PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Playwright John Cariani is bringing a unique opportunity to a select number of high school students this summer in Presque Isle. Not only will they have the chance to work with theater professionals during a free two-week summer theater camp and perform a staged reading of his newest play, but they will also be able to provide valuable feedback that could be woven into the play as it is fine-tuned.
Cariani, originally from Presque Isle, is an actor and a playwright who has spent his career performing in plays and musicals on and off-Broadway, as well as in several movies and television shows. He has been nominated for a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, and has won an Outer Critics Circle Award. As a playwright, he is best known for his first play “Almost, Maine” which has become one of the most popular plays in the country and around the world: it has received nearly 6,000 productions to date and has been translated into over a dozen languages. Over the past decade “Almost, Maine” has become the most frequently produced play in high schools, outpacing classics like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Our Town”.
Cariani’s newest play “Not Quite Almost”, is a sequel – or maybe a prequel – to “Almost Maine”. Like “Almost, Maine”, it is a collection of loosely connected short plays about love and loss in Aroostook County, but while the first play features adults in this theme, the new one is geared around young people. “Not Quite Almost” will premiere at Portland Stage Company next year.
In preparing for that premiere, Cariani and two of his former high school classmates, Valerie Black and Elaine Sipe, who have a long history of directing high school plays, hatched a plan to both provide a great opportunity to local students as well as provide some valuable insight to Cariani.
“What better way to prepare for the world premiere of a play about Northern Maine and young Northern Mainers than to present a reading in Northern Maine — where the play actually takes place — featuring actors who are actually young Northern Mainers — and in front of an audience of Northern Mainers? I’ll learn a lot about the play and how to make it better,” said Cariani.
The summer theater camp is open to all Aroostook County high school students, with daily afternoon rehearsals from July 15-July 27; however, the full cast and crew will not be required each day, which allows some flexibility for work schedules. The camp will culminate with two staged readings of the play open to the public on July 26 and July 27. A staged reading is basically a performance with scripts in hand, and it’s an important part of the play development process, according to Cariani.
The goal is to accept 12-14 actors as well as some students interested in scenic/set design, lighting, and sound. In addition to Cariani, the students will have the opportunity to interact with a team from the Portland Stage Company, including the play’s director, artistic director, and lighting professional.
Auditions and interviews will be held at the Presque Isle Middle School on June 23 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Students interested in participating as an actor or as a member of the design or stage management team are encouraged to attend on June 23, ready to explore, read, and share their own stories about growing up in Northern Maine. To schedule an audition time or to get more information, please email zputty@gmail.com.
