Little Women is a timeless classic, a classic I believe will never cease to hold meaning for American women & girls. Whether you grew up with the novel or the movies, there’s something about ourselves we can see in the characters and their story.
There’s Jo, the fearless impassioned creative type who wants so badly to prove her worth to the world. Meg is the oldest sister who paves the way for her younger siblings and must be practical & realistic … but can’t help yearn for the sweet things in life. Sweet Beth who only wants to be home with her dear loved ones but who triumphantly breaks out of her shell for her love of music. Amy wants only the best in life & often focuses too much on the material but always remembers & returns to her family as she realizes they're the most important thing in the world. And Marmee who has the ominous task of raising four girls, encouraging them to maintain their own identities & be the best they can be despite life’s challenges and during the hardest of times.
I grew up with Little Women – the novel & the films. I celebrated my birthday & Christmas with my mother – who we call Mimee from our own fashioning of Marmee – with the release of the 1994 film. I’ve reveled in the excitement of the recent PBS Masterpiece Theatre series -- which is perhaps the truest to the original book. I’ve shared these movies with my own daughter & we're thrilled a new movie version will come out later this year featuring Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan & Meryl Streep.
As a girl growing up in a household dominated by women – mother & sisters – I’ve always felt a draw & kinship to the March girls. There were times of plenty & times of struggle but we always had our little family to rely on. And I find I can relate to each of the March girls in her own right. That’s why Little Women speaks so much to me.
When choosing our first major musical for Out of the Woods, we knew we wanted a show that was female dominated to provide opportunities for & showcase as many of the amazingly talented women in the area as we could. Little Women is that production. My assistant director, my choregrapher & our actresses are all such strong women who bring so much to this show. We love & appreciate the men in our lives but this musical is about the strength & character of women & female empowerment.
From the start, Amy Heitman & I have been committed to merging the classic novel & the newer Broadway musical. We want our audience to be able to recognize the characters & storylines from both genres & enjoy the familiarity of the novel & movies as well as discover the beautiful music of the play. It is our sincere hope you’ll find yourself in one or all of the characters. We hope you feel Jo’s vivaciousness & pursuit of her dreams, Meg’s love & caring, Beth’s devotion to family, Amy’s growth in learning compassion, and Marmee’s strength.
Sincerely,
Nicole Stephens
