This past Friday night, I saw Encore Theater's production of "Over the River and Through the Woods." Do yourself a favor — see it, if you can get a ticket. The production (lighting, sound, staging and interpretation) is excellent. The show has at least 90 percent of the quality of a Broadway show, at a tenth of the cost. There's laughter and tears a plenty. Carietta Haskett has seen all of Encore's productions, and she said that this is the best show they've ever done.

The question in the play is, will Grandson Nick, played well by Garrett Maroney, "abandon" his two sets of grandparents, with whom he has had Sunday dinner for years, and accept a new job in Seattle, Wash., where, incidentally, he expects to make more money and hopes to discover his real identity?

All the performers are good, but, some of the best acting was done by Kathleen Addison as Emma. She looks over her shoulder to the area where her husband and Nick have gone so that Nunzio, played by Chet Day, can tell Nick that he has prostate cancer. Her anguish over the imagined conversation is revealed in her body language. She seems on the verge of tears and her face gets red. Great reacting.

Sara Hess, Chet Day and Catherine Franklin are more than adequate. Now, what can I say about Ray Jones who incarnates Frank? As I heard two or three audience members say, "Ray Jones is Ray Jones." Well, yes, he is, but, in this show, he is more than Ray. I have never seen a part that large played that well be a performer that old, and I don't ever expect to see a better performance, unless Ray returns to another large role.

My last compliment is for the director, Christine Crosland, whom I met on audition night. Thanks to Christine, the show I saw Friday night is dozens of times better than the one I auditioned for. For personal reasons, I didn't attend Encore productions for a number of years. How stupid I was to cut off my nose to spite my face. I don't intend ever to miss another show done by Encore.

JIM BRIDGES

Elizabeth City