From the left are Lin Powell Metzger as Emma, Curt Clevenger as Nuncio, Gerald Cox as Frank, Melissa Jordan as Aida, Eric Totheroh as Nick and Staci Skiles Schaum as Caitlin O’Hare.

WARSAW — The Center Street Community Theatre will be performing their fifth production “Over The River and Through The Woods” beginning Friday, Sept. 30 going through Sunday, Oct. 9.

The story focuses on Nick, a single, Italian-American guy from New Jersey. His parents retired and moved to Florida. He sees both sets of his grandparents every Sunday for dinner. At Sunday dinner, Nick tells them he’s been offered a dream job that would take him away from grandparents. Thus begins a series of schemes to keep Nick around. Frank, Aida, Nunzio and Emma do their best, and that includes bringing to dinner the lovely—and single—Caitlin O’Hare as a motivation to stay.

The show is directed by Jennifer Shepherd who has directed a Center Street Community Theatre production previously, taught theatre at Warsaw Community High School for 10 years and has been involved in community theaters in the Akron, Ohio and Cleveland, Ohio area for a number of years.

In addition to her role as director at the Center Street Community Theatre, she has had two small roles in other shows at the theatre. She is also a liaison on the Wagon Wheel board.

She states she loves to direct because, “You sort of get to play everybody,” said Shepherd. Her role as director allows her to help enable actors to get into character of various roles they play, often by demonstrating how actors should portray a certain character.

This cast is comprised of six individuals from the community who are, “seasoned actors,” said Shepherd. All the actors have either performed in a Center Street production or have performed on stage in some capacity in college.

“What’s nice is that community theatre is very collaborative,” said Shepherd. The actors try to help everyone perform their best.

This will be actor Eric Totheroh’s third production with the Center Street Community Theatre. His role is Nick. He has been in the Center Community Theatre productions of  “M*A*S*H” and “The Foreigner” prior. Totheroh is excited about this particular show because he says, “It’s very relatable.” He mentions everyone has probably had a grandparent like the characters in the show which makes it interesting for those watching.

Actor, Gerald Cox, who plays Frank, has been involved in the community theatre since it’s inception in various capacities such as directing and acting. He states this production, “Has such a good message about family.”