Each Seminole High School Theatre Company (SHSTC) play consists of many students who put their immense effort into making a successful production, especially the directors. This year’s play “Almost, Maine” is no exception with hard-working and dedicated student directors Lauryn Reid and Joseph Salomone, a senior and junior respectively.

Both Reid and Salomone have the experience required for such an important job that calls for countless hours spent working with actors and actresses, managing other departments, and keeping members of both the cast the crew on task, among many other responsibilities.
“As a director, you have to set up the scenes and block them with other actors,” said Reid on advising the actors and actresses as the Senior director director of the show. “We also go through characterization with them and run through the scenes multiple times and then give them notes. They can always come to us with questions.”

Both have been involved in the SHSTC since their freshman year and members of the esteemed Thespian Troupe 3266 since their sophomore year. Reid has acted in many productions including playing the role of the Evil Stepmother in “Cinderella” and Tituba in “The Crucible.”
“I really love the Theatre Company, and I don’t think I could ever not do a show because I would miss it so much” said Reid.

As the junior student director, Salomone has also been actively engaged in the SHSTC, despite “Almost, Maine” being the first play in which he will help direct. He has managed multiple roles in the SHSTC productions including playing Francis Nurse in “The Crucible” and the Radio Announcer in “The Bad Seed” among a few. Additionally, he is the Secretary of Troupe 3266 and also plays the character of Chad in Scene 5 the “Almost, Maine” play.

The entire cast and crew have sacrificed immense time and effort to ensure the success of the production. Countless hours have been spent building the set, which consists of the stage covered in “snow” that took vast amounts of space foam, according to Reid. Additionally, both Reid and Salomone avidly encourage students to come watch the upcoming play that is very heavily acting based with scenes that speak for themselves.

“It’s really funny and really heart-warming, and generally just a cute show. I really do love this show and the actors have put a lot of work into it. It’s just a very nice romantic comedy that’s a good in-between play in comparison to last year’s ‘Cinderella’ and ‘The Crucible,’” said Salomone. Both Reid and Salomone urge people to attend the showings during the weekend of October 28-30.