From the Director...
I would like to welcome you to Notre Dame Academy High School’s production of Little Women. When I chose this year’s musical, the first thing people would say was, “They made a musical out of Little Women?”. Truth be told, I said the same exact thing– I didn’t have any idea that it existed either until my Assistant Director, Erin Memmesheimer, brought it to me while brainstorming shows after last year’s hybrid virtual performance of Watch Party: A Review. It seemed to be the exact opposite of our last on-stage production, Smile, back in February of 2020, and in many ways it has been: no giant dance numbers (in fact, barely any ensemble numbers) and a small cast. To be honest, it is a stark contrast to what I usually want, but with all the uncertainty surrounding the unfolding of this school year, I opted for a smaller scale show. I couldn’t be happier for this choice, regardless of the circumstances surrounding it. However, it is not in fact not a small scale production. What is missing in large production numbers is made up for in an elaborate and extensive set, with many set pieces and props donated by Dennis McKeon at Where to Turn. What is missing in impressive large group harmonies are made up for perfectly executed, even more impressive complicated individual harmonies. There is a cast of understudies that are just as extraordinary as the leads. At no point does this show feel lacking, and certainly at no point does it seem “little.”
As we all well know, nothing has been easy the last two years. Trying to get anything accomplished has been a monumental feat, and even while life started to return back to some semblance of normal, new challenges have presented themselves making it even more difficult to schedule and accomplish things of this nature. This production was a massive group effort– every single person involved contributed, taking on new responsibilities and dedicating themselves to whatever was required to make sure this production happened. I am extremely grateful to my cast and crew for their teamwork. Their dedication, initiative, and grace have been inspirational. You know what they say, sometimes when you dream, your dreams come true…
...and did that dream come true, in extraordinary ways. I would like to thank the entire administration and faculty for their cooperation, help & understanding, and many for their direct help. First, I would like to thank our president, Kathryn Jaenicke, for her ongoing support of the arts at Notre Dame Academy. We are absolutely blessed to have you lead and guide us as a school and a community.
