St. Marys Community Players to stage family comedy, Over the River and Through the Woods

The show runs at the St. Marys Town Hall Theatre from April 25 to May 10

Members of cast for St. Marys Community Players’ spring 2025 production of Over the River and Through the Woods, which will hit the stage at St. Marys Town Hall Theatre April 25 to May 10.

By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The cast and crew for the St. Marys Community Players’ (SCMP) 2025 spring production will bring heartfelt laughter and family connections to the stage at St. Marys Town Hall Theatre with Tony Award winning playwright Joe Pietro’s Over the River and Through the Woods.

The beloved play follows the story of Nick Cristano (Kevin Foad), a young, single Italian American man who has been having Sunday dinner with both sets of his loving but overbearing grandparents his entire life. When Nick announces a career move that would take him far from his family, his grandparents scheme to keep him close, going to hilarious and unexpected lengths to make him stay.

“It’s the typical situation where it’s family and eat and mangiamo and tango familia – tango familia means I have family,” SMCP co-producer Gregory George said. “ … Essentially, (Nick’s intended move) begins a series of schemes by his grandparents to keep Nick around. They invite one of the grandmother’s Canasta partner’s daughter, Caitlin O’Hare (Marsha Irvine), to come to Sunday dinner the next Sunday, and … they’re trying to set him up.

“ … It’s classified as something in the theatre called a memory play, so all of them, Nick in particular, have many monologues to the audience explaining who people are.”

Both Nick and his grandparents get the chance to explore their backstories through these monologues. The grandparents’ stories in particular focus heavily on the Italian immigrant experience after the Second World War, giving the story on stage a deeply emotional backdrop.

With sharp humour and deep emotional resonance, Over the River and Through the Woods explores generational differences, love and the unbreakable ties that bind families together. The play has captivated audiences with its heartfelt storytelling and comedic charm, leaving both laughter and tears in its wake.

“We are thrilled to bring this heartwarming comedy to life on stage at the Town Hall Theatre in St. Marys and share it with our community,” said production director Phyllis Leighton in a press release. “Joe DiPietro has created a beautifully relatable story that speaks to anyone who has ever had to navigate the delicate balance between personal ambition and family loyalty. The humour is universal, and the heart of the play is incredibly moving.”

George said this production is unique for SMCP in that it features a cast that is mostly over the age of 70, some whom are over 80, with actors and crew members coming to St. Marys for rehearsals from as far as Stratford, London and Exeter.

“It’s been interesting in that way, making sure the walkways are shovelled and salted, and roads are open during the winter,” he laughed. “It’s also been very interesting technically because we are working with older people who, because of their age, maybe aren’t getting some of their lines on occasion. But that’s all part of process.”

Tickets for Over the River and Through the Woods are now available at stmaryscommunityplayers.ca or locally at Troyer’s Spices in downtown St. Marys. The play runs from April 25 to May 10.