Like Maine or Minnesota.
The College of St. Scholastica Theater Program staged a charming, student-directed production of the 2004 John Cariani play “Almost, Maine” on Jan. 31. An opening night audience of about 50 was treated to more laughs than heartbreaks in this series of skits featuring the eccentric, lovelorn residents of a Maine town as small and remote as Bigfork or Ely.
Under student directors Cassidy Duray, Mitchell Gertken, Dawson Ness and Natasha Wagner, “Almost, Maine” pairs up equally experienced and skilled actors in eight different scenes. Because the actors are matched so well, their chemistry pushes each scene at a nice pace and allows the audience to laugh and sigh at all the right times.
For example, Sydney Hennes and Quinn Muhich open the first act as two strangers awkwardly meeting in a front yard under the northern lights. Hennes’ character, Glory, is a ball of nervous excitement on a long journey with a broken heart. Muhich’s character, East, is a reserved, matter-of-fact repairman. Hennes supplies just enough push to Quinn’s easygoing pull to make the scene feel believable and warm.
Becca Larson and Heidi Voight also show a strong chemistry in a tricky scene directed by Gertken that diverts from the original script. In “They Fell,” Larson and Voight — two women — drink beer beside a backyard grill and bemoan their awful boyfriends. The original play uses men as the central characters. The gender switch gives the scene a fresh look and both Larson and Voight know how to pack a big punch in the unexpected ending.
Perhaps the strongest, most emotional scene of the night featured Nick Aspin and Jaden Meyer on a husband-and-wife ice-skating outing. Already stressed with family and work issues, the couple hit more problems with a lost shoe. Aspin and Meyer work off each other to bring the scene to a boil. Meyer stomps around the stage — one foot in a boot, the other in a skate — until she explodes in disappointment. “I didn’t have fun tonight,” she shouts. “I don’t have fun with you anymore.”
Fortunately, with Valentine’s Day coming up, the Aspin-Meyer scene is the only real gut punch in the production.
A barroom scene between two former lovers, played by Cooper Utley and Emma Wells, is also a heartbreaker but doesn’t catch fire. Instead the scene goes for a more happy-accident ending with Ashlee Martie as an oddly-named waitress.
Kerryn Lund turns in a nice performance in the scene “The Story of Hope,” with Chris Ibarra. Lund plays a woman in search of a former lover. After she spills her heart out to a stranger, the story takes a shocking turn. The scene could have used darker and more strategic lighting to reflect the mood and better conceal its final revelation.
Deep-voiced Jose Santos and Grace Brinkert are a nice match in their scene with an ironing board. Both take heavy blows to the head and the heart. Jade Morrison and Tyler Russell also worked well together as they contemplate a break-up over love’s heavy baggage. Morrison’s high-pitched, squeaky voice is delightful as she steals the scene and wins a wedding ring.
Showing an impressive range, Aspin returns for the final and funniest scene in the play as Dave, an aspiring artist in a snowmobile suit. Dave likes mill co-worker Rhonda, played with equal goofiness by Natalie Eidenschink, and he creates an abstract painting to prove it. The two act out a hilarious “trick it” dance to see the painting and share an awkward first kiss. Their date ends as they pull off layers of coats, sweaters and undershirts to big audience laughs — because it’s not easy to find love under all that Maine winter wear.
"Almost, Maine" will continue at the College of St. Scholastica theater building behind Tower Hall weekends through Feb. 9.
Mark Nicklawske reviews music and theater for the News Tribune.
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February 02, 2020 at 03:00AM
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Theater review: Finding love isn't easy in 'Almost, Maine' production - Duluth News Tribune
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