John Cariani News

A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keep the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani's Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost -- not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness -- experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers.

Additional casting has been announced for the Broadway revival of Caroline, or Change.

John Cariani's play Almost, Maine, premiered in 2004 at the Portland Stage Company in Portland, Maine. Almost, Maine is comprised of nine short plays that all take place around the same ten minutes on a wintery Friday night in small-town Maine. This unique set of stories that explore themes of love and loss is the opening show of the 23rd season of DreamWrights Center for Community Arts.

Roundabout Theatre Company's Caroline, or Change will begin performances on March 13, 2020 and open on April 7, 2020 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street).

Portland Stage's revival of John Cariani's ALMOST, MAINE, a play which premiered with the company in 2004, represents some of the very best work this theatre can produce. The exquisitely poetic series of vignettes about love and loss framed within the uniqueness of the Maine context, offers an evening of virtually pure perfection and unlimited delight.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) has announced the cast joining Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke in the new Broadway production of Tony Kushner & Jeanine Tesori's Caroline, or Change.

Howard Community College's (HCC) Arts Collective will present a?oeAlmost, Maine,a?? a play by John Cariani, January 24a?"26, 2020, in Monteabaro Recital Hall, located within the college's Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center.

The novelization of John Cariani's play Almost, Maine will be released on March 31, 2020.

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Caroline, or Change has found its Broadway cast! Roundabout Theatre Company has just announced the cast joining Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke in the new Broadway production of Tony Kushner & Jeanine Tesori's Tony Award nominated and Olivier Award winning musical Caroline, or Change.

Christmas is a season of traditions. From the decorations that have their certain place on the mantel, to the cookies like grandma used to make, people thrive on the familiar during the holidays. This goes for films and TV specials as well. Who doesn't pause to see if George Bailey will save the savings and loan, if Ralphie will actually get his Red Ryder BB Gun, or if Rudolph will finally prove his red nose can do great things. No matter how many viewings, there is something about the characters of these beloved Christmas programs that feels familiar and right. But have you ever wondered what happened to these larger than life characters after their time in the red and green spotlight? These are the questions that TheaterWorks in Hartford hilariously tackles in CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS.

The students of Husson University will be performing Anne Nelson's The Guys on Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 8, 2019 at the Gracie's Black Box Theatre on Husson University's Bangor campus.

Four fierce women lose their heads in Lauren Gunderson's irreverent, girl-powered comedy, The Revolutionists, set during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror. Performances of The Revolutionists will be held at 7:00 p.m. on December 13 and 14 and at 2:00 p.m. on December 14 and 15, 2019, in the Black Box Theatre at Firestone CLC. General admission tickets to The Revolutionists are $8.00 in advance and $10.00 at the door. All tickets are available online and at the door on the night of performance.

Wagner College Theatre Stage One presents Love/Sick, a collection of comedies, by John Cariani (Almost, Maine), from November 21 through 24.

The inaugural production of PaperKids Theater Company will be a revival of acclaimed playwright's John Cariani compilation of varied romantic entanglements, Love/Sick is a set of nine short plays ranging from love at first sight to long-time marriage. a?oeThe audience watches as couples in realistic situations are disrupted by absurdist impulses, acts of confession, and devilish desires.

Transport Group announced today that Denise Dickens, formerly of Abingdon Theatre Company, will join the company as its new executive director, replacing Lori Fineman, outgoing executive director. Dickens will join founding Artistic Director Jack Cummings III at the helm of the off-Broadway, award-winning, non-profit theatre company.

Ruggiero, Connecticut's newest holiday tradition is celebrating its 7th year. Christmas on the Rocks features seven playwrights each adding their own spin to the canon of holiday traditions past. Rob said 'Audiences love Christmas on the Rocks. I'm so glad Jenn and Randy are coming back and I'm super excited to have TED LANGE join us this year. Who didn't love Issac from THE LOVE BOAT - America's favorite bartender. Ted is warm and charming - the perfect addition to this crazy show.  It's a super talented cast and I love that we're introducing yet another new twist to our happy holiday tradition.a?? 

On Saturday, November 9, I had the pleasure of seeing ALMOST MAINE as put on by the Castle Craig Players at the Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse in Meriden, CT.  This comedy by John Cariani is the kind that I truly enjoy, a well written script with phenomenal performances all around.  It is refreshing to see a relatively modern (2004) show that is genuinely humorous, original, mostly family-friendly (with a few exceptions), and not political.  Having not been previously familiar with this show or this playwright, I am extremely impressed.

Almost, Maine... it's a town that's so far north, it's almost not in the United States-it's almost in Canada. And it almost doesn't exist. Because its residents never got around to getting organized. So, it's just...Almost.