Glory: “Where am I?”

Easton: “You’re in unorganized territory. Township Thirteen, Range Seven. It’s not gonna be on your map, ’cause it’s not an actual town, technically. To be a town you have to get organized. And we never got around to gettin’ organized, so. … we’re just. … Almost.”

So goes the explanation of the title of the Joseph High School’s fall production of “Almost, Maine” by John Cariani. The play will be presented at Joseph High School on two consecutive weekends, Nov. 11-12 and Nov. 18-19, with curtain time at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for students and seniors are $3 each; adults are $5. 

According to the directors, “Almost, Maine” would not appeal to young children.

Winters in Almost, Maine, like winters in Wallowa County, are long, cold, and snowy.

Of the characters, the author says:  “Its inhabitants are ordinary people. They work hard for a living. They are honest and true. They speak simply, honestly, truly and from the heart. The play is about people who are really, truly, honestly dealing with the toughest thing there is to deal with in life: love.” 

Co-directed by Pam Latta and Richelle Chitwood, the play is comprised of complete tales, each with a beginning, a magical climax, and an end.

As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, residents of Almost find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Love is lost and love is found in what the Wall Street Journal called “a wooly midwinter’s night dream.” All occur at nine o’clock on a Friday night in different parts of the town. 

The characters are at crucial moments of choice in their relationships with one another. Even the titles of the scenes – “This Hurts,” “Her Heart,” “Sad and Glad,” “Getting It Back,” “The Story Of Hope” and “Seeing the Thing” – suggest various aspects of love.

The ensemble cast of experienced actors Marc Duncan, Ali Garrett, Casey Hayes, Felicity Gross, Max Greenway, Michael Thomas, and Mia Whittle welcomes freshman newcomer Micah-Lea Troutman. Marc, Ali, Michael, and Mia participated in last year’s co-curricular acting classes.