While the last thing Syracuse residents want during the depths of the cold winter season is to travel farther north, they may just find something delightfully warm by taking a trip to the town of Almost, Maine. Written by John Cariani, the play will open at Le Moyne on Thursday, Feb. 26. The production is presented by Major Arcana, a Le Moyne theatrical production company that is entirely student-run from actors to costume designers and even its director, junior theatre and sociology major Mary Medina-Guzman.

Almost, Maine is about a town trapped in an in-between space: in-between the United States and Canada, in-between being a town and a disorganized cluster of individuals, in-between existing and not, and in-between time. The play is centered around love stories that are simultaneously silly and heartwarming.

“A conversation of just ten minutes could change so much with our loved ones,” Medina-Guzman added about the plot of the play.

As a student director, Medina-Guzman had to pick her own play and pitch it to be chosen as Major Arcana’s production for the semester. According to her, she first fell in love with Almost, Maine when she performed in a production of it during high school, her second year of being an actor.

“For me, it’s been a full circle moment. I’ve learned so much. I am not the same person I was in high school,” Medina-Guzman said.

She was also drawn to it because of the size of the cast. Almost, Maine can be performed with as little as two actors or as many as twenty. Medina-Guzman wanted to empower a diverse cast and crew to work on the production. “Now that we’re flourishing and we’re growing again, I really wanted to open the doors for so many people that wanna be a part of it,” she said. She also noted that she wanted to provide the opportunity for women to play a multitude of female roles.

But student directing is no walk in the park. According to Medina-Guzman, the difficulties of her position included balancing schoolwork with her duties as a director, having to call all the shots, and being a mentor to theatre first-timers. She also had to be the “bad guy” on occasion.

“Being around the age of most of the actors and crew, it’s difficult having to put my foot down,” she said.

Despite these challenges, Medina-Guzman stated, “What is rewarding is seeing the final product and seeing an audience laugh, cry, clap, and enjoy everything that we’ve worked so hard on for the last month.”

Student directing has offered her a new perspective on what it means to work in a theatrical space. She said she gained experience and a sense of understanding for her mentors who have guided her. Before directing, Medina-Guzman had been an actor, stage crew manager, and a sound operator.

“You should definitely try other roles in theatre because it truly does make you a better actor,” she said.

Medina-Guzman would like to send a message to her cast and crew: “I love them so much! I’m proud of every single one of them and their hard work. They’re literally killing it. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast. I hope that they continue to grow and wanna do these things themselves.”

Almost, Maine is being performed in the Marren Studio in the W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis with limited seating available. For more information, call (315) 445-4200.

Remaining show dates and times:

Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m.