1. This Family (Emily Betts, Courtenay Betts, Julia Pagel, Christina Pagel)
2. Only A Woman (Julain Molnar) 
3. Those Women Next Door (Michael Therriault, Geoff Lacny, Jim Betts)
4. I'll Come Home (Courtenay Betts) 
5. The March March (Tracy Michailidis, Michael Therriault) 
6. Little Women (Julain Molnar)
7. We Can't Forget To Dream (Tracy Michailidis, Michael Therriault)
8. Seasons (Julain Molnar)
9. Song For Beth (Tracy Michailidis)
10. One More Year (Jim Betts)

The Musicians
Bob Ashley - Piano
Bob Hewus - Bass

Recording Produced by Paul Mills at Quest Studios

Northern River Music NRM001

Show Description From Theatre Orangeville Web-Site

"Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, this new musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcottís 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 ìlittle womenî discover what great love and courage can be found in the bonds of sisterhood and priceless gift of family."

A Note About This Recording

When Nancy and I set out to write our musical adaptation of "Little Women", it was important to us to try to create a piece that was not only true to the power of the original novel but that also provided significant dramatic and musical opportunities to talented young women.  Eventually, we would love to see a version of our show done where everyone in the cast is the same age as the characters they're playing. 

That's one reason why we've opened this CD with a version of "This Family" (the opening number of the show) sung by four talented young singers who are 1) all pretty much the same ages as the four March girls at the beginning of Louisa May Alcott's novel and 2) all sisters.  These four girls have been playing, singing, performing and growing up together for most of their lives.  They did the first public performance of any of the material from the show, and I think their performance of "This Family" captures the spirit of what Nancy and I hope our treatment of "Little Women" can be.

Our thanks, too, to the members of the original Theatre Orangeville company of the show for appearing on this recording.  This isn't a complete Original Cast Recording - only 10 of the 20 songs written for the original production are represented here - but we're excited that many of the numbers are sung by the first performers to sing them onstage.

Thank you to everyone who made this recording possible, to Theatre Orangeville for commissioning the show, and especially to Ariel Rogers for her faith in me and this project.

I hope you enjoy our "Little Women".

Jim Betts
November, 2001

Credits:

Members Of The Original Theatre Orangeville Company, December 2001

Bob Ashley, Musical Director and Pianist
Bob Hewus, Bass

Julain Molnar as Marmee
Michael Therriault as Laurie
Tracy Michailidis as Jo
Geoff Lacny as Mister Brooke
Courtenay Betts as Beth

Executive Producer: Jim Betts
Producer: Paul Mills
Recorded at Quest Studios by Paul LaChapelle
Mixed and Mastered at The Millstream by Paul Mills

Cover Art: Mary Jane Gerber (Detail from Theatre Orangeville Poster 2001)
Cover Graphics: Marian Hodgson Type & Images, Orangeville

This Musical Version of Little Women was commissioned by Theatre Orangeville
Artistic Director: David Nairn
General Manager: Cathy Reid

Thanks to Cathy Knights, Martha Pagel, Theatre Orangeville

Very Special Thanks to Ariel Rogers

Northern River Music, 
25 Ambleside Ave., 
Toronto, ON. 
M8Z 2H5
www.northernriver.com
(416) 259-5910

NRM 001