As the second semester continues and spring sports commence, the theater program also is beginning a new chapter — with its next play ‘Almost Maine’.

“I am excited to start working on the spring production, especially because the format of the play is very interesting – it is only nine different scenes,” sophomore Sophie Levy said. “I am part of cast and crew, so I get the best of both worlds,”

‘Almost Maine’ was written by American actor and playwright John Cariani, Cariani has also been in movies — from ‘Enfermo Amor’ to ‘Deliver Us from Evil’, and his work has even spanned into well-known series such as ‘Law and Order’ and ‘Numbers’, according to Almost Maine. 

“‘Almost Maine’ will undoubtedly bring a lot of people into the theater,” freshman Abby Quigley said. “I am so excited to experience this amazing play,”

‘Almost Maine’ is Cariani’s only published play, although there are high hopes of him releasing another, according to Quinton. Released around 2007, ‘Almost Maine’ became a big success in New York City. 

The play is centered around a small town in Maine, where a series of peculiar experiences connect to affairs of the heart, according to Levy. These instances span many relationships, including romantic, friendly, neighborly, or even between strangers on the street. 

“The production will be a big hit because it has so many deeper themes,” Quigley said. “I love it because it has so many undertones — it can be sad or happy,” 

Participating in theater can be important to build social and communication skills overall,  and involvement in drama courses and performance has been shown to improve students’ self-esteem as well as their confidence, according to The American Alliance for Theater and Education. 

“We are going to be doing the show in the Columbus room this year — so that’s new,” Levy said. “I am really excited for that because we will be able to play around with spacing — I’m all around elated for this show and for others to see what we’ve worked on.”