Little Women

Photos by Jeff and Heather Morris

The March family and friends drink a Christrmas toast.

The Orchard House singers set the mood. (Photo by Bob Eichenberg) Debbie provides keyboard music during the performance.	The Cast (order of speaking) Amy March (Emily Maluski) Beth March (Angela Blair) Jo March (Miranda Miller) Meg March (Kaylla Steadman) Hannah (Cecilia Rinaldi) Mrs. March ("Marmee") (Lynn Hull) Aunt March (Sylvia Abbott) Laurie (Cody Bonds) John Brooke (Mike Ritter) Mr. Laurence (Joe Balding) Mr. March (Bruce Jones) Singers: Laurel Buschle, Nicole Conn, Sarah Labovitz, Jodi MacNeal, Madisen Medley, Hannah Taulbee, Andrea Thompson, Alexandra Van Allen Accompanist: Debbie Campanali

The sisters gather with the faithful Hannah (far rt.) to hear Marmee read a letter from their father who is away at war.	Aunt March makes a surprise visit; Marmee welcomes her.

A young neighbor, Laurie, presents gifts and compliments from his grandfather and guardian, Mr. Laurence.	Beth (far lt.) and Amy (third from lt.) react after Jo (far rt.) accidentally burns off Meg's curls with a curling iron while the two are preparing for the Gardiners' party.

When Meg twists her ankle at the party, the girls are escorted home by Laurie and his tutor, John Brooke.	The younger girls, Beth and Amy, have crept down from bed to hear about the party. Amy wears a clothespin "to improve the shape of my nose."

During a visit, Mr. Laurence (far rt.) enters the parlour and overhears Jo giving Laurie her impression of him: austere and forbidding . . . kind eyes . . . grim mouth . . . tremendous will . . . not so handsome as her own grandfather.	Marmee, Amy, and Meg read a story that Jo has had published in the paper: The Rival Painters (a charming story of the romantic world of art).

Meg attempts to console Amy, who is too young to accompany Jo and Meg to the theatre with Laurie and Mr. Brooke.	Meg restrains Jo from harming Amy who has burned Jo's only copy of her stories.

Hannah, Amy, and Marmee listen as Jo reads a telegram from Washington: "Your husband very ill with fever. Come at once."	Mr. Laurence comforts Marmee and promises to look after the girls while she is away in Washington.

Mr. Brooke touches Meg's hand as he stoops to retrieve a dropped teaspoon.	Jo reveals that the money she has raised for Marmee's trip came from selling her hair.

On the eve of her departure for Washington, Marmee and the girls sing Mr. March's favorite hymn. The piano Beth plays is a gift from Mr. Laurence.	Jo comforts Beth who has just had a neighbor's baby die from scarlet fever while she was holding it.

For her safety, Amy, who has not had the fever, must stay with Aunt March. As Amy dictates, Laurie adds a codicil to her will.	When Beth recovers from her fever, she is brought downstairs. Laurie, her sisters, and Hannah join hands and serenade her with "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

Mr. March has recovered enough to travel, and his surprise arrival reunites the March family.	Aunt March does not approve of Meg's romance with Mr. Brooke and threatens, ". . . that not one penny of my money will ever come to you."

Meg stands up for Mr. Brooke, and they become engaged to marry.	The March family and friends gather to sing "The First Noel."

Return