By Tiffany Lin | VTV Editor

It is almost December, and that means that it is once again time to enjoy another highly anticipated play from Irvington Conservatory Theatre. This year, the play, “Almost Maine,” will be opening on Thursday, December 3.

The actors have been working hard in preparing for the opening. Mr. Ballin, Irvington’s new drama teacher and the director of the play, said, “We’ve been doing pretty well so far. As of right now, we’re pretty much ready to just do runs of the play.”

“Almost, Maine” is not a traditional play where there is a defined plot running throughout the entire play. Instead, it is a series of short scenes that explore relationships set in the fictional town of Almost, Maine. These scenes are almost like postcards in the sense that they are very simple and to the point.

“I think the most unique part of this play is when the metaphors come to life. There’s the fanciful way that metaphors are dealt with; they become tangible and real,” said Mr. Ballin, Irvington’s new drama teacher and the director of the play.

“This play has talented actors who have true dedication to theatre and work very hard,” says Mia Walrod, a sophomore who plays the character of Marvalyn, one of the many characters. “The production is one that will have you laughing your butt off, and at the same time sitting at the edge of your seat to find out what happens next.”

Backstage, the stagecraft crew has also been working equally as hard. According to junior Carol Lau, who is a tech in the show, “Almost, Maine” has presented its own set of technical challenges, despite its simplicity in concept. Because each scene is different from the next, more coordination has been necessary to pull of the set changes needed in the play.

“In terms of scenery, there’s a lot more movement during the play this year,” said Lau. There’s definitely more than ‘Into the Woods.’ We also don’t get that much time to run through things, so that’s always an issue. But I think we’ve been handling it pretty well.”

Clearly, the theater department has been working very hard to put this play together. The play will be running from December 3 to December 12, and tickets, which are $12 for students, can be purchased either online through the ICT website or at the door.