The messiness of love

Love is in the air in all its guises at the Performing Arts Center (PAC). A troupe of seven high school theater students began workshopping the play “Almost, Maine” last spring, and will share their progress on Nov. 6 and 7. The production, written by John Cariani in 2004, consists of nine loosely connected scenarios, framed by a prologue and epilogue, that takes place in a mythical town called Almost, in northern Maine. The events all occur on one cold, clear night under a vibrant display of the northern lights, where ordinary people experience magical, unexpected moments of romance, self-discovery, and emotional connection. Through the production, students are learning that no relationship is perfect, and that there are a wide range of messy emotions when falling in and out of love. 

The entire production, which will be a staged reading, is a student-run extracurricular project under the auspices of the theater department director, Brooke Hardman Ditchfield, and PAC director Charlie Esposito. Ditchfield says, “They cast, directed, rehearsed, and have done the lighting all themselves. It’s been all them. The point was to let them take the project and run.”

I sat down with the students recently to ask them about their experience, and discovered the profound impact the play is having on them. Co-director Gaby Cuadros-Preston became intrigued with the play after learning about it in Ditchfield’s “Theater II” class, and brought it to the group. To cast the parts, the students read through the play and identified the roles they wished to play, and Cuadros-Preston made suggestions for any leftover roles. 

This fall, the group met twice a week after school, rehearsing a number of scenes each time, and adding details to the action as they went along. In terms of shaping the cast’s performances, Cuadros-Preston notes, “I think directors are there to help guide the actors, but it really is their choice to make the characters their own. You take notice of what they do, and enhance that to make the specific character come alive.” 

Since the scenes are distinct, each actor plays multiple roles. Actor Adagio Esposito has a special affinity for characters named Jimmy, Steve, and Daniel. He says, “The rehearsal process has been really funny. I have been enjoying playing these characters because they are very cringeworthy and awkward.” Esposito observes as well, “What I see in some of them is that they’re scared of growing up, and facing reality and heartbreak and all this sadness in the world. But it seems like they aren’t going to let go of their childish personalities. I can kind of relate to that. I do not want to be fully adult, because that means I’m abandoning my childish behavior, which I cherish a lot of the time. It is part of my true, fun personality.”

Bristol Roten, who is both a co-director and actor, says she can keep her roles straight because each feels differently about love. “I can relate to all of them on a certain level. Jenette, for example –– I can relate to her since I’m also a very expressive person, especially when it comes to love. I love to tell people how I feel about them. And Shelly has a crush on her best friend. I can see how that can be difficult. I’ve seen myself trapped, too, about how to tell somebody I care so much [for] about how I feel.”

Actor Tahirah Waite is thoughtful about her three roles and what the experience has brought her. “When I think about my characters, I think of very ambitious and curious women. Some of them want more love, some less, and each shows a different side of what commitment means. It’s incredible, playing these parts, because the women feel all these emotions.” 

Violet Meyers is part of the crew, responsible for the set, the sound, and the lighting cues. From her bird’s-eye perspective of the production, Meyers surmises, “You might have a relationship that doesn’t work out. You might fall in love with the wrong person, platonically or romantically — and if you do, it hurts. Some characters don’t ever get over that, just like some people don’t get over it. The play shows how people fall in and out of love. Heck, I love everyone here. They are all so amazing. It’s not, ‘Come over here, I want to kiss you,’ it’s ,‘My God, I’m so glad you’re in my life.’”

The show’s themes have affected Waite personally: “I think this whole love idea is a little too big for me. But I do know love is part of life. I feel like, since I’m a senior, I have to grow up. Then, when I see how the women are growing up in the stories, I feel like I must get into those big shoes. How these women interpret love definitely gives you a broader look at life and people. Some people have moved on, and others are waiting to take a shot. I think love is expressed in so many beautiful ways, and we should always take time to cherish it.”

Griffin Craig, who is gracing the stage at the PAC for the first time, reflects on his experience: “Before the play, I was against the whole thought of love, because I was scared of it. I never really thought that something good could happen from it. Now, through this play, I’ve realized, Yes, sometimes love doesn’t work out. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth going for.”

Esposito adds, “The play has a lot of great messages about moving on, that certain relationships don’t last, but there will always be another one out there, even if it takes a long time, but the wait will be worth it.”

“Almost, Maine” will be workshopped at the Performing Arts Center on Nov. 6 and 7 at 7 pm. Tickets available at the door.