well-cast, charming, and quite moving production of this humorous, nostalgic and sentimental play. Over the River and Through the Woods runs through June 20, 2026, at the Don Bluth Front Row Theatre, 8989 E. Vía Linda #118, Scottsdale AZ. For tickets and information, please visit www.donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com or call 480-314-0841. Directed by Janis Webb
Scenic & Property Designer: Cheryl Schaar Cast: |
