This Canadian musical version of LITTLE WOMEN
was commissioned by Theatre Orangeville
and received its Premiere Production there in December of 2001.
It was subsequently revived there in 2019.

Available Materials:

Script pdf
Full Piano/Vocal Score pdf
Full Orchestration – Piano, 2nd Keyboard, Bass, Guitar, Violin, Cello, Percussion – plus Full Conductor Score

For 9 actors – 6 Women and 3 Men

There have many other productions of the show, including versions at Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon, The South Simcoe Theatre in Cookstown, The Carousel Theatre in Vancouver, Randolph Academy in Toronto, and The Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia .

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.

Note:
 This version of Louisa May Alcott’s story follows the story 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.

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 9 actors – 6 Women and 3 Men.

(There is also an optional version of the script and score that can be done by larger casts, with an 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 her peers.

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.

“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”.

“This Family” (Julia and Christina Pagel, Courtenay & Emily Betts)

Jo attempts to lift their spirits by suggesting that they rehearse her annual Christmas melodrama.  (“Operatic Tragedy”) 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”.

“Those Women Next Door” (Michael Therriault, Geoff Lacny, Jim Betts)

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”.

“Little Women” (Julain Molnar)

The next day, Jo goes to Aunt March to apologize for her behaviour, and to promise to become more of a lady – iff she can. (“Parts Of Me”) 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 March March” (Tracy Michailidis, Michael Therriault)

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 assure each other that We Can’t Forget To Dream.

“We Can’t Forget To Dream” (Tracy Michailidis, Michael Therriault)

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.

“Only A Woman” (Julain Molnar)

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.

“I’ll Come Home” (Courtenay Betts)

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.

“Seasons” (Julain Molnar)

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.

“Song For Beth” (Tracy Michailidis)

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.

“One More Year” (Julain Molnar)

Production enquiries can be emailed to Jim at
jimbetts@northernriver.com