Rockville Little Theatre Kicks Off 70th Consecutive Season With Romantic Comedy

ROCKVILLE, MD - From the Rockville Little Theatre: To commence its 70th consecutive season of providing high-quality theatre to the local community, Rockville Little Theatre will present Almost, Maine by John Cariani, a romantic comedy about falling in and out of love in the most unexpected ways. Directed by Kathryn Stirling and produced by Dean Fiala, the show opens Friday, Sept. 22and runs through Sunday, Oct. 1 at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville.

"On the surface Almost, Maine is a quirky romantic comedy, the story of one Friday night in Maine. Yet, the playwright has lovingly plumbed the depths of romance and relationships," says director Kathryn Stirling.

Set in the middle of winter in a mythical town near the Canadian border, the play comprises nine interlocking vignettes of different couples in various stages of their relationships-like a "more clever version of Hollywood hits like Love Actually and Valentine's Day," according to The New York Times. Sentimental and witty, the play explores the highs, lows, and in-betweens of modern romance.

Stirling says the process of rehearsing the play has been one of self-discovery for the cast. "The characters are discovering, falling in and asking for love. In other words, they're at their most honest and vulnerable. As we rehearse, the actors and I keep finding more to reveal," she says. "We often laugh out loud at rehearsal, but lately there have been a few tears. We are all fools in love."

Almost, Maine was originally developed at the Cape Cod Theater Project in 2002. Two years later, it premiered at the Portland Stage Company, where it broke box office records and received critical acclaim.

Note to patrons: Almost, Maine contains some mature content and is recommended for ages 13 and over.

TICKET AND VENUE INFORMATION:

Performances are Sept. 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, and Oct. 1 at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD, 20851. Friday and Saturday night performances are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m.Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors and students, and are available by calling the box office at 240-314-8690, or by visiting fscottfitzgerald.showare.com. Special ticket pricing for groups is also available. For more information about Rockville Little Theatre, visit www.rlt-online.org.

Almost, Maine is directed by Kathryn Stirling and produced by Dean Fiala. Featuring Liz Masi (Ginette/Marvalyn), Jimmy Santos (Pete), Nik Henle (Steve/Dave), Alexandra Guyker (Hope/Gayle/Sandrine), Ken Kemp (Daniel), Kate Lenane (Glory/Marcie), Tim Croissette (East/Phil), Tyler Hopkins (Lendall), Bob Gudauskas (Jimmy), Jen Katz (Waitress), Kristyn Lue (Rhonda), Kelli Rademacher (Deena), and Brynn Krasney (Shelly).

Set design by David Levin, lighting design by Steve Deming, costume design by Christa Ventresca, sound design by Daniel Benz. Production staff also includes Tammi Gardner as stage manager, Jennifer Dorsey as assistant director, Rachel Kepnes as assistant stage manager, William Kolodrubetz as master carpenter, Anne Cary as properties master, Christine Hurst as properties wrangler, and Daniela Brigatti as sound operator.

Image via Pixabay