In the midst of the month of love, the Sinclair Theatre has a play planned that its producers expect will appeal to lovers of all types.
John Cariani’s “Almost, Maine” is a comedic series of love stories set in a fictional town of Maine. The nine stories explore romantic relationships in various stages, with each of the scenes occurring at the same moment on a snowy winter evening, according to Kimberly Borst, the play’s director and a faculty member at Sinclair.
The play was first considered for the Sinclair Theatre after students saw it performed at a regional festival last January, said Stephen Skiles, chair of the Theater and Dance Department and the show’s producer.
“The student demand and popularity of the show was so high,” Skiles said, “I would say that out of all the driving forces…this show was a direct result of student desire.”
Not only is the play popular with Sinclair theater students, but it has also been successful with young audiences across the country and has become one of the most produced plays in America in the last several years, according to Skiles.
“There’s a reason why romance and love is the theme of 80 to 90 percent of stories and songs and movies, and it’s because it’s a universal theme: the need for love, the need to find that person who you can walk through life with and how painful it is when you lose that person,” said Borst. “Students, as cynical as they try to be…they’re romantics at heart.”
“It’s also damn funny; it’s a really funny script,” Skiles said. “It’s got a heart to it.”
The play will start less than two weeks after Valentine’s Day.
“Everybody heads into Feb. 14 with either red in their eyes or black in their eyes,” Skiles said. “There’s going to be a part of this play that you’re going to be able to relate to.”
Skiles said he chose Borst to direct the play because of her personality and specific strengths as a director.
“I am a hopeless romantic,” Borst said. “My personality matches the play’s personality…I fall in love with the script a little bit more every night in rehearsal.”
The cast of “Almost, Maine” includes Jenna Burnette, Angela Dermer, Cameron Elliot, Chris Hahn, Amanda Hanisch, Michael Marvin, John Ray, Becca Sebree and Josh Smith. Several actors will be playing more than one character, a directorial decision that Borst said “speaks to the theme of universal connection” that is central to the play.
Although they don’t want to give away too many details, the producer and director said that the play’s special effects are expected to be extraordinary, and may involve the northern lights and “certain elements of winter.”
“We try to yell from the rooftops as often as we can about our productions, we’re the best theater at the best price in town,” said Skiles. “My expectation is that we’ll sell this baby out and have over 400 [attendees] a night for two weekends – at least that’s the goal and the hope.”
The production of “Almost, Maine” will take place in Blair Hall Theatre in Building 2 at Sinclair and will run from Feb. 24 until March 3. Tickets for the show cost $10 for students and seniors and $15 for adults.
For show times or more information, go to sinclair.edu/tickets or call the Sinclair box office at 937 512-2808.