ARLINGTON — While Arlington High School’s drama department is no stranger to plays that evoke the feeling of small towns, John Cariani’s “Almost, Maine” posed some unique challenges even for its more experienced student actors.
“The format is so different,” said Meghan O’Hara, a senior in her fourth year of drama. “You have all these characters, but they’re not all involved with each other.”
Junior Jack Rogers, in his third year of drama, elaborated that most of the ensemble cast’s scenes only have one or two actors on stage at any given time.
“This allows the characters to be a bit more in-depth,” Rogers said. “The audience will have to figure them out.”
Senior Jacy Leavitt, also in his fourth year of drama, agreed that the play’s symbolism offers “more meaning than you might see on the surface,” and touted how the actors “feed off each other’s energy.”
O’Hara echoed junior Emma VanderWeyst’s assessment that the play “grabs your heart,” whether you’re an audience member or an actor.
“I see so many parts of myself, my relatives and people I know in these characters,” said VanderWeyst, in her third year of drama. “It makes you look at your life in a different way.”
AHS drama teacher and director Scott Moberly explained that “Almost, Maine” consists of nine scenes, each highlighting a specific aspect of relationships that people face everyday, whether it’s characters suddenly realizing their love for each other, or couples admitting there’s not much love left in their relationships.
“Even though the play is targeted toward high school students, an older audience will find it just as appealing,” Moberly said. “The symbolism throughout the play is crafted with such care that even something as far-fetched as a literal broken heart is presented naturally and believably.”
“Almost, Maine” will start at 7 p.m. on the Fridays and Saturdays of Nov. 7, 8, 14 and 15. Tickets are available online at www.byrnesperformingarts.org, or at the door, for $7 for students and $10 for adults. For more information, call Moberly at 360-618-6300.
