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WOMEN (A New Musical) Music & Lyrics by Book by Premiere Production at
Based on the novel by
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This musical version of LITTLE WOMEN was commissioned by Theatre Orangeville and received its Premiere Production there in December of 2001.The story takes place over a one-year period, from Christmas to Christmas, and is set in New England during the time of the American Civil War.
Costuming will have to reflect time and place, the changing of seasons through the year, and the importance - particularly to Meg - of society's fashion expectations.
The show requires a flexible set that allows for quick transitions between a number of locations, both interiors and exteriors, around the small New England town of Concord.
The acting company requires 10 main characters, plus a small ensemble.
The main characters are:
MARMEE Mother to MEG, JO, BETH and AMY. A compassionate, strong woman who cares deeply about her children and her community. With her husband away serving in the Civil War, and with her family struggling with poverty, she must use every ounce of her strength to live day to day.
MEG (18) The eldest March daughter, struggling to fit into Concord Society despite her family's poverty. She longs for nice dresses, clean gloves and the admiration of SALLY GARDNER.
JO (17) A passionate, determined, strong-willed "tom-boy". Her family means everything to her, and she intends to use every talent she has to keep her family together. She longs to be a writer.
BETH (15) The "heart" of the family. She says little, but her actions speak volumes. She is timid, but that shyness only masks an inner strength. She doesn't ask much, but if only she could play that wonderful piano at the Laurence's next door...
AMY (13) She wants everything, and she'd prefer to have it all right now. Unsatisfied with being the baby of the family, she wants every experience and privilege her sisters have, and a few more as well. A firecracker of a little woman.
AUNT MARCH The matriarch of the family. Widowed, wealthy and willing to try anything to maintain her influence over MARMEE and her girls.
SALLY GARDNER MEG's contemporary and role-model, for better or for worse. She's rich enough to have everything that MEG would love to have, but no amount of money will diminish her sense of superiority or improve her French pronunciation.
"LAURIE" LAURENCE The boy next door. He and JO become best friends, and help each other remain committed to their dreams.
JOHN BROOKE LAURIE's tutor. Slightly shy, slightly awkward, completely entranced with MEG.
MR LAURENCE LAURIE's grandfather and guardian, determined to make LAURIE forget his own dreams and join the family business. His gruff, opinionated exterior hides the inevitable heart of gold.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS (including the placement of the 10 songs on the sample CD)
ACT 1
"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. The four March girls - Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy - are feeling sorry for themselves about being too poor to enjoy Christmas. They speculate that their lives would be better if they could only free themselves of This Family.
Jo attempts to lift their spirits by suggesting that they rehearse her annual Christmas melodrama. That fun, however, is interrupted by the arrival of Aunt March who, to the horror of Marmee and the girls, announces her intention to adopt Beth. Jo defies Aunt March, and determines to support her family with the profits from a new melodrama that she's writing - The Black Bandit.
Through a window in the house next door, Laurie and his tutor Mr Brooke watch the activity in the March home with interest - Laurie particularly watching Jo, Brooke watching Meg. Along with Laurie's grandfather, Mr Laurence, they all three speculate about Those Women Next Door.
Aunt March having made an angry exit, Jo apologizes to Marmee for her outburst. Marmee comforts Jo with some good advice, and decides to give her girls an early Christmas present. She reads them a letter from their father, who is away serving as a chaplain for the North in the Civil War. His letter reminds them how much he misses his Little Women.
The next day, Jo goes to Aunt March to apologize for her behaviour, and to promise to become more of a lady. To Jo's dismay, Aunt March reacts by hiring Jo as a companion in order to help Jo improve herself. Jo can sense that Aunt March is going to be an ongoing test of her character.
Amy and Beth are trying to help Meg prepare for a New Year's Eve party at the Laurence's. Jo's arrival, and her attempts to help Meg prepare, only result in further disaster.
Marmee and the girls go to the Laurence's New Year's Eve party. Beth falls in love with the Laurence grand piano but is severely frightened off by the gruff Mr Laurence. Jo and Laurie finally meet, but when their exuberance gets the best of them they become the object of much laughter and ridicule. They fight back by demonstrating The March March.
The next day, Beth overcomes her shyness long enough to attempt to deliver a basket of food to one of the town's less fortunate families. She is frightened, however, by another appearance of Mr Laurence. He apologizes for his behaviour at the party and tries to convince her to return and use the piano whenever she wishes.
Jo and Laurie get to know each other better, comparing hopes for the future. As convinced as they both are that they may never achieve the lives they long for, they demand of each other that We Can't Forget To Dream.
Jo and Meg have been invited to a night at the theatre, where Jo intends to deliver the play she's been working on. In her attempt to impress Mr Brooke, Meg allows herself to be dressed up "like a doll" and embarrasses herself by drinking too much champagne. Amy, having been told that she is not allowed to join her sisters at the theatre, destroys Jo's play by throwing it in the fire.
ACT 2
During an afternoon of winter skating on the local pond, Jo refuses to accept Amy's apology for the burning of her play. Amy, in trying to catch up with Jo, falls through a patch of thin ice. Only in the nick of time does Jo manage to rescue her.
Beth manages to overcome her shyness to visit Mr Laurence and play the piano there.
The March family learns of the sudden illness of Mr March, and Marmee determines to go to him. She assures her girls that they will survive even this, because each of them has certain strengths that Only A Woman truly has.
In Marmee's absence, the girls work hard to take care of the house and each other. Jo, Meg and Amy all long for a grander future; Beth, however, sees what's wonderful where she is, I'll Come Home.
Beth, in trying to carry on with Marmee's charitable work in the community, catches Scarlet Fever from a dying baby.
Jo and the others try to nurse Beth through her Scarlet Fever in Marmee's absence, but Beth is too weak to fight the disease. Marmee returns to comfort Beth, Seasons, but there is nothing anyone can do. Beth dies.
Everyone is devastated by Beth's death, but they do what they can to carry on with their lives. Jo finds a new maturity, and determines to carry Beth's strengths in herself, Song For Beth.
Jo and Laurie help each other recommit themselves to their dreams. Aunt March is reconciled with Marmee and the girls, and surprises everyone by bringing the recovering Mr March home for Christmas. Meg accepts Mr Brooke's offer of marriage; Jo starts writing in a new and more powerful way; and everyone - despite the difficulties of the last year - look forward to the possibilities of the future, everyone ready for One More Year.
Note: This version of Louisa May Alcott's story follows the March family over a one year period, from Christmas to Christmas, as described in the 23 chapters of the first "Little Women" novel. It does not deal with the story as Alcott continued it in a second March family novel, "Good Wives", which covers the years after Jo left home - including the introduction of Mr Bhaer, Amy's relationship with Laurie, Meg's marriage to Mr Brooke, etc. Although the "Little Women" story is now often accepted to include both the original "Little Women" and the sequel "Good Wives", our adaptation is based primarily on the first book.
| Show Description From Theatre
Orangeville Web-Site
"Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, this new musical
adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel tells the timeless tale of
the four unforgettable March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. With their father
at war and their mother left to raise the family on her own, their struggles
for survival teach an invaluable lesson to each girl. Touched by joy and
adversity, and all that conspires to tear the Marches apart, these “little
women” discover what great love and courage can be found in the bonds of
sisterhood and priceless gift of family." Northern River Music, |
|
The painting is
Tom Thomson (1877-1917) |
Contact us at postmaster@northernriver.com
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