The audience left the auditorium, following SHS Drama Club’s production of Almost, Maine, overwrought by fervor and sorrow. Directed by Tali Lesser ’17 and Ellis Jones ’17, the play created magic on stage.
Almost, Maine, a series of nine vignettes, is located in a town called Almost, and follows residents as they experience love and loss in its barest form. All that connects these vignettes are that they unravel in the same place, at the same time — 9 o’clock on a Friday winter night.
One of its best numbers was between Pete and Ginette, played by David D’Silva ’18 and Isabella Bailey ’17. The play opens up with them sitting on opposite sides of the bench. Pete begins a rhetoric about not sitting close enough that drives Ginette away. In the interlogue, Pete is still waiting by the bench. Finally, in the epilogue, Ginette returns, and the two sit, arms and legs touching at last. The reconciliation elicits an audible gasp from the audience, who consists of mostly high school students that can relate to the experience of almost emerging love. The continuance of Pete and Ginette’s story throughout the play holds the play together as it is a reminder that the vignettes are all connected.
A personal favorite was “Where it Went.” Phil, a working man and his wife, Marci, played by D’Silva and Perri Thaler ’18, discover they have fallen out of love. It is their anniversary, and Marci takes them both to the ice skating rink, where they had first met, in hopes they will feel again. This does not seem to work, however, and Phil still cannot remember it is their anniversary. The scene ends with Marci driving off. “Where it Went” tells the very real story of a couple who lacks communication after years of work, so much so they no can longer love the way they used to. Thaler’s repetition of “I’m not mad,” clearly paints the feeling of frustration.
Perhaps the most emotional was the “Story of Hope,” played by Jenna Orrico ’18 and Robbie Chappell ’17. Hope has traveled all over the world, but returns to her hometown, guilt-trodden, for leaving without answering the man who had asked her to marry her. Hope knocks on the man’s doorway, only to find he has settled with another girl. When Hope is left alone, she draws out a pained yes to the proposal, leaving eyes across the room a little teary.
Other scenes were “Her Heart,” played by Adam Regenstreif ’18 and Annie Radin ’20, “Sad and Glad” played by Jonathan Silverman ’17, Mary Cecil ’17, and Gabby Kaufman ’18, “This Hurts” played by Eliot Huh ’17 and Gracey Jones ’19, “Getting It Back” by Jack Esposito ’17 and Daniella Ashman ’18, “They Fell” played by Esposito and Silverman and “Seeing the Thing” by Alexa Trujillo ’18 and Matthew Kutzin ’17. The work each cast member had put in was evident, as each emotion was delivered in the most touching and effective manner. The cast was notably small and the use of props was minimal. However, this added a minimalistic factor that made the play all the more powerful.
The play Almost, Maine explores love in a way that tugs at the heart strings. The acting and emotion makes for a play that is nothing short of spectacular.
Almost, Maine was presented by SHS Drama Club on January 20th and 21st at 7:00pm. The Drama Club will be presenting their next play “Servant of Two Masters” on March 31st and April 1st.
by Sneha Dey
Photo Courtesy of the SHS Drama Club
