FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cindy Moran,
Public Relations Director, 414-224-1761
December 22, 2009
ENCHANTING MIDWINTER NIGHT’S DREAM
ALMOST, MAINE
By John Cariani
Directed by Laura Gordon
| Made possible by the generous
support of: |
 |
Stiemke Theater
Previews: January 13 and 14, 2010 Opens: January
15, 2010 Closes: February 7, 2010
Magical happenings bloom under the snowdrifts,” The New
York Times said, “in this whimsical approach to the joys and perils
of romance.” On a cold, clear, winter night, the northern lights hover
over the remote town of Almost, Maine. All is not quite what it seems as
the town’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in
hilariously unexpected and often unusual ways. This enchanting midwinter
night’s dream touches audiences with laughter, heartbreak and hope. Tickets
can be purchased in person at The Rep Ticket Office at 108 East Wells Street
or by telephone at 414-224-9490. Tickets can also be purchased online 24/7
at milwaukeerep.com.
The Northern Lights hang overhead. Nothing is what it seems, as the
residents of Almost, Maine find themselves knee deep in the magical and realistic
facets of love. Ginette confesses her love to her oblivious but endearing boyfriend,
Pete. Caught off guard, Pete unknowingly and awkwardly begins to push Ginette
farther and farther away. Glory is hopelessly staring up at the open sky mourning
the loss of her husband when East arrives and plants a kiss on her. She ends
up turning over her broken heart to East who promises that, as a handyman by
profession, he can surely fix it.
Across town, Jimmy sits in the corner of Maine’s local hang-out, The
Moose Paddy. When his old flame walks by, he cannot help but attempt to re-kindle
the stifled fire. Unfortunately, she is in the middle of her bachelorette party
but attempts to let him down easy. At least drinks are on the house for those
who are sad. Ma Dudley’s Boarding House in Almost is the site of another
unexpected encounter between a man who carts around books on Things That Can
Hurt You as a defense against his inability to feel pain, and a woman who feels
nothing but. As their lips meet, the complications in the relationship disappear
and the definition of love fizzles into the obscure. Bags of love abound between
Lendall and Gayle but prove insufficient as Gayle demands the ultimate commitment.
After spending 11 years with Gayle, Lendall fails to pop the big question.
This causes Gayle to insist that he give back all the love that she has given
him over the years. Surprisingly, her love is returned to her in a very small
package. Two country boys sit on an Almost, Maine fence sipping beers and chatting
about their recent relationship failures. The conversation takes a turning
point as Chad begins to realize that the only time that he is truly happy is
with Randy. The two young men grapple with each other while trying to understand
why they are “falling” in love with one another.
Meanwhile, Phil and Marci wait for “the other shoe to drop” in
their marriage as Phil, once again, forgets an important date — their
anniversary. A fight ensues as Marci accuses Phil of not being literally present
and Phil accuses Marci of lying to him about her feelings. This is not something
that the beauty of the Northern Lights can fix as they both stand and wonder
where their love went. Daniel, deflated by Hope’s negative reaction to
his marriage proposal, faces her, many years later as she stands on his doorstep
and pleads with him to take her back. Little does she realize that all hope
ran away when she departed from his doorstep years ago. Timid Rhonda attempts
to sidestep Dave, her long time friend, as he makes advances towards her. Not
realizing that his love has been simmering for quite some time, Rhonda immediately
walls her heart in. Dave, not easily dismayed does what he can to make Rhonda
actually see the true state of his heart.
In Almost, Maine with all this romance in the air both the sweet and the bitter,
the Northern Lights, it’s really quite wondrous.
Playwright John Cariani is an actor and playwright best
known for his role as CSU Tech Julian Beck on television's Law & Order,
and for his performance as Motel the Tailor in the 2004 Broadway revival
of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
John grew up in Presque Isle, Maine. After graduating from Amherst College
with a BA in history, he studied theater at Stage West in Springfield, MA with
company members who now run the Berkshire Theatre Festival and the SITI Company
in New York. In 1996, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.
He cobbled together a living teaching and performing Shakespeare for the Hudson
Valley Shakespeare Festival, and acting in off-off-Broadway plays, television
commercials and films. Early breaks came in 1999, when he was cast in the independent
film, Scotland, PA playing opposite Christopher Walken, and in 2001,
when he played opposite Robert DeNiro in the studio release Showtime.
In 2002, John joined the cast of Law & Order as CSU Tech Julian
Beck. In 2004 he made his Broadway debut in the revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF,
for which he received the 2004 Outer Critics Circle Award and a 2004 Tony Award
Nomination. In that same year, he began his career as a playwright, and his
first play, ALMOST, MAINE, debuted at Portland Stage Company and was
named one of the best plays of the year by The Wall Street Journal.
Two years later, ALMOST, MAINE opened off-Broadway, and is now featured
in New Playwrights: Best Plays of 2006. Since its debut off-Broadway, ALMOST,
MAINE has been produced by over 300 theaters all over the United States,
as well as Mexico, Korea, Germany and Australia.
Director Laura Gordon has been a member of Milwaukee Repertory
Theater’s Resident Acting Company since 1993, performing in over 60 productions
including: LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS, THE GOVERNMENT INSTPECTOR, PRIDE AND
PREJUDICE, ENCHANTED APRIL, DOUBT, THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE, MARY STUART,
COPENHAGEN, TWELFTH NIGHT, A DOLL’S HOUSE, ESCAPE FROM HAPPINESS, THE
SEAGULL, THE MEMORY OF WATER and MOLLY SWEENEY. Directing projects include
WELL for Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, SKIN TIGHT, FULL GALLOP and MEMORY HOUSE
for Renaissance Theaterworks, Edward Albee’s SEASCAPE, HALF LIFE, I HAVE
BEFORE ME A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT GIVEN TO ME BY A YOUNG LADY FROM RWANDA. Laura
received her MFA in Acting from the University of Iowa and is a member of the
Board of Trustees of the Ten Chimneys Foundation.
Laura recently had this to say about Almost, Maine “I was interested
in the play from the beginning. But I really got excited about it when I began
to visualize specific actors in the roles. I could picture Gerry Neugent and
Elizabeth Ledo doing a certain scene and that's when it came together for me
. . . The play is certainly about love. But it’s a subject that is
bittersweet. I think the playwright has done a beautiful job examining love
from lots of different angles. The sweet sort of takes care of itself. I’m
interested in the bitter that goes along with it.”
The cast of ALMOST, MAINE includes Resident
actors Gerard Neugent (actor) and Deborah Staples (actor).
The cast of Almost, Maine also includes guest actors Steve Haggard (actor)
and Elizabeth Ledo (actor). This is Steve Haggard’s
first appearance at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
(To learn more about our Resident Acting Company, Guest Actors or our Intern
Company, please visit www.milwaukeerep.com.)
(The Rep's online publication Prologue Winter 2010
Issue will be posted at www.milwaukeerep.com.)
(ALMOST, MAINE production photos will be posted at milwaukeerep.com/about/photos.htm.)
The Production/Design Team for ALMOST, MAINE includes: Susannah
M. Barnes (Scenic Designer); Keith Parham (Lighting
Designer); Rachel Laritz (Costume Designer); Barry
G. Funderburg (Sound Designer); Margaret Hartman (Lighting
Designer Associate); Ed Burgess (choreographer); Lee
E. Ernst (Fight Choreographer); Kathi Karol Koenig (Stage
Manager); Holly Burnell (Stage Management Apprentice) and Laura
Webb (Assistant Director).
Tickets to Almost, Maine are $25.00. For more information
or to buy tickets, call 414-224-9490. Tickets can be purchased
online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. For group sales of 10 or
more, call The Rep Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.
Special Events for ALMOST, MAINE:
• Join us for The Rep In Depth, our lively informative
half-hour talk which starts 45 minutes before every performance in the Stiemke
Theater. This Rep in Depth will be led by guest actor Elizabeth Ledo.
•On Thursday, January 14 The Rep will host it's second
Entourage Event of the season. The pre-show reception will begin at 5:30
pm in The Rep's Powerhouse Lobby. Drink specials and complimentary
appetizers will be provided by Mader's German Restaurant, followed by the 7:30
pm performance of ALMOST, MAINE or YANKEE TAVERN. Visit therep-entourage.com to
order tickets.
• On Thursday, January 28 at 7:30 pm there
will be an Audio-Described Performance for patrons who are blind or have low
vision.
• The Rep Talkbacks will be held after the Tuesday
evening performances on January 26 and February 2.
The Rep Talkbacks are offered immediately after select performances and offer
an opportunity for audience members to ask questions about the play to Rep
company members and actors in the production. For more information on The Rep
Talkbacks, please contact the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.
• On Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 pm there
will be an American Sign Language Interpreted Performance for patrons who are
deaf or have low hearing.
• Pay-What-You-Can dates for this production are January 13 and
January 14 at 7:30 p.m. Here is your chance to experience some of
Milwaukee’s best live theater at a price you can afford. A $5.00
minimum donation is suggested. Stiemke performances start at 7:30 pm; Tickets
go on sale at 5:30 pm on the day of the performance. All performances are
held in the Stiemke Theater located in the Milwaukee Center at 108 E. Wells
Street. For more information call The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.
ENCHANTING MIDWINTER NIGHT’S DREAM
ALMOST, MAINE
By John Cariani
Directed by Laura Gordon
| Made possible by the generous support
of: |
|
FACT SHEET
THEATER: Stiemke Theater
DATES: January 13 - February
7, 2010
DESCRIPTION: “Magical happenings bloom under
the snowdrifts,” The New York Times said, “in
this whimsical approach to the joys and perils of romance.” On a cold,
clear, winter night, the northern lights hover over the remote town of Almost,
Maine. All is not quite what it seems as the town’s residents find themselves
falling in and out of love in hilariously unexpected and often unusual ways.
This enchanting midwinter night’s dream touches audiences with laughter,
heartbreak and hope.
PERFORMANCES:
Wednesday, 1/13/10 - 7:30 p.m. - Preview/Pay-What-You-Can
Thursday, 1/14/10 - 7:30 p.m. - Preview/Pay-What-You-Can
Friday, 1/15/10 - 8:00 p.m. - Open
Saturday, 1/16/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 1/17/10
- 2:00/7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 1/20/10 - 1:30/7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 1/21/10 - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 1/22/10 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, 1/23/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 1/24/10 - 2:00/7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 1/26/10 - 7:30 p.m. - Talkback
Wednesday, 1/27/10 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 1/28/10 - 7:30 p.m. – Audio-Description
Friday, 1/29/10 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, 1/30/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 1/31/10 - 2:00/7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 2/2/10 – 6:30 p.m. – Early Bird/Talkback
Wednesday, 2/3/10 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 2/4/10 - 7:30 p.m. - American Sign Language
Friday, 2/5/10 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, 2/6/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 2/7/10 - 2:00/7:00 p.m. - 2:00/Smoke-Free,
7:00/Close
TICKET
PRICES: All seats are $25.00.*
(*Note: Due to new lower pricing in The Stiemke Theater, additional discounts
do not apply.)
TICKETS/INFORMATION: 414-224-9490 or buy tickets online
at milwaukeerep.com
TICKET OFFICE LOCATION: 108
East Wells Street in Milwaukee’s Downtown Theater District
TICKET OFFICE HOURS: Mon
- Fri, 12 pm - 6 pm on phones, 12 pm - curtain for window
Sat/Sun 12 pm - 6
pm on phones, 12 pm - curtain for window
###
Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally recognized
theater company that presents a critically-acclaimed selection
of compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary
works and lively Cabaret shows on three stages from September through
May. The Rep also produces an annual production of A CHRISTMAS
CAROL. The Rep's home, the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex,
accommodates the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, the Stiemke Theater
and the Stackner Cabaret. The Rep is also home to a Resident Acting
Company of 10 actors who perform with The Rep throughout the season.
The
Rep is proud to be a member of the United
Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), which provides major annual
financial support. Through
community support of the United Performing Arts Fund, UPAF
Member and Affiliate Groups are able to provide education
and outreach to over 400,000 children, provide over 2,000
live performances and reach over 1,000,000 people every year.
When everyone supports the arts through UPAF, they help our
local economy, improving education and strengthening outreach
programs to the disabled and elderly – all while adding
culture to their own life. Support of UPAF is critical to
UPAF Member Groups’ ability
to continue to offer exceptional live performances, award-winning
education and outreach programming and substantial economic
impact to our region. To learn more about UPAF or to donate,
go to www.upaf.org.
The Rep is supported in part by a grant
from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the state of
Wisconsin. The Rep is a member of the League
of Resident Theatres (LORT), a management association
of some of the nation's largest non-profit professional
theaters that collectively bargains with the unions that
represent the actors, directors and designers that work
at The Rep; a constituent of Theatre
Communications Group (TCG), the national organization
for the nonprofit professional theater; and a member of Theatre
Wisconsin, the statewide association of non-profit
professional theaters. This theater operates under an
agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors'
Equity Association, the union of professional actors
and stage managers in the United States. The set, costume
and lighting designers are members of United
Scenic Artists,
a national labor union. This theater is an equal opportunity employer.
Except in plays where race itself is an issue, casting
is decided based on ability, not race.
Milwaukee
Repertory Theater
Patty & Jay Baker Theatre Complex
108 E Wells St Milwaukee, WI 53202
Ticket Office: 414-224-9490 Ticket Office Fax: 225-5490
Administrative: 414-224-1761 Fax: 414-224-9097
milwaukeerep.com |
