Pullen Hall Renovation Project Underway - University of Maine at ...

Wieden renovationkicks off withhometown premiereof Almost, Maineto sold-out housesCast & Crewphoto: Frank GrantTony-nominated actor JohnCariani took the stage atWieden Auditorium whenthe University hosted the hometownpremiere of his play Almost,Maine in March. Sold-out crowdsturned out for the performances,which served as the kick-off forUMPI’s efforts to secure supportfor renovations to the auditorium.Cariani is no stranger toPresque Isle stages with numerousroles in Presque Isle High School(PIHS) productions; Calamity Janeunder the direction of Dan Ladnerwas Cariani’s first high schoolmusical. He also performed withuniversity students and communitymembers in Pioneer Playhouseproductions of Oklahoma, MyFair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof,and South Pacific at UMPI. Theplay reunited the production’sdirector, Barbara Frick Ladnerand Cariani, in director andactor roles, respectively. FrickLadner and Cariani first workedtogether in 1984 when heplayed Doody in the high schoolproduction of Grease, under herdirection.Almost, Maine is Cariani’s firstplay. It debuted at the PortlandStage Company in 2004, becomingthe most successful play in itshistory, breaking attendance andbox-office records for a playthere. The Wall Street Journalalso named Portland Stage’s productionof Almost, Maine one of2 blue+goldthe best regional theater productionsof the 2004-2005 season.The play is a series of vignettesset on a Friday night in the middleof winter in remote Almost,Maine. With a star-filled northernsky as background, each vignettefeatures two characters falling inor out of love.Cariani was joined onstage bymembers of the Presque IsleCommunity Players, including JeffAshby, Tamia Glidden, FrankGrant, Debbie Lamont, TamaraScott, Brian Sipe, Mel Smith, RodThompson, and Ginny White. JoeZubrick, who chaired the UMPItheater department and directedCariani in productions at theUniversity, handled the production’sset and stage design.Since its 2006 debut off-Broadway, Almost, Maine hasbeen produced throughout theUnited States over 600 times,including nearly 60 professionaltheater company productions.Internationally, the play has beenproduced in theaters from SouthKorea to Dubai.Almost, Maine was also No. 1on the list of 2010’s most-producedplays in North Americanhigh schools according to annualsurvey results released byDramatics Magazine in late2010. Shakespeare’s AMidsummer Night’s Dream waspreviously No. 1 on the list.Cariani graduated from PresqueIsle High School in 1987. Hestudied acting and directing atStageWest in Springfield,Massachusetts, after earning hisBA in history from AmherstCollege. He moved to New YorkCity in 1996 to pursue an actingcareer. In 2002, Cariani joinedLaw & Order as CSU Tech JulianBeck for 30 episodes. In 2004,Cariani made his Broadwaydebut in the revival of Fiddler onthe Roof. His performance asMotel the Tailor received the2004 Outer Critics Circle Awardand a 2004 Tony Award nomination.Cariani’s newest play, Last Gas,premiered at Portland StageCompany in November 2010,where it also set box officerecords. The play is making itsway to New York City. Carianidescribes his next play,Love/Sick, as “the flip side” ofAlmost, Maine. It is currently indevelopment and will premiere atPortland Stage Company duringthe next couple of years.Individuals interested insupporting efforts to renovate theauditorium may contact theDevelopment Office at207.768.9568, or visitumpi.edu/donate. ★