Tips for Auditioning for for “Almost, Maine” Without Overdoing It

by Chris Peterson

We’re back with another installment of a new series where I’ll be sharing audition tips for specific shows, drawing from my experience as both a director and someone who has worked in casting. I’ve sat on both sides of the table and know what it feels like to walk into the room as a hopeful performer and what it takes to cast a show that tells the story truthfully. If this series can help one person feel a little more confident, a little more prepared, or a little more seen, then it is doing its job.

Today, we’re doing, by far, one of the most popularly produced plays - John Cariani’s Almost Maine.

At first glance, Almost, Maine looks easy. A few short scenes. A small cast. A quiet town where people fall in and out of love under the Northern Lights. But this play only works when it's performed with truth. It is not about being clever. It is not about playing up the charm. The more you try to perform it, the less it lands.

Here’s how to approach the audition with clarity, honesty, and purpose.

Drop the quirk

The characters in this play do not think they are funny. They are not trying to be odd. They are just people navigating complicated emotions in a town where magical things happen. Take Marvalyn, who accidentally knocks out a man with her ironing board. It sounds ridiculous, but the connection she forms in that scene is real. Let the strangeness live in the situation. You just have to play the truth. No mugging. No winking. Just be present and let the writing do its work.

Choose a scene that fits you

If you are given a choice of sides, pick one that sounds like your natural voice. If you are sincere and curious, “This Hurts” is a great place to start. If you are fiery and frustrated, “Getting It Back” gives you plenty of emotional movement. Rhonda and Dave in “Seeing the Thing” are perfect for actors with awkward charm. You do not have to play against type. The material works best when you bring your own rhythm and personality to it. Do not force a transformation. Just be you.

Respect the rhythm

The dialogue in Almost, Maine is musical without calling attention to itself. The pauses and the repetition matter. In “They Fell,” Chad and Randy slowly discover something that changes their friendship forever. Their sentences interrupt and trail off. It is two people stumbling into something they never expected. Let the scene breathe. If you rush, you lose the weight of the moment. Take your time. Trust the structure. The play is built around the space between words just as much as the words themselves.

Connect with your partner

Since the show is made entirely of two-person scenes, chemistry is everything. You might give a strong reading, but if the connection with your scene partner feels flat, it can work against you. The relationship is the story. In “Seeing the Thing,” Rhonda and Dave are circling each other. In “Her Heart,” East is trying to meet Glory where she is. These scenes only work if you listen, react, and stay open. Be generous. Be responsive. Focus on what your partner is giving you. That is where the magic is.

Let the physicality come from the emotion

Some scenes involve physical business. Characters fall. They move bags. They flinch or retreat. In “This Hurts,” Steve cannot feel pain and reacts with curiosity instead of instinct. That affects how he moves. In “Getting It Back,” Gayle drops the love Lendall gave her in heavy bags. These moments are not bits. They are expressions of what the character is going through. Do not lead with the physical. Let the emotion drive it. That is when the movement has meaning.

Make the magic believable

This play has a quiet, magical quality. A woman carries her broken heart in a bag. A shoe falls from the sky. A man’s love actually disappears. But the characters treat these things as ordinary. They are not impressed by them. They are just trying to figure out how to be close to someone. Let the surreal feel natural. If you commit fully to the reality of the moment, the audience will come along with you. The magic only works when it is played without wonder.

Bring the warmth

This is not a cold play, even if it takes place in a freezing town. Every scene has hope in it. These people still believe in love, even when it disappoints them. Whether you are playing Sandrine at the bar or Phil trying to get through to his wife, approach the material with softness and sincerity. Let your guard down. The characters in Almost, Maine are not polished. They are trying. That is what makes the play resonate. Let the audience see you trying too.

Break legs. And maybe bring a scarf. The air in Almost, Maine is cold, but a good audition can still make it feel like summer.