Little Women
Written by: Luisa May Alcott & Kevin Cunningham
Directed By: Isaac & Olivia Colyar, Nicholas May, Nektarios Reese
Produced By: Emma Wadsack
Jo (Mary Todd), Meg (Mary Reese), Beth (Franny Phelps), and Amy (Susie Phelps) March are four sisters living with their mother, "Marmee" (Andrea Colyar) and their maid Hanna (Georgia Knowles) in New England. Their father, Mr. March (John Todd) is away serving as a chaplain in the Civil War, and the sisters struggle to support themselves and keep their household running. In the process, they become close friends with their wealthy neighbors, Theodore Lawrence, known as "Laurie" (Matthew Todd) and his grandfather, Mr. Lawrence (Nektarios Bishton), along with Laurie's tutor and soon-to-be soldier John Brooke (Yanni Bishton).
As the girls grow older, each faces her own personal struggles and moral challenges. Jo, our beloved protagonist, must tame her tomboyish ways and learn to be more ladylike while pursuing her ambition to be a great writer. Meg, the oldest, must put aside her love of wealth and finery in order to follow her heart. Beth, the shy one, must conquer her bashfulness, while Amy, the youngest, has to sacrifice her aristocratic pride. The girls are guided in their personal growth by their mother, and by their faith. Throughout their journey they encounter a cast of unique personalities, from the sisters' pompous Aunt March (Lizzy Raynes), to the kind but eccentric Professor Friedrich Bhaer (Gabriel Reese).
Play author Kevin Cunningham exhibits literary mastery in his transition of Little Women to the stage, taking nearly all of the source material directly from the source text and staying true to the characters that originally grasped readers in 1868. He also honors the legacy of Little Women's author, Louisa May Alcott (Olivia Colyar), by allowing her own story of struggle and perseverance to be told alongside that of the March Sisters.
St. Genesius Theatre Troupe thanks all of the patrons who donated to the project this past year, and we hope that you enjoy our spotlight production of Alcott's Little Women!