CHICAGO PREMIERE

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED "Even those who believe they are immune to the tried-and-true stories of generational shifts, immigrant history and the ties that bind the family may find their defenses shattered here.

The show, which just opened at the Mercury Theatre, arrives in Chicago in the wake of its original successful run at Theater at the Center in Munster, Ind. -- an outfit that has become a fine playground for many top-notch Chicago actors and directors and discerning audiences alike. Directed with metronome-sharp timing by the center's artistic director, Michael Weber, it has been brilliantly cast."

Hedy Weiss – Chicago Sun Times

3 out of 4 Stars “The production, directed by Michael Weber, oozes with warmth and sentiment as issues pertaining to familial separation and tradition surface throughout its two-hour duration. If you're someone who has ever relocated for a job, leaving behind loved relations, then you'll surely relate to the subject and perhaps have a heartfelt cathartic experience like this reviewer did.”

Tim Sauers – Gay Chicago Magazine

CRITICS’ PICK “Accessible, well-crafted, humanistic and intensely moving…the audience roared with the gags, blubbered and sniffed its way through the last moments of the second act, and leapt to its feet at the end. And one could see why. To its great credit Michael Weber’s production manages to cut the treacle with performances from a splendid quartet of veteran Chicago actors unafraid to wrestle with the meanness and insularity of old age, as well as the wisdom it imparts. A thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours…on this Father’s Day in Munster, nothing could have been more welcome.”

Chris Jones – Chicago Tribune

“A combination of emotion and light-hearted comedy that’s mixed to perfection in this production. Tinged with an abundance of warmth and directed by Michael Weber with an eye for fine detail, this production would make anyone long for the comfort of a trip to our grandparents’ house. Throughout the show the audible reactions of the audience drawn from tears to laughter are a testimony to the power of this heart-warming staging.”

Richard Eisenhardt - Streetwise

“We laughed. We cried. At the end, we agreed that Over the River and Through the Woods, now at Theatre at the Center, has the feel of an intimate look into a changing family, rather than a stage work…But even more important is the fact that this terrific cast of actors, in bringing (Joe) DiPietro's script to life, seem like genuine familia, the Italian kin they're supposed to be. Most definitely, Theatre at the Center's artistic director Michael Weber, who directed the show, chose the consummate cast for this human comedy…It is perfect.”

Myra Eder – The Star Newspapers

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED “With some sentimentality, a lot of humor and a dash of nostalgia, Over the River and Through the Woods is a sweet, charming play that makes us feel good about being alive and gets us to appreciate our family, You’ll call home after seeing this beautiful show.”

Tom Williams – Chicago Stage Talk Radio

4 out of 4 Stars “Theatre at the Center Artistic Director Michael Weber has crafted such a rich and heartwarming production that transcends the play’s lighthearted sitcom sensibility… From the moment we enter the theatre, Set Designer Angela Miller creates an environment so attractive and comfortable we want to kick off our shoes and stay awhile. That’s also the feeling that Weber and his cast have created. We aren’t just watching a play here, we are spending a couple of hours in the company of friends and family. And when the company is this good, that’s a very rewarding evening indeed.”

Joe Stead – Steadstyle Chicago

“Director Michael Weber and his cast–venerable character actors Bernie Landis, Renee Matthews, Vince Viverito, and Glory Kissel as the two sets of grandparents and bright youngsters Matt Orlando and Shana Goodsell–tailor their performances to the intimate space of the Mercury Theater. Softening the play’s sitcom aspects amplifies its enduring wisdom and the characters’ richly textured history. And after a run at the Theater at the Center in Munster, Indiana, the ensemble interacts like a real family."

Mary Shen Barnidge, Chicago Reader