Studio 115 Debuts 'Almost, Maine'

This weekend, Studio 115 at the Department of Theatre and Dance will be premiering “Almost, Maine,” a play by John Cariani. This will be the studio’s only staged performance of the semester, due to the large debut of “Romeo and Juliet” in the Klein Theatre this April.

“Almost, Maine” will run from Thursday, Feb. 11, to Sunday, Feb. 14 with a total of six shows in the department’s black box studio. Tickets to “Almost, Maine” are
free and distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis one hour before performances begin at the door of Studio 115, in the basement of duPont Hall.

“Almost, Maine” takes place in the fictional town of Almost, Maine, on a Friday night in mid-winter. The play consists of numerous mini-stories of different views of love, both lost and found. The cast consists of only four actors, who play all of the many roles. This “tragicomedy” is be the perfect date for Valentines Day weekend.

The playwright, John Cariani, grew up not far from the fictional setting, in Presque Isle, ME. After studying history at Amherst College, he moved to New York City and spent 15 acting in off-Broadway plays, television shows, such as “Numbers” and “Law and Order” and movies such as “Kissing Jessica Stein” and “Showtime”.

Cariani didn’t begin to write plays until 2004. “Almost, Maine” was his first production. The play was named one of the ten best of the 2004/2005 regional season by “The Wall Street Journal,” and has been produced by theaters in countries as far away as Korea, Germany, United Arab Emirates and Australia.

“Almost, Maine” is being directed by senior theatre major Maggie Bausch

Studio 115 has a small capacity and will sell out quickly. Make sure to arrive early to purchase tickets.