Mario Ricciardi is no stranger to directing, but he’s used to there being a camera between him and his actors.

This time there’s no camera — just an audience — as the Boardman native directs “Almost, Maine,” the final production in the Youngstown Playhouse’s centennial season. It opens Friday for a two-weekend run in the Moyer Room.

Ricciardi makes commercials with his company Appleridge Productions, and his film “Midwest Sessions” premiered locally last fall.

“When we did the film project, there were a couple actors that helped me out on that that were also board members of the Playhouse,” he said. “I guess they had a good experience, and they asked me, ‘Would you ever consider directing something for the stage?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I’d love to take that on, if you don’t mind me picking you

See Full Page