Many different types of love coexist with each other. The awkward teenage love, which is the one that every teenager goes through at some point; it may not be returned on one side, and it may make one feel worthless. There’s confusing love, in which all the feelings come crashing down on someone all at once. That familiar unreturned love, where one side pours their heart out only to be forgotten, similar to painful love. The rediscovery of love which may leave for awhile, but always finds its way back again. A friendly love, which can be kindled by one considerate action. The love that’s missing in a once happily couple’s relationship that causes the brick wall that held it all together to fall apart. There’s the love that’s only given from one side, and the love that may have been there all along, but was never noticed.
All types of love play a part in one’s life, and the Greater Latrobe Senior High School’s Drama Club performed “Almost, Maine” that demonstrated these forms of love wonderfully on October 25, 2012 through October 28. The play had to be transferred to the Center for Student Creativity this year due to renovations being made in the auditorium. This allowed the production to be performed in front of only a mere 96 possible people and for four nights, October 25-28.
As for the performance’s quality, not one actor or actress performed poorly. Some achieved their role more brilliantly than others, but no one was underwhelming. For example, Lindsey Ferguson did a fantastic job at playing a role of girl who came back to confess her love to a high school boyfriend, but then finds out he’s married. The eagerness in finding her lost love, her love for him, and disappointment upon finding out about his new life could be heard in her voice and seen in her body language. The brilliance demonstrated by David Coleman and Matt Johnson was almost overwhelming. The two performed a scene having them being two friends who were unknowingly in love with each other and literally began to fall for one another on the stage. Not only would this only apply to certain people’s tastes, but watching the two fall down repeatedly was a pun that all could appreciate.
One would imagine that having to work in a smaller space such as the CSC would make it more difficult to carry out scenes with selected props. However, the main and iconic prop used in the play was simply a red bench. The bench was a symbol of the town being one. It was used on several dates in the play in which the actors simply sat on it and spoke to each other about their love, whatever it may have been. The actors and actresses were all dressed in flannel, coats, hats, scarves, and mittens to accommodate the average 9 degrees Fahrenheit of the fictional town of Almost, Maine, according to the program. The play had witty plots, such as returning one’s tangible love or not being able to feel pain until a character falls in love. IT was compiled of many separate love stories, each demonstrating love at a certain stage. One character stormed into the room, demanding her love to be returned and then continued to bring in bags and bags of what she said was her significant other’s love to her. Another story consisted of a boy who could not feel any physical pain until he falls in love.
The only downside to the entire production was the smoke. The smoke was used to created the outdoorsy chilly air effect that one might find in 9 degree weather. The one glitch in the production was due to the smoke. Right as the second act started, it caused the fire alarm went off, and the interlogue was put on pause.
Besides this one minor stumble and the smokey fog being a bit of a nuisance, the play astounding. It captured every form of passion and love while still having drama, comedy, and tears for everyone’s taste in the audience.
