Stage Review - Almost, Maine (Tacoma Little Theatre)
Stage Review - Almost, Maine
Presented By: Tacoma Little Theatre (TLT) - Tacoma, WA
Show Run: April 26 - May 12, 2024
Date Reviewed: Friday, April 26, 2024 (Opening Night)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
Almost, Maine. Frankly, the title of the latest play on stage at Tacoma Little Theatre could have been called “Almost, Anywhere”. The point is, regardless of the particular setting of the play, its themes could take place in any community or small town, city, or state. The fact that this story, or more precisely this series of stories, takes place in Maine among the Northern Lights, makes it that much better. Almost, Maine, the 2004 play written by John Cariani which premiered at the Portland Stage Company, runs through May 12 at TLT in a production directed by Rick Horner. The play is a series of nine stories that take place in the same town (Almost, Maine) at the same time (8:50 pm to 9:00 pm), and told by a cast of four actors, each playing separate and unique characters in each vignette. And though the stories refer to characters from the other stories, after all, it is a small town, none of the roles are repeated, meaning the actors are responsible for playing any number of different characters in the show.
The name of the town in which the story takes place comes from the fact that it isn’t quite a town, the citizens never seemed to take the time to get organized, and disorganization seems to be the order of the day in Almost. Through the nine stories, we learn about the people who inhabit this almost locale, about their jobs, their lives, and their relationships. The vignettes tackle almost every aspect of human relationships, from new love to love ending, from discovery to lost opportunity. The stories are human, the relationships real and the point is that regardless of where in the world people are, we all have this in common, we all fall in love, we all have our hearts broken. So, yes, Almost, Maine does require that the audience come to grips with its collective emotions, but moreover it does so with humor and heart, and at the end of the day, this series of tales add up to a love story of the human condition.
The story of Almost, Maine is extremely engaging, and presentation of it at Tacoma Little Theatre is done very well. It’s perhaps the first show I’ve seen at the theatre where its entire LCD/video wall is used. Previously, in shows like Murder on the Orient Express, or Po Boy Tango, pieces of the wall have been used creatively, but this show uses the entirety of it. Given the nature of the play, ten minute stories with only four actors, quick changes are required, and the video wall prevents the need for larger set pieces to move on and off stage during these changes, thereby keeping the pace of the show at a level where the audience can remain engaged throughout. Blake R. York is responsible for the scenic design and his use of the video wall, plus some ancillary set pieces, such as benches and chairs, provides all of the necessary context for each scene without a lot of the overhead needed for so many different settings. In addition to that, Niclas Olson does a nice job with lighting, complementary to the visuals on the video wall, and Beau M.K. Prichard’s sound work provides the essence of the outdoors in Maine when particular scenes call for it. And while it seems simple enough just to use a video wall to provide a scene’s background, it’s quite complicated, for each ten(ish) minute scene requires some commonality, but at the same time has enough unique qualities to make it challenging to program. The fact that it seems simple enough just shows how good of a job Blake does in this role.
Speaking of roles, perhaps the most impressive piece of Almost, Maine, is in the casting. Rick has put together a very good cast of four, individuals who know how to present these stories of love and longing in a way that’s authentic and true. The audience becomes invested in what the actors are going through on stage, laughing with them, empathizing and sympathizing. Responsible for this excellent range of love, sadness, anger, and hope are K. Cryer and Joshua Olver handling the male roles, along with Rachel Blackwelder Gardner and Brookelyne Peterson as the women. Each of the actors shines in their own way, and the range of stories gives each a change to present their range. Highlights include Rachel’s Glory in “Her Heart”, K’s Pete in the one story that spans the show through the prologue, interlogue, and epilogue, Joshua’s Phil in “Where it Went” and with Brookelyne’s Marci also in “Where it Went”. That said every performance is excellent, each actor bringing a unique set of skills to bear, including Rachel’s range, Brookelyne’s enthusiasm, Joshua’s presence and K’s subtlety. Regardless of the story, or the combination of actors on stage, there’s also a chemistry that they all have together that makes this work.
In a world where it seems people have a difficult time connecting, and where divisiveness is rampant in society, sometimes all we need is a little love. That’s where Almost, Maine comes in. A show that distills the human condition down to the core experiences of love, longing, heartache, and hope, Almost, Maine features a small but mighty cast that presents this series of stories in a realistic and relatable way. With so much heaviness in the world, when we’re all searching for a little levity, Almost, Maine may just be exactly what we need.
Almost, Maine runs on stage at Tacoma Little Theatre through May 12. For more information about the theatre and show, or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.tacomalittletheatre.com/. Note that due to some mature themes, Almost, Maine is recommended for audiences aged 13 and above.
Photo credit: Dennis K Photography
