FARMINGTON — The Sandy River Players of Farmington will open its 2011-’12 season with the wildly popular “Almost, Maine” by John Cariani. This play about Maine people written by a Maine author has become one of the 10 most produced plays in the country. Director Robin Lisherness of Strong, explains its popularity: “It’s a play about Maine and Maine people so it’s obviously going to be popular here at home. But “Almost, Maine” is also a play about everyday people in any small town in the world. The themes are completely universal. Anyone can relate to the stories of love and despair and loneliness, and that’s why it’s being staged all over the country, even all over the world. It’s the “Our Town” of modern times.”

The Sandy River Players’ production will open in Alumni Theatre on the University of Maine Farmington campus on Thursday, Nov. 10 and continue through Sunday, Nov.13. Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s performances will have a 7:30 curtain, and the Sunday matinee will begin at 2 p.m.. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and $8 for UMF students.

Director Lisherness says he is proud to bring this play to the Farmington area for the first time, and he is particularly pleased to be presenting it in Alumni Theatre where he made his directing debut with the play “Dracula” when he was a senior language arts major at UMF, 39 years ago. “Alumni has a lot of charm,” he says, “and when audiences walk into the theatre, they are immediately going to feel they are truly in Almost, Maine.” Almost, by the way, is the author’s name for his fictional small town in the heart of Maine’s northern wilderness.

Described as a quirky comedy with some sad touches, Cariani’s play draws material from the playwright’s life in Northern Maine. Though Cariani lives in New York City now, where he has performed on Broadway and for television while continuing to write, his Maine roots are essential to him. Last March he returned to Presque Isle to act in a production of “Almost, Maine” which was a benefit for the University of Maine Presque Isle Theatre.

A cast of 19 actors will tell the stories of the familiar characters who represent the working class of small town Maine. One actor, local musician James Rossi, will provide live music throughout the production, including a moving rendition of “Daisy a Day,” a song made famous by Farmington’s own Jud Strunk. Also featured in the cast are Emily O’Donnell, Stephen Hobbs, Tracy Ann Lord, Nathan Sylvester, Christina Dufour, Shannah Cotton, Ryan Patstone, Leah Douglass, Michael Fraley, Lisa Fraley, Gregory McElvaine, Michael Tedford, Kyle Morison, Margaret Donaghue, Richard Russell, Jade Wells, Matt Buckley, and Amanda Reynolds-Gregg. Many of these cast members are SRP regulars; others are theatre majors at UMF or recent graduates of UMF.

A production crew is headed by assistant to the director and stage manager Karen West. West says that she is having “a wonderful experience working with this script. The scenes are so funny and also so sad at times. And I think the audience is going to be very pleased with the unique staging of this play.” Michael Sayward is head of set construction, no easy task as the play requires nine different locales. Lighting is being designed by UMF student Drew McClain.

For more information, or to make reservations, one can call 779-7084. Advanced sale tickets are available at Devaney, Doak, & Garrett Booksellers.