Over The River and Through the Woods

Over The River and Through the Woods competed 12 times last year in the UIL OAP competition. This play really emphasizes the importance of family and the lunacy that comes with the word. This play will have you giggling throughout but In one not a single dry eye by the end. In an especially funny scene, Nick tries to play Trivial Pursuit ("that game we don't understand") with his grandparents. Nick's grandparents are perfectly satisfied with vague or inaccurate answers to the game questions. It was a familiar situation taken to a hilarious extreme that many actors should be able to identify and tap into. However, I found most effective the play's more touching scenes such as when Nick's grandfather Frank told about why he had come to America as well as Aida's , Nick's grandmother, description of the things which have given her life meaning. If the director can get his/her cast to hit those emotional notes, this play should advance every time.
It seems like it would be a wonderful play to put on as it is a relatively short show so not very much would have to be cut. One of the things that WOULD have to be cut was the girl the grandson, Nick Cristiano, dates. Depending upon the director, they can opt to cut her part completely or give her one small scene because her role is not really needed at all. I could see it doing really well at competition and have heard from various people that they really enjoyed being a part of the production.