Two weeks ago, The Maine Masque, the University of Maine’s student lead theatre company, put on “The Glass Menagerie.” I thought it was a stellar production from the acting to the program. I sat down with the director, Owen Hines, a third-year theatre student, to talk about the experience of making the show.
Q – Why did you pick this specific play?
A – Upon revisiting the show, I found that there was so much in the show that really kind of reflected our own time and place. And I found that ultimately at its heart, this is a story about a working class family struggling to both and truly fighting to both survive and exist on their own and also coexist with each other… Thinking about the audience that we have here at UMaine who come to see these shows, I think there’s lots of people and lots of us as students who will be able to relate to Tom’s feeling of feeling like we are kind of stuck.
Q – What, if any, are the creative challenges of putting on a classic that has been done so many times?
A – I think for me, it’s less about wanting to create my own sort of creative stamp on this because that’s going to kind of be there no matter what. Everyone’s personal style comes out. But I think for me, the big thing about working on a classic is looking at: why will this be something that will resonate with people here and now?
Q – How would you describe your process as a director?
A – I think for me, when I sort of think of my job as the director, I kind of think of it as sort of two ways that I can describe it. One of those is sort of like an artistic producer for everyone involved, and really a communicator and an organizer. And then the other way that I can describe it is as a sort of the first audience member in the room and sort of a sculptor or an editor. So whenever I approach a process, like the script is sacred, the script is the foundation that we’re building off of, and everything that we do in the production process and in the rehearsal room is essentially to make that show bigger. I think that a lot of what my job is, is to essentially do no harm and to really bring the beautiful foundation that is laid out in the script to life. To guide that process.
Q – What was it like working with this cast?
A – The cast is absolutely remarkable. All of them: Madeline Hagne, Jojo Morehouse, Joss Worcester and of course, Hope Waterman. They are all just incredible people to work with… I’m still blown away by the performances that they give every time. And it’s like, you know, I’ve had the opportunity to be in the room crafting these performances with them. Another thing that I think is like something that a lot of people in the theater world say, but something that I think is very true, is that casting is 90% of directing. Finding those people who you are going to have a really good working relationship with. And then once you get in the room with those people, you have the whole process of building and sculpting.
Q – What does Maine Masque have in store in the future?
A – We’re choosing the next main masque show at the moment and that’ll be next spring. But there are smaller productions throughout the year, one of which will be “Hamlet,” and they will begin casting in the fall.
