Little Women

In this adaptation four actors in an attic retell Louisa May Alcott's classic novel. Using found objects from across time (balloons, hula hoops, ribbon dancers, and more), the players create scenes of love, loss, and the ever glowing warmth of the March family hearth. Jo goes on a journey of artistic self-discovery and coming of age as she struggles to become the writer she longs to be amid the classic...
In this adaptation four actors in an attic retell Louisa May Alcott's classic novel. Using found objects from across time (balloons, hula hoops, ribbon dancers, and more), the players create scenes of love, loss, and the ever glowing warmth of the March family hearth. Jo goes on a journey of artistic self-discovery and coming of age as she struggles to become the writer she longs to be amid the classic triumphs and troubles of Meg, Beth, Amy, and even Laurie. It is through a sense of play that Jo and her sisters find themselves, spending time in the attic making fairy stories with witches and heroes, or spending an evening reciting the articles written for their beloved imaginary newspaper. It is, however, through the tragedy of losing her sister Beth that Jo finally finds her voice as an artist, and moves into adulthood with the knowledge that while families change and grow apart, the ones we love are always close at heart.
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Little Women

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher:
    6 Dec. 2020
    I went into this play expecting to be intrigued by the idea of how it would be performed with so little scenery and only 4 actors. After reading this I came to the realization that this might be the best Little Women adaptation I've ever come across both on stage and screen. By cutting out characters and scenes, Chrisler is able to really focus on the states of mind of the March sisters. We are able to hear conversations that we miss when the story is bogged down with period aesthetic. This is the Little Women I hope becomes canon.

Character Information

  • Meg/Bhaer
    Any Age,
    Any Race
    ,
    Any femme identifying person
    Meg is the oldest sister. She is invested in being perfect and it is very dysregulating for her when she cannot achieve that. She is a stand-in for Marmee in many ways, and is often the voice of groundedness and reason.

    Bhaer is smart, charming, gentle, and German. He is deeply invested in Jo being the best person she can be.
  • Jo
    Any Age,
    Any Race
    ,
    Any femme identifying person
    Jo is on an artistic journey to see if she can achieve her dream of becoming a writer. She wants nothing else, even if it means taking the wonder of her childhood and family for granted. She is vivacious, stubborn, headstrong, boyish, and confident.
  • Beth/Laurie
    Any Age,
    Any Race
    ,
    Any femme identifying person
    Beth is a middle sister along with Jo. She values home and family more than any of the others. She believes in Jo implicitly. She is a healing spirit for everyone around her.

    Laurie is cocky, spoiled, and utterly charming. He is jocular and smooth with the ladies, but of course, he only really has eyes for Jo.
  • Amy/Brooke
    Any Age,
    Any Race
    ,
    Any femme identifying person
    Amy is the youngest sister. She might come off a little spoiled but only because trying to make herself known and seen amidst all her sisters is difficult. She is precocious and temperamental. She is in love with Laurie.

    Brooke is shy and soft spoken. He values simplicity and education. He is in love with Meg.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    PennySeats Theatre
    ,
    2021
  • Reading
    ,
    One-Off Theatrical Productions
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    First Folio Theatre
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    Ohio University
    ,
    2020
  • Reading
    ,
    First Folio Theatre
    ,
    2019

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Geva Theatre
    ,
    2025
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Acrosstown Repertory Theatre
    ,
    2024
  • Professional
    ,
    Tipping Point Theatre
    ,
    2024
  • Professional
    ,
    Dobama Theatre
    ,
    2023
  • Professional
    ,
    First Folio Theatre
    ,
    2022
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Theatre of Cedar Rapids
    ,
    2021

Awards

Winner
,
Best Non-Musical Production
,
Cleveland Critics Circle Awards
,
2023
Winner
,
Best Director for a Non-Musical
,
Cleveland Critics Circle Awards
,
2023
Winner
,
Best Performer in a Non-Musical
,
Cleveland Critics Circle Awards
,
2023
Selection
,
Kilroys List
,
The Kilroys
,
2020