Original play `Comics’ focuses on Franco-American duality

In the play “Comics,” the lead character has two names and is played by two actors, both of whom are onstage throughout the play. Theresa-Therese works in a mental health center where she screens clients to find out which ones are crazy and which ones are sane. It is a “screening” she does with her own thoughts, too. But Theresa-Therese has another duality that looms large in her life. Raised in a Franco-American household in Maine, she “has an American head and a French heart.”

The journey she takes into her split identity sets the stage for “Comics,” written by Lewiston native Lorraine St. Pierre and being performed this weekend at the University of Maine. The play is based on St. Pierre’s novel of the same title, and adapted, as well as directed by UM speech communication professor Eric Peterson.

“The thing that interests me about Franco-American culture is the duality of life,” said St. Pierre, who has worked as a psychiatric social worker, and based the play on her work experience. “A person who is crazy lives in two worlds. That person lives in the world of hallucinations and in the reality of you and I. Franco-Americans live in the world of their home, and in the masked world.”

St. Pierre came to the University of Maine in 1990 as artist-in-residence at the Franco-American Centre on campus. She hadn’t thought of herself as a “Franco artist” before that time.

In fact, after a class on Franco-American literature, St. Pierre had left the room questioning the value of her Franco-American ethnicity. The questions were addressed in her yearlong appointment, and in the writing of “Comics,” which she called a bittersweet look at her hometown.

“What I understood during the year of being a Franco-American artist was that it’s a very important part of me — a part of my soul, and of my ancestors. Being Franco is not always easy, but it’s interesting. To be sure, it has helped my work tremendously to come here and be a Franco artist.”

When St. Pierre’s year as a visiting artist ended, she decided to begin a graduate program in creative writing at UM. She also began taking French classes to regain fluency in the language she grew up speaking. She noticed that in after-class discussions, the professor always reverted to speaking in English whenever St. Pierre spoke with her. So, St. Pierre asked the professor to use French when they spoke.

“Afterwards, I realized I asked her to be my friend because I only speak French with my friends. With French, I am more at ease, more playful, more joyous.”

St. Pierre is currently working on another novel, called “53,” and plans to leave Maine next year to go to graduate school in New York.

“Comics,” by Lorraine St. Pierre, will be performed 8 p.m. Nov. 12-14, and 2 p.m. Nov. 15 in the Pavilion Theatre at the University of Maine. A reception for Lorraine St. Pierre will be held following the opening-night performance. For tickets, call 581-1755.