HALLOWELL – Gaslight Theater’s final offering of 2007 is a comedy that centers around the value of family and of remembering one’s heritage. “Over the River and Through the Woods,” by Joe DiPietro, is an introspective on how we are shaped and what is really important in life.

The story revolves around Nick, a single grandson of Italian heritage. He lives in the suburbs but works in New York City. He has inherited a strong sense of family from his grandparents that has skipped a generation. With his parents retired in Florida, Nick still keeps the tradition he has had since his youth and has dinner with both grandparents every Sunday. His grandparents are old-country and are staunchly centered around the nuclear family. Nick is a modern single American whose job is his life. He is offered a promotion in Seattle, and his grandparents don’t understand why he would consider leaving family. They cook up a scheme involving food, a pretty girl and a lot of guilt to entice him to stay.

The play was originally produced at the Belmont Italian American Playhouse in April of 1994 and opened in New York at the John Houseman Theater Oct. 5, 1998.

Nick’s maternal grandparents are played by Larry Vinal of Augusta and Lynn Twitchell of Readfield; his paternal grandparents are portrayed by Mark Nadeau of Oakland and Meg Harvey of Litchfield.

Tom Dix of Hallowell plays Nick, and Kendra Richards of Turner is Caitlin.

The production will be staged Nov. 1-3 and Nov. 8-10 at Hallowell City Hall. Curtain time is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students/seniors. Call 626-3698.