Dear Friend,

PBD 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,” says Bill 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.  
 
Happy New Year!                           
ALMOST, MAINE
by John Cariani

JANUARY 14-30