The Whitefield Dramatic Society presented Almost, Maine, a unique one-act play, on Friday and Saturday, October 18 and19, in the Louise Owens Theater.
Almost, Maine, an example of American absurdist theater, tells the story of a town that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States..it’s almost in Canada. A romantic comedy, the play examines the lives and love stories of Almost residents as they unfold through a series of small vignettes.
"Almost, Maine is a unique show because there's no clear through line for
characters to follow that grows and builds over the course of an hour,” said Kayla Marsh, Upper School drama teacher. “Each vignette requires students to jump into character and reach the climax of the scene in less than five minutes.”
All events in the production occur at 9 p.m. on a cold, clear Friday night, while the northern lights hover in the sky. The sometimes
off-kilter vignettes reveal the complexities of falling in and out of love as characters experience the full range of emotions from insecurity and fear to genuine love and gratitude. Almost’s residents inhabit the same lonely landscape, where, it seems, a whole host of quirks, psychological tics, and even magical happenings bloom beneath the snowdrifts.
“I wanted the vignettes to stand on their own, but more importantly I wanted them to be a functioning portion of the larger story that John Cariani was trying to tell when he wrote this piece,” said Marsh. Cariani is an actor and playwright from New York City who is known for his off-beat comedic look at everyday life. He has appeared in films with well-known actors such as Robert DeNiro and Christopher Walken; Cariani also played the Forensics Teach Bech in the television show, Law & Order.
“An incredible amount of teamwork was necessary to make this production a success, “she added. “The collaboration between the cast and production team is the kind of unity I've come to know and expect from this group of young performers. I was incredibly proud of their work on this show."
Cast Members: Natalie Bell, William Bell, Kathryn Bracher, Sid Brendel, Brittany Crisp, Berto Dryden,
Kathryn Grace Faulk, Austin Hoover, Evan Johnson, Grace Langella, Anna Reeves McCutcheon,
Mary Hannah Skelton, Emily Sumlin, Brynn Thomas, Josh Turner, and Bradley Washington.
Crew Members: Ari Christofferson, Mallory Fields, Jacob Fikse, Charlene Gachoya, Ansley Guthrie, Maddy Hill, Kristen Fikse, Cameron Jenkins, Marcus Jones, Ian Nash, Averi Noosinow, and Jonathan
Thomas.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
