UW-Green Bay theatre presents ‘Almost, Maine’
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay theatre program will present the romantic comedy Almost, Maine, written by John Cariani, later this month.
UW-Green Bay theatre Prof. John Mariano, who directs the play, says it’s basically a collection of nine smaller plays in one.
“It’s nine separate little vignettes that all take place on the same night, in the same tiny town in northern Maine,” Mariano said.
The play features different couples in different situations but all revolving around a common theme.
“Each one is facing some sort of crisis in their romantic life,” Mariano said. “It’s basically a play about love affairs and they all kind of reach this critical moment at the same time on the same night and you get to watch each of these scenes play out.”
Mariano says the play is perfect for a college theatre group because it has so many roles. Thirteen students will perform in the play.
“At some point I feel we all can relate to at least one of the stories that are in there,” said UW-Green Bay junior Alyssa Falvey who plays the character Glory.
“It’s what I would describe as a very good date movie,” said UW-Green Bay senior Derek James Knabenbauer who plays two characters, East and Phil. “There are relationships that work out and there are relationships that don’t work out. It’s very heart-warming and very heart-breaking at the same time.”
The play is the first by Cariani, an actor and playwright. It originally debuted in Maine in 2004.
The UW-Green Bay theatre program will enter Almost, Maine into the American College Theatre Festival, a national theatre competition through the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Performances will be held Oct. 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jean Weidner Theatre at the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts on the UW-Green Bay campus, 2420 Nicolet Drive.
Tickets for Almost, Maine are $15 in advance and $18 at the door for adults, and $12 in advance and $15 at the door for students and seniors. Order online at www.uwgb.edu/tickets/ or by calling (920) 465-2217 or (800) 328-8587.
Cast:
Zach McLain – Florence, Wis.
Senior, Theatre/Humanistic Studies
Jade Landry – Kohler, Wis.
Junior, Theatre – Performance/Business Administration
Alison Tyler – Stoughton, Wis.
Senior, Theatre Performance/Women Studies
Derek James Knabenbauer – Green Bay, Wis.
Senior, Theatre Performance and Psychology
Katie Sawyer – Egg Harbor, Wis.
Senior, Communication major/Theatre minor
Mike Roderique – Onalaska, Wis.
Senior, Art major/Theatre minor
Alyssa Falvey – Waukesha, Wis.
Junior, Theatre major/ French/Humanistic Studies minor
Cory Witek – Racine, Wis.
Junior, Theatre Performance/Human Development and Dance
Jessicia Breest – Jackson, Wis.
Senior, Theatre Performance/Arts Management
Jason Szmanda – East Troy, Wis.
Senior, Theatre, Psychology and Human Development, triple major
Amy Kooiman – Freedom, Wis.
Senior, Theatre Performance major/Communication and Arts Management
Ray-Anna Young – Port Edwards, Wis.
Senior, Theatre Performance/Humanistic Studies
Meg Treseddar – Rothschild, Wis.
Senior, Theatre Performance/Arts Management
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