Almost Maine
March 18th - 21st, 2020
Grab your snow gear, gas up your snowmobile and meet the good people of Almost, Maine, a small New England town that you won’t find on any map. The play, Almost, Maine by John Cariani is a series of vignettes that explore love and loss in a remote, mythical “almost-town” called Almost, Maine. The play premiered in Portland, Maine in 2004 where it broke box office records, quickly becoming one of the most-produced works in the United States and it’s coming to Sam Houston State University’s Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre March 18-21, 2020 with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Saturday matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. Almost, Maine is directed by Tom Prior.
The fictional town of "Almost, Maine" is buried in snow. Like Peter Pan's Neverland, Cariani's love-soaked setting isn't on a map — a conceit that lends a supernatural texture. The northern lights above add their own flickers of magic. Some believe the lights are the souls of the departed, watching over them. The nearly 20 residents of this town, played by just 7 actors, weave in and out of nine stories. One resident says, “The farthest away you can be from somebody is right next to them” explaining how, over time, people grow in distance, in terms of physical relation to each other. This gives the framework for the entire play. What is physical distance compared to intellectual, social and emotional distance? Director Tom Prior says, “The playwright calls this a 'midwinter night’s dream,' where 'nothing is what it seems;' it is about people trying desperately to connect in various ways with varying degrees of success. Relationships are messy and not very easy to attain or maintain: that’s what this play says beautifully.”
"Whereas the geographical locale of Almost, Maine’s not a real city;
Cariani’s play Almost, Maine is a real winning gem of entertainment."
Broadway World
By John Cariani
Almost, Maine is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York
Call the BOX OFFICE at 936.294.2339 or visit www.shsutickets.com to purchase your tickets online. Tickets are $12 if purchased in advance, $15 at the door. SHSU Students can obtain one free ticket the week of the show online at www.shsutickets.com
The Showcase Theatre is located in the University Theatre Center at 1740 Bobby K. Marks Drive and 17th street between the Newton Gresham Library and the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center.
MEET DIRECTOR TOM PRIOR:
Thomas Prior is a Professor of Theatre at Sam Houston State University where he teaches advanced acting and play analysis. He has been a professional actor and a member of Actors’ Equity Association for the past thirty years.
In the Spring of 2016, Tom directed and played Shylock in Prague Shakespeare Company’s production of The Merchant of Venice. Recent productions in Houston include An Enemy of the People, A Christmas Carol, Candida and Tartuffe at Classical Theatre Company where he is a company member. He also directed The Importance of Being Earnest for them; Panto Cinderella and NSFW at Stages Repertory Theatre; Becky’s New Car and You Never Can Tell at Unity Theatre; King Lear and As You Like It, a co-production between Classical Theatre Company and Prague Shakespeare Company. Both shows travelled to Prague, Czech Republic. He was a company member of the Barnstormer Theatre in Tamworth, New Hampshire where he was seen on stage in over 80 productions.
Thomas has also performed in numerous productions for the Houston Shakespeare Festival including Much Ado about Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cymbeline, Julius Caesar, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It and Hamlet. He received his M.F.A. in Acting and Directing from the University of Houston and B.F.A. in Acting from Carnegie Mellon University.
Meet The Cast
Laurel Burrer
Enrique Cantu
Caitlin Conklin
Dominic Kelley
Tucker Luedecke
Lauren Orsak
Sarah Sachi
ARTISTIC STAFF
Scenic Design, Lexi Renfro (Junior, Design & Technology major)
Sound Design, Juanita Salazar (Sophomore, Design & Technology major)
Costume Design, Kristiana Hanssen
Lighting Design, Mason Johnson (Junior, Design & Technology major)
Fight Director, Kevin Crouch
PRODUCTION STAFF
Stage Manager, Alexandra Frankovich (Senior, Theatre Studies major)
Assistant Stage Managers, Essence Fontenot (Junior, Acting/Directing major) Jenna Eveleth (Sophomore, Secondary Education major)
Props Master, Charly Topper
Technical Director, Craig Brossman
Costume Shop Supervisor, George Curry
Theatre Manager, Katie Prior
Box Office Manager, James Shields
Production Coordinator, Bill Thomas
Poster Design, Hannah Anderson (Senior, Acting & Directing major)
Publicity Photography, Brandon Willis (Senior, Musical Theatre major)