‘Almost, Maine’ aims to inspire with the many facets of love

CEBU, Philippines — This Saturday, July 26, the Performing Arts Hall of the University of the Philippines - Cebu will be turned into a cold, remote American town of Almost, Maine – where audiences can expect to feel “warm and fuzzy” as they watch nine love stories unfold with a magical realism twist.

Despite its faraway setting, producer Hendri Go believes local audiences used to the tropical climate will still find the stories set in the cold relatable. “Cebu has that small town feel to it where people know each other, just like in Almost, Maine,” he told The FREEMAN.

“Almost, Maine” is an anthology of love stories centered on residents of the fictional town, all taking place on one night under the northern lights. Each story follows a different couple, portrayed by various actors, experiencing a wide range of emotions rooted in love.

Written by American actor and playwright John Cariani, the play premiered in 2004 in Portland, Maine, and has since become a popular stage piece in U.S. schools. It later gained international success, including a staging in South Korea and a 2016 Manila production by Repertory Philippines – one that Go helped bring to life by introducing the script to the company.

“One of the physical scripts I bought when I visited New York [around early 2010s] in this store called Drama Book Shop, now owned by Lin-Manuel Miranda, was ‘Almost, Maine.’ I read it and thought it would be a great fit for Repertory Philippines because the material is light and perfect for their demographic, which leans middle-of-the-road.”

Go is setting the stage for “Almost, Maine” in Cebu through his company, Little Boy Productions, which has presented various entertainment events in Cebu, including plays, since 2001, as it approaches its 25th anniversary next year.

Directing the Cebu staging is Rhea Bautista, a Little Boy Productions alum who is returning to the local theater scene after a decade in Seattle, Washington, where she is based. She is briefly back on home turf, spending her vacation rekindling her passion for the craft.

“She wanted to direct a play here because she hadn’t done it for a decade, so we started throwing ideas around that included ‘Tennessee Williams’ or ‘Ang Larawan’ when I told her about ‘Almost, Maine.’ She got curious and ordered a copy of the script on Amazon, and she believed that she could direct the play,” Go said.

Though Washington is on the opposite coast of the United States from Maine, Bautista says both states are similar, which helped her connect with the play’s setting, such as the cold weather, a border with Canada, and the chance to witness the northern lights.

“Washington has diverse weather patterns that include cold winters, so I am pulling from my experiences living there into our play,” Bautista said. “Last year, Washington state had a rare glimpse of seeing the aurora borealis.”

While staying faithful to the original script, the production borrows some elements from the South Korean adaptation, which embraced the play’s whimsical, romantic tone, a sensibility familiar to Filipino audiences who grew up watching Korean dramas.

“When you read the script, it’s like reading a young adult novel because it’s so light and episodic. The play resonated so well in South Korea because they play it like a K-drama,” Go said. “In Korean dramas, the characters are wide-eyed, introspective, and emotionally open. That’s why this [K-drama] approach will help us work to suspend some disbelief for the audience.”

Diverse cast

The multi-generational Cebu cast of “Almost, Maine” includes Athena Bautista, Yesha Suralta, Claire Codilla, Jay Chan II, Robert Palomo, Yalena Ysabel Achacoso, Nyegs Abayon, Nelson Judaya, Chloe Palang, John Sitchon, Jean Mari Saraña, Maxim Ilagan, Thomas Pua, Jolu Escaño, Paul Lambert David, and Tara Cabaero.

When Achacoso received the script, she described it as “little snapshots of love and heartbreak,” stating, “It wasn’t your typical linear play, and that intrigued me because I was drawn to how simple and honest the dialogue was, yet it resonated deeply.”

Abayon liked the material’s lighthearted tone, adding, “The simplicity and intimacy of the stories, despite tackling love and loss simultaneously, is what enticed me to make sure that I give 100 percent of my effort to my performance.”

Achacoso plays two characters in separate stories: Villian, a short role but memorable for her “non-nonsense” personality, and Marci, who is more emotionally intense due to a breaking point in her marriage.

“I relate to both characters in different ways. For Villian, I find myself being an observer and taking everything. With Marci, I connect with her longing to be seen and understood. But at the same time, both characters are different, especially Marci. I am more open to talking about my feelings than she, but that contrast is what makes playing her so rewarding because it pushes me deeper to find truth in someone else’s experience, which is one of the best parts of acting,” she said.

Meanwhile, Suralta plays Hope, who carries a lot of emotional burden and is uncertain of her choices, which she could relate to.

“Like Hope, I can be very indecisive, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. What made her interesting for me is that she is well-intentioned, but sometimes struggles to communicate how she feels. I feel like that’s something that many people can relate to as well,” she explained.

Abayon and Chan II portray best friends Randy and Chad, who find themselves in a situation that questions whether their bond is turning into something more, adding excitement and anticipation for audiences.

“Chad is very far off from who I am in real life,” said Chan II. “But we are both vocal about how we feel towards our loved ones. I am vocal with my feelings towards my girlfriend, just as much as Chad is also vocal about his feelings towards his best friend.”

Abayon connects with Randy’s introverted nature. “If I am in an environment I am comfortable with, I can be playful. Randy is reserved, too, but shows his fun, loving side when he’s with Chad.”

Because “Almost, Maine” includes a same-sex love story, it caused controversy in the U.S. since the play is usually staged in schools where discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation remain taboo in some states.

According to Go, there were some versions staged in the small US towns where Randy and Chad’s story is flipped into a heterosexual story, to which he said, “We chose not to do this way for the show because love is love.”

“The way the story of Randy and Chad is represented is straightforward, so it doesn’t touch on the external struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community so much. With a story as magical as ‘Almost Maine,’ people should accept that there is a possibility of two guys falling in love, as originally written,” Go added.

Deeper reflections on love

While “Almost, Maine” is currently scheduled for two performances on a possibly rainy Saturday in Cebu City, Go is optimistic about adding more shows as Little Boy Productions’ previous plays have been intended to play for months, depending on their success.

“When I produce plays, it’s designed for the long-haul. Instead of shows for one weekend, I want to try staging it once or twice every month for several months. You hear people may not be able to go due to prior commitments. Okay, if not this weekend, how about next month? If not the next, how about the month after?” Go said.

Bautista, having familiarized herself with the material for her comeback, hopes that the audience will enjoy the story just as much as she and Go did.

“The story of love and relationships is a universal theme that resonates with all cutlers with no boundaries in geography, classes, and gender. I hope the audience can enjoy their time connecting with the story and internalize the messiness, frustrations, and joys of love,” Bautista said.

The cast hopes that the audience will enjoy the play while reflecting on the multifacets of love.

“Love can be beautiful, messy, surprising, and painful. This play captures those moments in an honest, heartfelt way. I think everyone will see a part of themselves in at least one scene or character, and appreciate the connections they have,” Achacoso said.

“I hope the audience doesn’t just witness the love stories, but really live in them,” Abayon added. “We also experience love and loss in real life, just like the people in Almost, Maine.”

Says Suralta: “I hope people walk away with a deeper understanding that love comes in many forms, not just romance, but also friendship, closure, loss, and self-discovery. Every emotion holds a kind of love within it. That’s what makes this play special. I hope people leave the theater moved, and reminded of their own stories.”

“Love is complex, messy, confusing, bittersweet, and everything in between,” Chan II added. “It’s nice to find the humor in all of that.”

The Cebu production of “Almost, Maine” will be staged today, with two shows at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the UP Cebu Performing Arts Hall. Tickets are available at Ticketmelon.com. Prices for the 7 p.m. show range from P450, P600, P800, to P1,200 for VIP, with a P250 discount for students. Tickets for the 3 p.m. show are priced at P700.