Presenting the Maine event

story by Grace Sly, photos by Adrianna Ohmes

Note: This story contains some spoilers about the STA winter play, “Almost Maine,” which will be performed by members of the STA theater department Feb. 14-16.

It is a cold Friday night in the middle of winter in a small, mythical town in northern Maine called Almost, Maine. A field of stars–a clear, cold, moonless northern night sky–serves as a backdrop…

So begins the script of STA’s winter theater production “Almost, Maine.” The play, written by John Cariani, is divided into eleven sections, which chronicle the relationships of couples, friends and strangers in a small town. The lives of the characters indirectly connect, and on a single Friday night, love is born, lost, rekindled and ultimately defined.

It is this definition of love that drew in freshman Savaria Goodman to audition and eventually act in the play. Goodman felt the story was important and enjoyed exhibiting her passion for theater.

“They play is set up as different relationships shown at different times,” Goodman said. “It’s [composited of] stories within a story that show the different relationships in one community.”

Goodman’s performance will be balanced with her scene partner, junior Shelby Hawkins, as they share the stage in a scene called “They Fell.” The two play best friends fed up with the dating world who eventually discover feelings for each other. The scene was originally written for two male performers.

“Rehearsals were crazy,” Goodman said. “We had to go through and change all the ‘he’s to ‘she’s.”

This isn’t the first time STA has replaced male characters with female leads. STA’s 2011 winter production of “Taming of the Shrew” also used gender reversal by replacing Shakespeare’s original character with the opposite sex.

But the roles in “Almost, Maine” present more modern story. Hawkins wants people to know that although her scene touches on same-sex relationships, it is ultimately not about gay or straight orientations.

“It’s not a ‘lesbian scene,’” she said. “[The scene is] about a friendship and how it changes. It’s about two people who mean a lot to each other.”

Hawkins says “They Fell,” like the other scenes, has a theme pertinent to the audience.

Hawkins said viewers will be able to understand and empathize with many of the stories in the play.

“The show covers a lot of ground that people can connect with,” she said. “I think it will be easy for people to put themselves in the [character’s] shoes because they are so relatable and the issues so real.”

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STA drama teacher Shana Prentiss and director of “Almost, Maine” said the characters will be familiar to the audience.

“These characters are very real people,” Prentiss said. “The stories are very honest. It’s not a flowery romantic comedy. There’s nothing perfect about any of these lives.”

It is this gritty realism mixed with heart that junior Emmie McCabe said will draw viewers.

“Every story has a piece of magic,” McCabe said. “Love isn’t happy-go-lucky. It’s real.”

McCabe plays Marci, a woman with marital troubles, and says she has felt the same way her character does.

“Not being married, of course,” McCabe said. “But many of her emotions I can relate to.”

McCabe explains that the play follows the different and confusing stages of people’s relationships; for her character, the relationship has reached an unhappy point.

She recalls talking with her scene partner, Rockhurst sophomore Joseph Knopke, for the first time during rehearsal.

“The very first thing I said was ‘I love you’ because it was part of an exercise,” she said, smiling. “And he said ‘I hate you’. So we got off to a good start.”

McCabe and Knopke, like Goodman and Hawkins, highlight the importance of casting.

Hawkins has done student productions every year and has been on crew for most shows (both musicals and dramas) but, according to her this is the first time she has performed in any of the STA productions.”

Knopke had heard from friends who had participated in past STA plays that it was fun and after “researching” the script, decided to join.

“I liked how it mixed all the aspects of love into the different scenes,” he said. “Some scenes show the happy side of love, others show the sadder side.”

New performers are always exciting for Prentiss.

“I have no idea going into it how it’s going to end up,” she said. “But I love getting new kids into it- kids I don’t know and who I get to work with are always fun.”

New or returning, the cast of “Almost, Maine” will play out characters whose victories, failings and flaws will resonate with many watchers, including students.

“There are a lot of characters about who are hesitant about what’s coming next,” Hawkins said. “We as high schoolers can relate to that.”