Frances Sternhagen, David Marguiles Among Cast for Script in Hand Reading of Joe DiPietro Comedy at Westport Playhouse

David Maguiles

Casting has been announced for Westport Country Playhouse’s Script in Hand playreading of “Over the River and Through the Woods” by Tony Award-winning playwright Joe DiPietro, a comedy about a single, Italian-American guy who visits his beloved, though annoying, grandparents every Sunday for dinner.

Scheduled for one-night-only on Monday, Nov. 12 at 7 pm, the cast includes Matthew Amendt, Nicole Lowrance, David Marguiles, Frances Sternhagen, Maria Tucci, and Lenny Wolpe. Director is Anne Keefe, Playhouse artistic advisor.

Tickets to the Script in Hand playreading are $15. Tickets for the reading and post-performance dessert reception with the cast in the Playhouse’s Sheffer Studio are $50 ($15 for reading plus a $35 donation for reception). The reception will include Italian desserts and Prosecco. 

Frances Sternhagen

Playwright Joe DiPietro won two Tony Awards for co-writing “Memphis,” which also received the 2010 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Musical. He wrote the book of the current Broadway musical, “Nice Work If You Can Get It.” His other plays and musicals include “I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change” (the longest-running musical revue in Off-Broadway history); “The Toxic Avenger” and “The Thing About Men” (both winners of the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway musical); the much-produced comedy “Over the River and Through the Woods”; “The Art of Murder” (Edgar Award winner for Best Mystery Play); and the Broadway musical “All Shook Up.” His drama “Creating Claire” debuted at George Street Playhouse in 2010. His work has received thousands of productions across the country and around the world. 

Director Anne Keefe served as artistic director of Westport Country Playhouse, with Joanne Woodward, in 2008 and as associate artistic director from 2000-2006, also with Ms. Woodward. She co-directed with Ms. Woodward the Westport Country Playhouse production of “David Copperfield,” and directed many Script in Hand playreadings. 

Upcoming Script in Hand playreadings include the romantic comedy, “The Philadelphia Story” by Philip Barry, on Monday, December 10, 7 p.m. “The Philadelphia Story” has been a play, a film, and, as “High Society” with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, a Broadway and movie musical as well. Other Script in Hand playreadings will take place on Mondays, February 11 and March 11, titles to be announced.

For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), view Playhouse videos on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse) or get an insider’s peek on The Playhouse Blog (www.theplayhouseblog.org).