By Parker Thomas Staff writer
“Almost, Maine,” a student directed production, will kick off the Susquehanna Theatre Department’s main stage productions for the 2017 spring semester on Feb 23.
“Almost, Maine,” written by John Cariani, is an episodic play that takes place in northern Maine in a small, unorganized town. Because the town is not legally recognized, it is called Almost. The play is split into nine separate stories that occur at the same time and revolve around the love lives of the people living in the area.
The production is being directed by senior theatre major Meaghan Wilson. Along with other theatre majors, Wilson was required to take a directing class during the fall of her senior semester, in which she and other students learned the fundamentals and necessities of putting together stage productions. For this class, Wilson along with other seniors in the class submitted proposals to the faculty explaining why they should direct the play in the spring.
Chosen by the faculty, the play’s script was read over by each student before they discussed in their proposals what they enjoyed about it, how they would put it together and potentially alter scenes or concepts and why they are the best fit for the leadership position. Based on these submissions, Wilson was selected.
The play has 11 scenes but only one recurring story. Students acting in the play are each playing two to three characters throughout the production. Sophomore Jennifer Brown plays up to four parts throughout the performance, including Ginette. The character appears alongside her boyfriend, Pete, stargazing together. Ginette expresses that she enjoys sitting next to him. Pete goes on to demonstrate with a snowball that in one concept, Ginette is not close to him at all, since she is all the way around the world on his other side.
This incites Ginette to literally travel around the world for Pete so that she can be close to him.
Brown said that the character is “funnier at the end when she comes back [because] it is not as sweet of a moment as in the beginning, [because] she is more like, ‘Okay I walked around the entire world. What are you going to do for me?’”
Additionally, Brown plays Gayle, a character who thinks her longtime boyfriend doesnt love her anymore, despite the amount of bags of love he has given her over the years. In the scene, Gayle literally drags bags out onto the stage, filled with love, until there is an entire pile of them.
Along with these scenes, the romantic comedy constantly literalizes every hyperbole brought up, which, Wilson stated, becomes “moronic.”
“They are literally falling over for each other,” Wilson said. “We get it, John [the playwright]. Some of the stage directions are so specific. He is so hyper about everything, but when you get it into the hands of these awesome people [the cast members], although the situations are so over the top, they are so grounded and I think that is what gives it humanity and some depth.”
Wilson said she is extremely fortunate to have such talented and flexible actors to work with. She also gave praise to other students involved in the production, including senior set designer and technical director Oona Newman, senior costume designer Kailee Nelson, junior lighting director Sydney Curran and sophomore stage managers Caroline Hunt and Johnny Bucci.
Discussing the amount of work that the director position has Wilson stated that the position “takes its toll but it reminds me that theatre is a team effort.”
“I wouldn’t be here without my professors and the other students. Everything in this production is student-run and designed,” Wilson said.
