By Natasha Moua
& Valeria Torres
This year the spring theater production is unlike any other performance at James Logan in recent memory. The play, Almost, Maine, is a composition of multiple stories – seemingly unconnected – surrounding a playful concept of love.
The play opens today at 4 pm in the Performing Arts Center and continues Friday and Saturday starting at 7 p.m.
A few members of the cast ecstatically spoke with the Courier about their anticipation for this production and shared their different perspectives leading up to the opening performance.
“In the past, we haven’t really done a show like this. It’s a serial comedy. So, it’s not a serious one. It’s really entertaining. There are basically nine different individual shows into one and they all actually connect together,” said Senior Eliza Andrada, who finishes her outstanding career at Logan with the piece.
Junior Bianca Lagman, was in the production of Little Mermaid as an ensemble cast member which inspired her to audition for the play.
“I sing, I don’t know how to dance or act so I was like ‘Okay I guess I’ll do it [audition]’ but it was a joke,” Lagerman said. I ended up getting it and watching Eliza and Elizabeth (Barton-Mattos) play their roles inspired me to appreciate acting and try it out.”
Logan’s drama teacher, Robert Richardson, who goes by simply his first name “Robert,” picked this play for Logan for a variety of reasons.
“First, it’s an award-winning play. Second, the show itself is episodic, this means each scene acts like a little vignette or its own little one act,” Richardson said. The style of the play opened things up for the drama department to push things in new ways.
“Third, we get students that we normally would not get to typically perform in a school production. We can rehearse this in a different way that then makes the arts accessible to those ⅓ to ¼ of the students who have never been in a drama production,” Richardson said.
One of those students making his debut is Junior Jeffrey Corn. Corn is making his debut as an actor for this play and mentioned that he was originally not in the play.
“Robert gave me the chance to join after looking over the script because I’ve had an interest in plays so I was like why not?” Corn said.
Senior Abdul Meskienyar is also making his debut as an actor.
“I joined the play because Elizabeth came into my drama class and said they needed more guys to join the play, so I decided to give it a shot,” Meskienyar said.
The Elizabeth Meskienyar referenced is Senior Elizabeth Barton-Mattos, president of James Logan’s Drama Club and cast member of Almost, Maine. Barton-Mattos encouraged students to get involved in future theater productions by watching for announcements or just visiting Richardson’s office in room 721 of the PAC. She also previewed her part in the show.
“If people want to see me fall down a lot and embarrass myself like, this is honestly the opportunity,” Barton-Mattos said.
Senior George Suliafu revealed that most of the cast actually auditioned for other characters.
“He [director Richardson] gave us characters to audition for and using those characters gave him the ability to see how we act and how we might do in the roles he wants us to be in. Eventually, after auditions, he put us in roles that were better for us.”
Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults, concessions are also available at intermission.
“We put a lot of time and effort into the play, and it’s going to be a good one. I wouldn’t want to miss it,” Meskienyar said.
