Oct. 26 through 29, hundreds of Ladue students and parents will wait eagerly for the lights in the black box theater to dim. Every fall, the Ladue theatre department stages a show, and this year is no exception. However, “Almost, Maine” is not your average school play.
Rather than one plot line and a small number of lead roles, the show involves a series of smaller plots, involving a total of 18 characters. The various stories are tied together by one common theme.
““It’s a series of vignettes about people in different stages of their relationships,” junior Taylor Thompson said, “It is a huge departure from last year… We haven’t done anything like this before.”
The characters in different scenes do not interact with one another. This means the actors rehearse with only one other person. At the same time, however actors do not get to spend as much time together as a full cast. This is an unfamiliar scenario for many Ladue theatre veterans.
“It is a more intimate setting and it is easier to focus,” senior Alex Mitchell said, “[However,] many of my friends are also in the show and since they are in different scenes I don’t get to see them,”
However, there are other advantages to having such disconnected scenes. For example, because each character is only on stage for one scene, actors often have fewer or shorter rehearsals.
“Everyone is a lead for one scene, but then they also have a lot of extra time that they can use to work other aspects of the production, such as props,” senior Lily Boalbey said.
Additionally, having many different relationships in the show allows it to explore the nature of relationships more deeply. Some characters face difficult breakups, while others are just meeting. As with real relationships, the stories combine humor with emotional drama, thus creating a meaningful romantic comedy completely unlike last year’s play, “The Miracle Worker.”
“I look for contrast from year-to-year and show-to-show. One of the unique elements in this production involves special lighting effects [and the] variety of roles available,” director Janine Burmeister said.
In addition, to the differences in genre and special effects, the play is unusual in that the interpretation of many of the scenes is very literal. So, a broken heart may not be as metaphorical as it sounds.
“The show involves physical manifestations of abstract concepts, which could confuse the audience, if it’s unclear,” Thompson said.
This can make portraying certain characters more difficult. However, it can also add some humor to the show.
“My favorite scene involves somewhat of a metaphor for two people falling in love, and they literally fall on stage,” freshman Jack Lavey said.
However, the novelty of the script is far from an insurmountable hurdle. This is because the cast has the benefit of guidance from director Janine Burmeister.
“She won’t tell you how to say a line, she just gives you suggestions and makes you question your decisions,” Mitchell said.
As the opening show approaches, cast members have much to accomplish, in very little time. Entering the final month of rehearsals, the cast and crew must come together to produce a cohesive show.
“We are in very good shape right now. The crews are working hard to hit their deadlines as are the actors with staging and line memorization,” said Burmeister.
Indeed, producing a good show requires a lot of work. There are lines to memorize, sets to build, and props to create. But the students involved in “Almost Maine,” remain unfazed.
“The best part is spending every day with a really fun group of people who are also more professional, dedicated and focused than anyone I have worked with before,” Lavey said.
He is not alone in this. Overall, cast members seem to be enjoying both their peers and their script.
“I love this show,” Mitchell said, “so I want everyone who sees it to love it too.”
