If you don't know that I'm really into theatre, then this post will be very eye-opening for you. Almost, Maine is a straight play with two acts written by John Cariani. Each scene is a different story about a specific relationship in an unofficial town called Almost in Maine. Some are happy and others are bittersweet, but they're all written so beautifully. I like to describe the writing style as a form of magical realism. Everything that happens feels believable but those things may not actually happen in the real world. I was obsessed when I first read the script and immediately knew I had to be apart of this show.
Closing night for Almost, Maine was on Saturday, October 26th. It was the happiest and saddest and best closing night I could have ever wished for. I participated in a senior tradition that involved me standing on a countertop Throughout this show, I met and got to know so many amazing friends. Most of them are people I didn't think I would even get along with, but I found out we had a lot in common. I also learned so much about myself and other people through the process of reading the script, learning the lines, performing my scene, and every other little thing required to put on an amazing performance every night. It led me to look at relationships in a different light, from friendships to family to romance. So this is a list of things Cariani accidentally taught me.
1. All relationship dynamics are different and that's okay.
Some people will naturally have tension or naturally get along and there is not one specific reason to blame. It felt like I had known the majority of the cast and crew my whole entire life. Some of them I had only just met at auditions and others I had known for four years. There was no rhyme or reason for why we got along so well, it's just how it was.
In the play, one couple has been together for eleven years and hasn't gotten married. They obviously mean a lot to each other but that scene begins with them yelling at each other. One scene leads to two complete strangers completely changing each other's lives after ten minutes of talking. All of the dynamics were so different in every scene because every individual character had their own tics and joys and worries and emotions and thoughts. Each character is their own person, so of course, that's how it's going to be.
Often times in the real world, we spend too much time thinking about what or who we should blame for problems in relationships instead of enjoying the relationships we have for the time we have them. Amazing things happen when we live in the moment and pay attention to the people around us.
2. It is difficult to sit in silence on stage for fifteen minutes and stare at a snowball every night as people try to take pictures with you or mosquitoes bite you.
I did not learn this from personal experience but witnessed this first hand. I still don't know how he did it.
3. Blankets may not solve every problem but they certainly help.
Are you having a bad day? Wrap yourself in a blanket and rest your head on a friend's shoulder.
Are you bored? Attempt choreographed blanket gymnastics/dancing. It's a relatively new sport.
Are you cold? Put on a hat and gloves and make a blanket burrito.
Are you feeling tired? Use your blanket as a pillow or get creative and use it as a blanket.
A blanket should have three qualities: softness, toastiness, and fuzziness/fluffiness. This will give you a successful blanket experience.
4. It's okay to be weird.
Other people will love you for it.
5. Sometimes, you have to end a relationship.
This will hurt and it will be very difficult but it will lead to something greater if done for the right reasons (like your or the other person's health).
I played a character named Sandrine. She leaves her boyfriend one day without a word and never looks back. To be honest, she could have done this better but that's irrelevant. After this, she eventually falls in love with someone else and gets engaged. She accidentally runs into her ex at her bachelorette party, the night before her wedding. This gives her a chance to apologize, explain herself, and find peace about what she did. She is reassured that she did the right thing when she sees an incorrectly spelled tattoo that is supposed to mark her ex as a villain. She knew she did the right thing for herself. To me, there is something remarkably beautiful about how she did the hard thing and created a better life for herself. She may not have done it in the best way possible but she did what so many people keep themselves from doing out of fear and worry. She made me want to better take care of myself and listen to my own personal boundaries and that's what I've been practicing.
Thank you to all of the new and old friends I spent time with during this show. Thank you to all of the cast and crew that made this such a rewarding experience. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey. Thank you to Almost, Maine for accepting me and teaching me to accept myself.
I'm looking forward to what comes next for me.