BY ELLEN ROSSOW
Email
The theatre department opens its third show of the academic year this Wednesday.
The show, “Almost, Maine” takes place in a fictional small town by the same name. It follows a handful of love stories that, according to the theatre department’s website, “will warm hearts on even the coldest winter nights.”
Theatre freshman Molly Berg plays one of the ladies in the show. While, to Berg, the theme of the show is love and relationships, her character, Rhonda, is not the stereotypical love-struck woman found in many romantic comedies.
“My character is much more of a tomboy type,” she said. “She likes snowmobiling, and she isn’t the type to fall in love.”
In Berg’s scene love comes as a surprise as her character is confronted by a male friend.
“He is just her friend,” Berg said. “He is just her regular, normal friend, but then he tries to tell her that he loves her.”
In another scene, freshman Nate Pace plays a man named East who ends up developing feelings for a hiker that he finds in his yard.
While the idea of love is very real, Pace’s scene could be described as surreal, as one of the characters literally carries her broken heart with her wherever she goes.
According to Pace and Berg, various scenes throughout the show have this surreal quality, but the show is still very relatable.
“MSUM students can relate to it because it shows the many different types of love,” Berg said. “Love can be found in friendships. Love can be hard, hard to find or it can be easy.”
Pace agrees with Berg that the show will hit home with any audience member.
“It’s a great show,” Pace said.
According to Pace and Berg, the show can be dramatic but is also filled with comedy.
“It is a cute show,” Berg said.
Though lighthearted, “Almost, Maine” also comes with a hint of sadness, marking the last academic show to be directed by David Wheeler, long time theatre faculty, as he is to retire after this year.
The show runs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday on the Gaede Stage in the CA. Tickets are free for MSUM students.