Today, the 6-12th grade school production of the play Almost, Maine is premiering in the Merlone Family Little Theater. The play has been in production for a short amount of time, according to junior Isabella Mercado.

“We’ve only been rehearsing for a few weeks but we’ve accomplished a lot,” Mercado said. “My favorite part about the play is the stage because it’s really similar to an alley,”

An exclusive early ‘faculty preview’ performance was last night, ane only faculty and staff members were permitted to attend. The play will be performed tonight at 7 p.m., tomorrow at 7 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m.

“Almost, Maine is one of the most extraordinary productions I’ve been a part of,” sophomore Sophie Levy said. “Using the newly constructed little theater and being able to play with the different spaces has been great,”

Being a part of the school plays are very enriching to a student’s academic life. Many gain confidence when they realize the span of their capabilities, according to Theater Program Director Margaret Hee.

“I would say theater is a lot like an ‘empathy gym,’ so it’s a place we go to empathize with others and find connections,” Hee said. “Sometimes you see something that you’re experiencing or going through in life reflected on stage and that can be very cathartic,”

Almost, Maine is about love and loss in a small mythical town called Almost. It is the second most produced play in North American high schools, according to almostmaine.com.

“While evoking a wide spectrum of emotions, our intention is to immerse the audience in the play’s narrative,” Levy said. “I loved working with my classmates and friends to produce this play, as it represents how far we’ve come from a simple script,”

Creating a school production is also a great way to build community throughout the school. It’s especially beneficial because it is a time to step away from screens and devices, according to Hee.

“Almost, Maine is a series of different scenes that are not connected, but what connects them is that they all take place in a town called Almost in northern Maine,” Hee said. “There is a different magical quality about each of the scenes and how love is represented,”

The school production of Almost, Maine has been experimental and new for many of the participants in the school play. The school plays are always something students look forward to, according to Mercado.

“The stage, for example, is something I liked because it was new territory,” Mercado said. “It’s been very exciting to work and experiment in a new space.”