Palm Beach Dramaworks
announces

Almost, Maine by John Cariani
 Opening January 14 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

West Palm Beach, Fla.- (Wednesday, December 29, 2021) - Palm Beach Dramaworks kicks off the new year on Friday, January 14 (8pm) with John Cariani’s Almost, Maine, an international hit that The Wall Street Journal called “a comic, romantic roundelay,” and The Los Angeles Daily News touted as “a play to love – for its quirkiness and its unabashed romantic spirit.” The show runs through January 30, with specially priced previews on January 12 and 13 (7:30pm).

Love – old and new, heart-stopping and weak-kneed, unexpected and unrequited, lost and found – is in the air in the fictional, remote town of Almost, Maine. This wildly popular play takes place on a Friday night in winter, and is made up of nine mostly joyful yet poignant stories connected by time and place, the beauty of the aurora borealis, a touch of magic, and a spirit of hope.
 
Since its 2004 premiere at Portland Stage Company (in Maine, of course), Almost, Maine has received 80 professional productions in 27 states, and has been mounted more than 20 times around the world, everywhere from Canada and England to Australia, South Korea, Israel, Mexico, Romania, and Russia, among other places. In 2020, Almost, Maine was the second-most produced play in North American high schools; for nine of the previous eleven years, it topped the list.
 
“Almost Maine is the perfect antidote to this miserable pandemic,” said Producing Artistic Director William Hayes. “It’s a play that celebrates the simplicity and complexity of love, and the beauty and necessity of human interaction.” 

PBD’s production is directed by J. Barry Lewis and features Irene Adjan, Niki Fridh, Brandon Morris, and Shane R. Tanner. Scenic design is by Michael Amico, costume design is by Brian O’Keefe, lighting design is by Kirk Bookman, and sound design is by Roger Arnold.
 
John Cariani is a playwright and an actor. He has appeared on Broadway and Off-Broadway, at regional theatres across the country, and in several films and television shows. He’s been nominated for a Tony Award (for his portrayal of Motel the Tailor in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof) and has done movies with Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and Ed Asner. Most people seem to know him from Law & Order, where his character, forensics technician Julian Beck, is alive and well in reruns. As a playwright, John is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004 and opened Off-Broadway in 2006. It has since become one of the most frequently produced plays in the United States and has been translated into nearly 20 languages. His other plays include cul-de-sac (Transport Group), Last Gas (Portland Stage Company, Geva Theatre Center), and Love/Sick (Portland Stage Company, Hartford TheaterWorks). Both Almost, Maine and Last Gas are published by Dramatists Play Service. Originally from Presque Isle, Maine, John is a graduate of Amherst College. He lives in New York City. www.almostmaine.com
 
All guests at PBD are required to wear suitable masks that completely cover the nose, mouth, and under the chin for their entire visit. Anyone who does not comply will be escorted out of the theatre. PBD will also require documentation (printed or digital): Fully vaccinated guests have the option of voluntarily presenting documentation showing full vaccination status. Full vaccination is currently defined as the completion of the final dose at least 14 days prior to the performance date. Alternatively, all guests can, instead, present documentation of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result conducted within 72 hours prior to the performance, or a negative COVID-19 Antigen test result conducted within 24 hours prior to the scheduled performance start time. Matching photo ID is required for everyone 18 years of age and older.
 
These protocols are subject to change. As the situation evolves, PBD will re-evaluate and share any updates on its website at palmbeachdramaworks.org and via email.  

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Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit theatre company founded in 2000 and located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the award-winning company produces five mainstage shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the theatre, in schools, and online. Committed to fostering the future of theatre, PBD has become a hub for playwrights in Florida and around the country to nurture their work through initiatives including Drama(in the)works and the annual New Year/New Plays Festival. PBD is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. www.palmbeachdramaworks.org

Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and select Sundays at 7pm. Matinee performances are on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm. Post-performance discussions follow Wednesday matinee and Sunday evening performances. Individual tickets are $79, with specially priced preview tickets at $59 and opening night tickets at $94. Student tickets are available for $15, and Pay Your Age tickets are available for those 18-40. Tickets for educators are half price with proper ID (other restrictions apply). Group rates for 20 or more and subscription packages for four or five plays are also available. Tickets can be purchased through the box office, in person or by phone (561.514.4042 ext 2), and online 24 hours a day at palmbeachdramaworks.org.     
The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, or visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.

For press photos of Almost, Maine
Click here to view photos by Tim Stephien

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Sardone-Shiner
Marketing Consultant
(561) 891-7278
jshiner@palmbeachdramaworks.org 
www.palmbeachdramaworks.org