They’ve got 99 problems and love is one! The 19 characters in the weird little town of Almost, Maine are all a bit clueless when it comes to love and relationships. Whether it’s trying to express themselves, fighting to save a relationship, or “too little, too late”, the characters in Almost, Maine take us on a roller coaster of emotions…and make us laugh in the process!
A cast of 8 Bay students make up the 19 characters in the play, and a tech crew brings the settings of Almost, Maine to life! We interviewed some members from the cast and crew to find out their take on the play:
CAMERON ’17 (Live Oak Middle School): Actor
What is your role? I play three roles: Pete, Lendl and Randy.
Have you been in other productions at Bay, and if so which ones? Freshman year I was in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I played Lysander, and Fiddler on the Roof, I played Mendel. Sophomore year I was in You Can’t Take It with You, Once Upon a Mattress and the One Acts.
How is Almost, Maine different from the other plays you have been in? It’s a much smaller cast which is good considering the subject is more intimate than other plays I’ve been in. A smaller cast forms stronger bonds and that is good because the show is intimate. Also, the scene format is different. The only other play that I have been in that had the same scene format was in the seventh grade when I was in a Scene Fest.
What has been your favorite part of the play experience this far? I’ve just been having a lot of fun honestly. There is this one scene where me and the other person in the scene, we just send each other cracking up as we rehearse! I’m also excited to go back to Southside theater since I haven’t been there since last spring.
ANNA ’18 (Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy): Tech
What is your role? Set design and run crew.
Have you done a Tech role before? Tech, no. I’ve been in theater productions before but this is my first time working backstage.
How is Almost, Maine different from other productions that you have been in? It’s actually quite similar to the last production I was involved in at Bay which were the One Acts. The set changed for each of the four acts, and in Almost, Maine, although it is one play, each scene is set in a different location so the work is similar. Being on set design is really interesting and Almost, Maine is pretty popular play but I have never seen the set done like this before, so it’s exciting because it’s so unique.
What do you like the most about this play? I love how this play has the one continuous theme of love; either love coming together or love coming apart. It doesn’t give us a conclusive ending for any of the scenes, we never know if these two people got together or if these two people broke up, we just know what could have been.
CONNOR ’16 (Marin Primary and Middle School): Actor
What is your role? I play Steve, Chad and Phil.
What productions at Bay have you been in? Freshman year I was in The Real Inspector Hound- I played Inspector Hound and in the student-directed One Acts. Sophomore year I was in A Midsummer Night’s Dream where I played Puck, I was in the musical, and I was also in the spring play. Junior year I was in the musical and then directed a One Act, and was also in a One Act with my fellow directors.
Aside from Directing, have you ever done the tech side of productions? Yeah, for the musical I did not act in freshman year, I actually did sound. I set up the microphones and learned about that side of things and I also would help with sets.
Which do you like more? Acting (chuckle).
How is Almost, Maine different from the other plays you have been in? This one is a bit heavier. The other ones I’ve been in have been a bit funnier, this one feels more genuine – I was talking with another cast member and we felt that this was more genuine. The author of the play makes it very clear that these are real people and he wants you to not play it up dramatically, it’s just very real.
What do you hope the audience will take away from the play? Almost, Maine is really about the struggle of finding love. I think love is often romanticized in movies, but in this play it’s a little more quirky and awkward. And that’s kind of a nice take away – that things don’t always go your way – sometimes they do, but not always.
Play Information:
Almost, Maine will run at the Southside Theater, Fort Mason: 2 Marina Blvd., Building D, San Francisco, CA 94122
Show times are: Thursday, Oct. 29- 7:30 pm; Friday, Oct. 30 – 7:30 pm; and Saturday, Oct. 31- 1:00 pm (matinée)
Tickets are $6 students/ $10 adults and are available online now: http://bayschoolproductions.ticketleap.com/almost-maine/
Tickets can also be purchased at the door on the day of the event!
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