Little Women (musical)

A workshop production was presented at Duke University in February 2001, directed by Nick Corley. This production followed a workshop reading in March–April 2000.^[1] The production next played another workshop at Duke University in October 2004. This version was directed by Susan H. Schulman.^[2]

After 55 previews, the Broadway production ran at the August Wilson Theatre from January 23-May 22, 2005, after 137 performances. It was directed by Susan H. Schulman, with choreography by Michael Lichtefeld, set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Catherine Zuber, and lighting design by Kenneth Posner.^[3][4][5]

The Broadway cast featured Sutton Foster as Jo, Maureen McGovern as Marmee/The Hag, Janet Carroll as Aunt March/Mrs. Kirk, Jenny Powers as Meg/Clarissa, Megan McGinnis as Beth/Rodrigo II, Amy McAlexander as Amy/The Troll, Danny Gurwin as Laurie/Rodrigo, Robert Stattel as Mr. Laurence/ The Knight, Jim Weitzer as Mr. Brooke/ Braxton, and John Hickok as Professor Bhaer.^[5]

A 30-city US tour, with McGovern as Marmee, Kate Fisher as Jo, Renee Brna as Meg, Autumn Hurlbert as Beth, and Gwen Hollander as Amy ran from August 2005 (San Diego, California) through July 2006 (Kennedy Center, Washington, DC).^[6][7][8]

Kookaburra produced the Australian premiere production, which ran at the Seymour Centre, Sydney, from November 2008 through December 2008.^[9] Opera Australia's Stuart Maunder directed, with musical direction by Peter Rutherford. The cast included Kate-Maree Hoolihan^[10] as Jo, Trisha Noble as Marmee, Judi Connelli as Aunt March, Erica Lovell as Amy,^[11] Octavia Barron-Martin as Meg,^[12] Jodie Harris as Beth, Hayden Tee as Professor Bhaer,^[13] Stephen Mahy as Laurie, David Harris as John,^[14] and Philip Hinton as Mr. Laurence.^[15][16]

The show was first seen in Europe in an Austrian production billed as European premiere by Theater im Neukloster, Wiener Neustadt, in 2007 using the German title "Beth und ihre Schwestern" ("Beth and her sisters").^[17][18] The German premiere using the same translation (but "Betty" in the title) was mounted in 2010 by Waldbühne Kloster Oesede [de] in Georgsmarienhütte.^[19] It was brought to the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester in 2017 led by Amie Giselle-Ward in the role of Jo March. Bronagh Lagan directed with musical direction from Rickey Long in a production also billed as the European premiere.

In July 2010 the show made its UK premiere at the Sennheiser Theatre. The cast included Rachel Faith Heath (Jo), Ryan Gibb (Laurie) and Magnus Warness (Professor Bhaer). The show was directed by Emma Higginbottom and musically directed by David Williams.

The musical made its Off West End premiere at the Park Theatre from November through December 2021.^[20][21]

A Dutch production ran during the 2023 Christmas holidays in the DeLaMar West theater in Amsterdam (a dependance of the main DeLaMar theater). It featured Michelle van de Ven as Jo, Lisanne Veeneman as Beth, Natalie Salek as Meg, Sem Gerritsma as Amy, Céline Purcell as Marmee and Wim van den Driessche as Mr Laurence. ^[22]

In September 2023, a production premiered in Buenos Aires. It was in Paseo La Plaza and starred with Macarena Giraldez as Jo. It was the first (official) production of this musical in the Spanish language.

Act I

In 1865, Josephine March (Jo) receives a notice of rejection from another publisher, making it her twenty-second rejection. Jo asks Professor Bhaer, another boarder at Mrs. Kirk's Boarding House, his opinion on her story ("An Operatic Tragedy"). The professor is not entranced by her blood and guts saga. He tells her that he thinks that she can write something better. Jo, taken aback and angry at Bhaer's reaction, asks him what he knows to criticize her and insults him by calling him old. He reacts by saying that he has stated his opinion as she has hers. He leaves. Jo, left alone, wonders what could be "better" than the story she has written. But then she muses that perhaps her writing was better when she was at home in Concord, Massachusetts ("Better").

Two years earlier at her attic-studio, Jo assembles her sisters, Meg, Beth and Amy, to tell them that she will be putting up for a show of her own called the "Operatic Tragedy". The sisters beg Jo to not put it up for a show but Jo convinces them that this play will be a hit and will make for the best Christmas there ever was. ("Our Finest Dreams"). Marmee, their mother, comes in with a letter from Mr. March who is away as a Union Army chaplain in the American Civil War. As she writes a response, she reflects on how hard it is to be the pillar of strength in the March home ("Here Alone").

Aunt March, the wealthy aunt of the March sisters, asks Jo to change from being a tomboy to a model lady of society. She tells Jo of an idle thought to bring her along to Europe. Jo begs to go with her, but Aunt March reasons that she will take her only if she changes. Jo, who has always dreamed of seeing Europe, agrees ("Could You?"). Meanwhile, Meg has one of her own dreams realized: she and Jo are invited to Annie Moffat's Valentine's Day Ball. But on the day of the ball, while the two sisters are rushing around for their finishing touches, Meg announces that she cannot go. She asks Marmee what to say when one of her potential suitors asks her to dance. Marmee tells Meg to just smile and say "I'd be delighted" ("Delighted"). Amy, who cares about society and fine things more than Jo, rushes down in Jo's old ball gown to join them in going to the ball, but Jo stops her, as she is not invited. Spiteful of her sister, Amy burns Jo's manuscript in the fireplace and then happily goes off to bed.

At the ball, Jo accidentally sits on Laurie, who is a neighbor of the Marches' along with his grumpy grandfather, Mr. Laurence. Laurie's tutor, Mr. John Brooke, then comes in and scolds Laurie for not meeting important people, which would make Mr. Laurence furious. Mr. Brooke accidentally takes Meg's dance card, but when he returns it, he finally looks at Meg to see how beautiful she is. Mr. Brooke asks Meg to dance and Meg agrees. Meg and Mr. Brooke are smitten at first sight. Laurie confesses to Jo his need for friends and asks Jo to dance with him. Jo replies that she doesn't dance but Laurie keeps on trying to make an impression ("Take A Chance On Me").

Back at the March's after the ball, Jo and Amy have a confrontation after Jo discovers what Amy has done to her story. Marmee sends Amy off to her bed and apologizes to Jo, but tells her that Amy is just a child and wants to be like her. Jo then rushes up to her attic to rewrite her story ("Better (Reprise)"). Laurie invites Jo to a skating match, which she at first refuses but eventually agrees to. Amy wants to go with them but she already outgrown her pair of skates. Beth, who intends to stay home, offers Amy her old skates.

Beth is sitting at the family's old piano when Mr. Laurence comes in looking for Laurie. Mr. Laurence discovers Beth's talent at the piano and they sing a duet ("Off to Massachusetts"). Jo and Laurie come in from the skating race with Amy in Laurie's arms because she had fallen through the ice while skating. Jo and Amy reconcile, and Jo makes Laurie an honorary member of the March family ("Five Forever").

Marmee receives a letter informing her that her husband has contracted pneumonia and she must go to Washington to be with him. As Marmee prepares to leave and Amy packs her things to stay with Aunt March, Jo returns with money for Marmee to travel, but she confesses that she did not go to Aunt March. She tried to sell her stories in the town common, but she ended up cutting and selling her hair. When Aunt March arrives to pick up Amy, she sees Jo and is furious. Jo has a confrontation with Aunt March, ending with Aunt March cutting her bargain with Jo with taking her to Europe. Aunt March then turns her focus to Amy, molding her to be the society lady that she envisioned for Jo. Mr. Brooke excuses Meg for a while to tell her of his enlistment in the Union Army. He then asks Meg her hand in marriage, and she accepts ("More Than I Am").

Months later, Laurie returns back to Concord and visits Jo, who is happy to see him. Laurie tells her that his grandfather has enlisted him in college and he will be leaving in time for the summer session. Then, Laurie begins to confess his feelings for Jo by kissing her ("Take A Chance On Me (Reprise)"). He put out a ring and tells Jo he loves her. Jo does not accept his marriage proposal and begins to grow upset by his words. He tells her that she will marry, but Jo tells him that she will never marry; Laurie, on the contrary, says she will, but not to him. Jo then ponders her future, which is changing significantly. She vows to find another way to achieve her future ("Astonishing").

Act II

At Mrs. Kirk's boarding house at New York City, she is holding a telegram for Jo from Mrs. March. Jo runs in, looking for the professor. She then realizes that the professor is right in front of her. She tells them her fantastic news: she made her first sale as an author ("The Weekly Volcano Press"). She tells them the story of the sale as well, that thanks to Professor Bhaer's advice, she embellished the story. But the news is disturbed when Jo reads the telegram. She is notified that her sister Beth contracted scarlet fever and immediately packs her bags to return to Concord.

Jo, after a few days, sends a letter to Professor Bhaer, asking him what's new in New York. The professor struggles to write a decent response ("How I Am"). Due to her new earnings, Jo takes Marmee and Beth to Cape Cod. When Marmee leaves to write to her husband, Beth and Jo put together a kite that Jo had got for her and they fly it in the air. As the kite flies in the air, Beth tells Jo that she is not afraid to die, but she says that the hardest part, is leaving Jo ("Some Things Are Meant To Be"). Beth dies soon after.

Amy, who is now a poised and elegant woman, and Aunt March return home from Europe. Laurie also returns home from Europe and sees Jo for the first time in a long time. Jo tells Laurie that she has missed him and that she sold a story and Laurie tells her that she was always meant to "fly on golden wings", he was not. Amy comes back to them and Amy and Laurie struggle to tell Jo of their pending marriage because they do not wish for Jo to be upset ("The Most Amazing Thing").

Jo has been having the hardest time grieving with Beth's death, being unable to write another story. Marmee tells Jo of how she copes with Beth's death: she tells Jo that she cannot be defeated by Beth's death, and that she must move forward for Beth's sake ("Days of Plenty"). Jo reminisces while her sisters are still with her. She finds that her family and friends are themselves astonishing and this encourages her to write her novel, 'Little Women' ("The Fire Within Me").

On the day of Laurie and Amy's wedding, Professor Bhaer comes to Concord to see Jo. Jo is very surprised to see him because she "never thought he would do it." He then proceeds to tell Jo of his feelings for her saying "Though we are not at all alike, you make me feel alive." ("Small Umbrella In The Rain"). He then proposes and Jo accepts his proposal. The professor tells Jo that he sent the manuscript of her novel 'Little Women' to Henry Dashwood, the editor of The Weekly Volcano Press. He tells Jo that the publisher agreed to publish it, and Jo proclaims her happiness. As Marmee comes outside and brings Professor Bhaer in, Jo takes a moment to reflect on her life ("Volcano (Reprise)"). Professor Bhaer then comes back out and says to Jo, "We're all waiting for you." Jo goes to Bhaer, takes his hand, then goes inside the house.

Doubling of roles

The show was written to be performed by a cast of ten who played 18 individual roles.

Women:

• 1 – Jo
• 2 – Marmee, Hag
• 3 – Beth, Rodrigo II
• 4 – Meg, Clarissa
• 5 – Amy, Troll
• 6 – Aunt March, Mrs. Kirk

Men:

• 1 – Professor Bhaer
• 2 – Laurie, Rodrigo
• 3 – Mr. John Brooke, Sir Braxton Prendergast
• 4 – Mr. Laurence, The Knight

In the Operatic Tragedy

Optional Chorus

The script and score include notations for the addition of a chorus to include:

• Dancers at the ball
• Ice-skaters
• Chorus of Hags
• Chorus of Trolls
• Chorus of Monks
• Beachcombers

Note: Better (Reprise), Take A Chance on Me (Reprise), and Off To Massachusetts (Reprise) are excluded from the cast recording.

Reception for the musical was mixed to positive, with praise being aimed at Foster's performance and the musical's score, and criticism for the book and overall pacing of the production.

Ben Brantley, reviewing for The New York Times, wrote "Watching this shorthand account of four sisters growing up poor but honest during the Civil War is like speed reading Alcott's evergreen novel of 1868. You glean the most salient traits of the principal characters, events and moral lessons, but without the shading and detail that made these elements feel true to life in the book...Since the characters do not acquire full personalities, you don't feel emotionally invested in them." He wrote of Sutton Foster: "The slim and supple Ms. Foster has a lot to carry on those twitchy shoulders. If 'Little Women' does develop the following of young girls and their mothers the producers have targeted, it will be largely Ms. Foster's doing."^[5]

The Village Voice reviewer noted "The show itself, similarly, seems lost in the drafty hugeness of the Virginia, where the often charming family scenes are dwarfed by the high proscenium arch (emphasized by the metal scaffolding that frames Derek McLane's otherwise attractive settings). The pity of it is that, between seizures, so much of Little Women's reality has been established. Allan Knee's script offers long passages of astutely condensed Alcott; Jason Howland's pleasant music, inventively orchestrated by Kim Scharnberg, pulls contemporary shapes out of period waltzes, polkas, and quadrilles, bumpily but gamely supported by Mindi Dickstein's uneven lyrics. And the cast, as always, offers many potential rescuers."^[4]

22. https://www.plymouththeatrecompany.com/

• ​Little Women​ at the Internet Broadway Database
• Official website
• Little Women listing production and plot, Guide to Musical Theatre
• Little Women, Music Theatre International website