Those looking to cast off the cold and gloom of the winter season will have a good opportunity with an upcoming Triumvirate Theatre show that will delve into February’s most popular topic: love.
The play, called “Almost, Maine,” is written by John Cariani and is actually a comedic series of several smaller plays that explore themes of love and relationships. It will run for two days only this weekend, starting at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Triumvirate Theatre in North Kenai.
The play takes place in the fictional town of Almost, Maine, and the action starts when on a Friday night the northern lights come out and several different couples fall in and out of love in one moment, director Carla Jenness said. The play is unique in that there is no set beginning, middle and end, she said.
“Each sketch has it’s own little story,” she said.
At the same time, Jenness said each of the mini plays are also slightly interconnected.
One of Jenness’s former students brought the play to her attention, she said, having performed it while away at college. She’s had the play in the back of her mind since then and has been looking for an opportunity to put it on. It seemed fitting to put it on in the winter, when she said the weather tends to get people down.
“This time of year everybody tends to mope around and get cranky,” Jenness said. “… And so we thought it would be fun to do a show that was really fun and sweet.”
This will be the fourth production Jenness has done on her own. She has been directing with Triumvirate for a decade, and she said the group’s productions are a collaborative effort. Her style is to get “super talented people together,” guide them and see what good things come out of it, she said.
The performance will be a great event to bring a date to, Jenness said, but would also be fun for a group of friends.
“It’s just really light and sweet,” she said. “The acting is — everybody’s doing a phenomenal job.”
The 10 actors Jenness is directing are all veterans of their craft and have brought a lot of life experience to their roles, she said.
Jenness emphasized that people will not have two weekends to see the play, like they do with other Triumvirate shows, and encouraged them to come rather than miss out.
Tickets are $15 for general admission and $25 for balcony seats, and are available at triumviratetheatre.org.
Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@peninsulaclarion.com.
Chris Pepper runs through a scene from the upcoming Triumvirate Theatre showing of “Almost, Maine” during a rehearsal Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017 at the theater in North Kenai, Alaska.
Hannah Tauriainen and Justin Smith act out a scene from the upcoming Triumvirate Theatre showing of “Almost, Maine” during a rehearsal Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017 at the theater in North Kenai, Alaska.
