This fall, the Belfry Club will present “Almost, Maine”, a 2004 play by John Cariani that explores love and loss in a remote, magical town. This play also marks Belfry Theatre Director Mr. Sean Gibbons’ first show at GA.
Rehearsals are well underway, with student actors already over a month into the process. The show consists of nine short plays in one, and each scene brings a different perspective on the complexities of human relationships. The play’s charm lies in its blend of reality and magic, creating a captivating experience for the actors and the audience.
“What the play is exploring is this idea of magical realism,” Mr. Gibbons said. “It feels like these scenes could happen, or the audience could it take in and say ‘Oh, I’ve had that experience,’ or ‘I’ve never had that experience but I can imagine what it might be like.’”
The play’s structure contains nine separate vignettes with separate main characters in each, giving it a distinctive edge. Each scene has an entrancing undertone, especially because of where the scene takes place and the addition of the northern lights.
“It makes the characters sort of think a little harder,” Mr. Gibbons said about the northern lights. “It makes them dream a little bit harder, want a little harder, or wish a little bit harder.”
For the Belfry Club members, “Almost, Maine” has provided both fun moments and challenges. The play’s unique format has required some adjustment.
“It’s different because of the play format,” Belfry officer McKenna Miller ‘25 said. “Rehearsals are very productive, but it’s a challenge to stay consistent when working on the script.”
Despite these challenges, the cast and crew of “Almost, Maine” have put in great efforts and rehearsals have been progressing smoothly.
“My favorite part about doing shows is at the end, tech week,” Miller said. “We finally see the set come together, and see the show become what it is on stage.”
The unique formatting of the play has also allowed for much flexibility. It has allowed for a range of casting possibilities, while still providing an enriching experience for the cast.
“The original company had four or five actors who played all the roles, but if you have fifty people audition, you can still do it,” Gibbons said. “The students here were also going to be able to learn something about themselves and the world they live in.”
Beyond the rehearsals and character work, the cast and crew will also have the opportunity to meet with the playwright, John Cariani, via Zoom, giving them a chance to gain firsthand insight into his vision for the play. The meeting gives the cast a chance to deepen their understanding of the characters and bring a more captivating performance on stage.
“We’re going to be able to talk about the play and where his ideas came from,” Mr. Gibbons said. “The actors are going to be asking questions about their characters and why he wrote it the way he did.”
For Mr. Gibbons, choosing “Almost, Maine” was about more than just the structure of the play.
“It was really important to me to find a piece that explored both joy and loss because I think that’s the human experience,” Gibbons said. “I think it’s important for our audience to come and experience what the human experience can be, and all the complexities of what lives in us as humans.”
In addition to the many preparations, the Belfry Club has also made adjustments to ensure the show’s timing works best for the community. To avoid conflicting with GA/PC Day, the performance dates have been rescheduled to Nov. 15 and 16.
As the cast and crew continue their work on “Almost, Maine”, under the direction of Mr. Gibbons, and with the unique opportunity to engage with the playwright, the Belfry team is focused on bringing the characters and stories of the play to life. Audiences can look forward to a performance exploring the humor and complexities of love in the small town of “Almost, Maine.”
“It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s all of the things that we love about theater,” Mr. Gibbons said. “I think that it’s a good representation of what GA is.”