Penguin Productions Kicks Off 2024 Season with “Almost, Maine”

Nearly six months after the original production date, Penguin Productions’ “Almost, Maine” is ready to debut at the Chehalem Cultural Center’s Black Box Theater.

“When you mention Almost, Maine in theater circles, people just love the script,” said Stephanie Gibbs, Associate Director of Penguin Productions and director of the Penguin’s Almost, Maine production. “On top of that, I think anyone can find a character in Almost, Maine that they resonate with. Everybody knows the butterflies of falling in love, and if they don’t, they know the heartache of someone they love suddenly becoming a stranger to them. Or maybe [they are] more familiar with feeling like they’re lost and suddenly feeling found. So much of this story is universal — it’s a snapshot of the human condition.”

Almost, Maine came out in 2004, created by John Cariani in Portland, Maine. According to the Penguin Productions website, the story follows a collection of characters through their experiences with the journey of relationships — the love, loss, and change that envelops them — and shines a light on the experience of love through the eyes of a cast of characters.

While originally slated for a run in August and September, the show was postponed to January due to some unforeseen circumstances, including an injury that slowed the show down.

“We wanted to give our community the best show possible, and rather than scrambling, we made the difficult decision to postpone the show,” Gibbs said. “It’s the same show; it’s just a little colder outside, so we’ve moved to a warmer, more intimate space.”

Penguin Productions pivoted from their home stage at their outdoor theater (17530 NE Terrys Lane, Newberg, OR 97132) to the Chehalem Cultural Center’s Black Box Theater, which Gibbs feels provides a unique opportunity to tell the story.

“I feel like everything happens for a reason,” Gibbs said. “Of course, we were disappointed that we weren’t able to do another show in the summer, but putting it into this more intimate space kind of makes more sense for the show.”

Gibbs continued to say that the tighter space contributes to the story a bit more, as the setting will almost be a character in itself. There are two people on stage at a time for the entire show as the story bounces between 20 different characters during the same 10 minutes in Maine. Without a ton of people on the stage, the surrounding scene becomes ever more important.

“The aurora borealis makes an appearance,” she said, “and the magic that stems from the aurora borealis. We get to have a lot more fun with lighting now because we have an enclosed space. It’s going to bring a lot more magic into the scene.”

Penguin Poised for Growth

Penguin Productions is a professional non-profit theater company that opened in 2017, founded by Garrett Gibbs, Penguin’s Executive Director. As a nonprofit, they are as reliant on ticket sales as they are on donations to grow, scale, and provide more art for the Newberg community.

“Newberg deserves good art,” Gibbs said. “We have such a rich culture for it. Everybody I talk to is hungry for it.

Situated between two theater power destinations in Portland and Ashland, Gibbs believes Newberg’s rolling hills, impressive cultural center, thriving wine scene, and proximity to both the city and the coast means that Newberg can lean into the performing arts and arts generally and hone Newberg’s reputation as a regional arts destination.

“There’s something so special here,” she added. “The community is ready for it. They’re excited for the art that’s coming here.”

Penguin is doubling down on their contribution to the local arts scene with plans to build their own Black Box Theater on the same property as their outdoor stage, allowing them to run productions year-round.

“We’re so stoked to get this black box built because that means we’re not at the mercy of the weather anymore,” Gibbs said. “We’ll be providing new opportunities for artists, for playwrights to let things be seen, for the community to experience and engage with art. It’s such an exciting thing to look forward to.”

Almost, Maine is the first of two professional shows the production company has planned for 2024, with Shakespeare’s classic Much Ado About Nothing slated for summer 2024. Shakespeare is a regular staple on the Penguin docket, with the intention of reducing the barriers to understanding some of the most beloved plays in the world — whether that be playing around with gender identity or modernizing the text.

“Shakespeare, a lot of people are scared of it,” she said. “They think of it and think it’s going to be tough to understand, and they’re talking all fancy — people feel they just don’t understand Shakespeare. It’s become my mission to make sure that’s not said at Penguin. We want people to get Shakespeare because if people can’t understand ‘the classics,’ who is to say they’ll remain classic?”

Almost, Maine Shows and Ticket Information

You can see Almost, Maine presented by Penguin Productions on the following days and times:

• Friday, January 12: 7 p.m.
• Saturday, January 13: 7 p.m.
• Sunday, January 14: 3 p.m.
• Friday, January 19: 7 p.m.
• Saturday, January 20: 7 p.m.
• Sunday, January 21: 3 p.m.

You can buy tickets here: [BUY TICKETS]