Almost, Maine fills AHS auditorium with laughter and applause

This past weekend, 20 AHS students stood in front of peers, parents, and teachers to provide the entertaining product of two months of hard work-their rendition of John Cariani’s Almost, Maine. The play is Cariani’s first, and its inspiration lies in his hometown of Presque Isle in northern Maine.

An upbeat and relatable play, it premiered in 2004 at Portland Stage Company. In 2006, it opened in Off-Broadway, and earned a feature in Smith and Kraus’ New Playwrights: Best Plays of 2006.

English teacher Rob Albrecht, who directed the play, has been performing on stage since his freshman year of high school, for a total of 36 years. This is his fifteenth season directing at AHS, along with a sixteenth season at Harmon.

AHS’ aspiring actors auditioned for the show the second week of September.

Explaining the audition process, Albrecht said, “Students prepare a short song which they sing and then they are taught a short dance routine which they perform for our choreographer.”

As opposed to a traditional play format, Almost, Maine consisted of nine vignettes, or episodes, united by the common setting of a small community in Maine. The production’s title stems from the community’s status as “almost” a town. Following a prologue, the students performed the vignettes “Her Heart,” “Sad & Glad,” “This Hurts,” and “Getting It Back,” followed by an intermission. Then, an interlogue preceded “They Fell,” “Where It Went,” “Story of Hope,” and “Seeing the Thing,” concluding with an epilogue.

As a result of the play’s format, the cast practiced separately, forming a cohesive whole during final week of rehearsals. “I really liked this play because it gave two actors a chance to shine for their particular moment,” said Albrecht, adding, “But that also meant, once their scene was done, they didn't have anything else to do except bow.”

Senior Carli Reitz, who played Rhonda in Almost, Maine, said of the format, “I think it's a great way to get people involved who wouldn't normally, since it's a lot less rehearsal time, and the smaller scenes mean there's less pressure to memorize lines.”

Expressing similar sentiments, Senior actor Gavan Baker said, “I really enjoyed being in a vignette because it allowed me to ease into the world of acting. Although each scene was separate from another, it was very interesting knowing that each of the characters knew each other.”

“Overall, I thought it was really good for a high-school-level performance,” said Senior Maya Zvavitch. “It would have been better if there was more of a transition between the episodes, but overall I enjoyed the format because it was something new.”

Likewise, Senior Gabi Risko said, “I really enjoyed the play; it was the first high school performance I've seen, and I think that everyone did extremely well!"

“I loved the diversity each act showed. It wasn't the cliché love at first sight. It introduced the aspect of LIFE, and how it's not always that simple… it told the truth about relationships, not just the happy fairytale ones,” said Senior Sonja Franko.

Asked what she gleaned from the play, Risko echoed Franko, surely indicating the cast’s success in conveying its message: “Almost, Maine portrayed a lot of themes regarding falling in and out of love in a small town. It showed that love can be messy, that breakups can be brutal, and that second chances might not be what they seem. It also had some really heartwarming moments, though, which I loved since I'm a total romantic.”

“I enjoy working with the actors to help find character. For them to create something from inside themselves and put it on display, and to have that character work within the whole of the story, is really the best part,” said Albrecht

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Baker, cast as Dave, said, “It is very exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Having the character I was casted was great because it allowed me to have such a positive energy on stage.”

Describing the message she took away from the play, Franko said, “Love isn't always found and sometimes it is taken forcefully but as long as there is just a little bit there between a relationship, even if there are obstacles, love come out and happiness comes forth. But there are cases when love is faded between relationships and they can't be saved. Overall, love comes in many forms.”

Referring to Almost, Maine, Albrecht said, “The turnout was okay. I wish more people saw it because it was so good. It was one of my favorites.”

Reitz, who’s been involved in theater since the age of five, began her acting career with a role in her church’s Christmas pageant. She said, “I'll definitely be participating in the spring musical! If I'm not onstage, I'll be backstage on crew.”

“I most definitely will be trying out for the spring musical and am very excited to see how that will go,” said Baker. A four-year veteran of the AHS theater community, Baker spent the first three years as a member of the tech crew, operating the lights.

Auditions for the spring musical, Anything Goes, will take place either the last week of January or the first week of February. Whether students participate in the cast, crew, or audience, they should definitely make an effort to support the AHS theater community during the musical’s performance on April 21-23.