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LITTLE WOMEN—THE BROADWAY MUSICAL, the remarkable new production based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, is coming to the Palace Theatre at Playhouse Square Center May 9-21, as part of the McDonald Financial Group Broadway Series. The New York Sun calls it “…a Broadway musical for the whole family,” and TIME Magazine describes it as “skillfully adapted…unpretentious and warmhearted.” Headlining the tour direct from Broadway is recording, concert, and theater star Maureen McGovern. McGovern’s portrayal of Marmee, the family matriarch, garnered her a Drama Desk Award nomination and glowing reviews on Broadway. “Superb!” said The Wall Street Journal. “Maureen McGovern, with her strong, vibrant singing and glowing maternal warmth, is a lovely Marmee in every way!” praised The Star-Ledger. McGovern previously starred on Broadway in The Pirates of Penzance, Nine and Three Penny Opera, and in the national tour of The King and I. She appeared in the films The Towering Inferno and Airplane! and also in the DreamWorks animated video Joseph: King of Dreams. A two-time Grammy nominee, her 25 recordings include critically-acclaimed tributes to George Gershwin, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Harold Arlen and the Oscar-winning gold record “The Morning After.” Based on Alcott’s own family experiences, LITTLE WOMEN—THE BROADWAY MUSICAL follows the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America. The beloved story of the March sisters is timeless and deals with issues as relevant today as when it was written. Now, this wonderful narrative has been brought to life as an exhilarating new musical filled with glorious music, dancing, and heart. LITTLE WOMEN—THE BROADWAY MUSICAL is the complete theatrical experience, promising a performance filled with laughter, a lifting of the spirit and, perhaps, even a few tears. Playing the fiery-spirited Jo March is Kate Fisher. Fisher has been seen as Cosette in Les Miserables both on Broadway and with its Third National Tour. The eldest March sister, Meg, is played by Renee Brna, who joins the show after finishing the First National Tour of Oklahoma!. Autumn Hurlbert plays the kind and gentle Beth March; this is her first Broadway tour. Regional theater has seen her in Side Show, She Loves Me, Carousel, and Company. Playing Amy, the youngest of the March girls, is Gwen Hollander. Some of her recent credits include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Fiddler on the Roof and the national tours of Footloose and Titanic. Louisa Flaningam plays crotchety Aunt March. She has been seen as Fastrada in the national tour of Pippin and in the Broadway productions of The Most Happy Fella, Guys and Dolls and The Magic Show. Michael Minarik plays Meg’s love interest John Brooke. He has appeared in the national tours of Urinetown, Phantom of the Opera and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Stephen Patterson plays Laurie, the March sisters’ close friend and neighbor; he joins Little Women from the Broadway and touring production of Les Miserables. Reprising the role he originated on Broadway is Robert Stattel, playing the March’s neighbor Mr. Laurence. He has appeared in over a dozen plays on Broadway, including Philadelphia Here I Come and Sherlock Holmes. Andrew Varela joins the tour from the Broadway production, playing the role of Professor Bhaer. Before Little Women he starred as Jean Valjean in the Broadway cast of Les Miserables. Produced by Ken Gentry, Randall Wreghitt and Dani Davis, LITTLE WOMEN—THE BROADWAY MUSICAL features book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and choreography by Michael Lichtefeld. This creative team must be doing it right—just listen to what The Columbus Dispatch has to say about them: “Allan Knee has faithfully adapted the story about a stoic mother and four daughters struggling to live while the man of the house is away fighting the Civil War, but the condensation shifts the focus more to Jo, Alcott’s tomboyish alter ego. Jason Howland’s tuneful music and Mindi Dickstein’s simple lyrics serve the story and the characters while evoking a homespun 19th century atmosphere that is echoed by Michael Litchfield’s folksy choreography.” The musical is directed by Susan H. Schulman, the Tony Award and Outer Critics Circle Award winner with an extensive and impressive resume (The Sound of Music, The Boys From Syracuse, Allegro, The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd). The Chicago Sun-Times found the touring production of LITTLE WOMEN – THE BROADWAY MUSICAL “…sensitively directed by Susan H. Schulman, with many of the trademarks of her earlier hit The Secret Garden.” Perhaps the South Florida Sun-Sentinel puts it best: “The Broadway musical LITTLE WOMEN is carving a niche for itself on a national tour. It is sprinkled throughout with affecting moments that please, sadden or tickle the heart. If it were a book, it might be called a good read. Of course, it is a book as well. One could say that its transformation to musical theater…is a success!” LITTLE WOMEN—THE BROADWAY MUSICAL SYNOPSIS Act One Reminiscing on those days, Jo reflects on her life years earlier, and we venture back to the March family attic of two years previous. Jo is rehearsing her sisters in her new Christmas play. Each sister is trying to find something to be happy about that Christmas; it is difficult with their father away serving in the Civil War, and there is no money for gifts or a Christmas tree. Jo promises that they will no longer want for anything once she is a successful writer, and they will all realize OUR FINEST DREAMS. As Jo runs off to fulfill one of those dreams, Marmee, the loving, devoted mother to the March girls, comes home with a letter from their father. As she reads the letter, she reflects on how her life is HERE ALONE. To help remedy the family’s dire straits, Jo has begun helping her Aunt March. Her aunt worries that Jo is not the lady she needs to be to take her place in proper society. Jo would like to tell Aunt March just what she thinks of society, but Aunt March offers to take Jo with her to Europe—if Jo can change her ways. “COULD YOU?” she asks. Jo answers that she could change if she wanted to. Time passes, and older sister Meg has one of her dreams realized: she and Jo are invited to a Valentine’s Ball. While younger sister Beth is happy for them, the youngest, Amy, is jealous. Meg worries what to say to potential suitors. “I’D BE DELIGHTED” is what Marmee suggests. When the glamorous evening arrives, Amy tries to go in Jo’s place. When Marmee won’t allow her, Amy demonstrates her unhappiness by burning Jo’s manuscripts. At the ball, Jo and Meg run into their neighbor Laurie, who is accompanied by his tutor Mr. Brooke. Meg is soon smitten by Mr. Brooke, and they leave to dance. Laurie professes his need for friends, and soon he asks Jo to TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. His good nature wins Jo over, and she agrees to take that chance. After the ball, Amy’s jealousy spurs a fight with Jo. Marmee intervenes and scolds Amy for her actions. Jo is still getting over the sting of her row with Amy as she starts to express her feelings through her writing. Time passes, and we find Laurie inviting the sisters to a skating race. Beth offers her skates to Amy, as Amy has outgrown her own. Intent upon staying in the house while the others go skating, Beth sits at the piano, out of tune as it is. Grumpy Mr. Laurence, looking for his grandson, comes upon her musical attempts. She soon softens his hard heart, and the find themselves playing a duet OFF TO MASSACHUSETTS. He leaves, but not before inviting Beth to come play his in-tune grand piano next door. Coming in from skating, we see that Amy has fallen through the ice and was rescued by Laurie. Having faced this life or death situation, Jo and Amy resolve their differences, and Jo swears Laurie in as an honorary member of the March family, officially making them FIVE FOREVER. Marmee receives word that her husband is ill, and she makes plans to go to Washington to tend to him; however, she is short on funds. Jo saves the day, coming up with money to pay her fare. Marmee is barely gone when Aunt March and Jo have a heated exchange, and Aunt March withdraws her offer of the European trip. Instead, she turns her focus on Amy, to make her into the model society lady that she wished Jo had become. Before Jo can settle the matter, Mr. Brooke comes in to announce his enlistment in the Union Army, and to ask for Meg’s hand in marriage so he can be MORE THAN I AM. All of this seems so sudden to Jo, who questions Meg’s loyalty to the family; after all, they had sworn to remain together forever. Jo’s world is starting to change significantly. A few weeks later while visiting Jo in her attic, Laurie presents news and a declaration. The news: With Mr. Brooke at war, he is headed to college in Boston. The declaration: He is in love with Jo, and wants to marry her! All this is too much for Jo. She refuses his advances, sends him away, and questions her future. She dreams of moving to New York City, but wonders if she will be able to find her way without her sisters or her best friend. As Act One ends, she vows her life will be ASTONISHING, no matter what! Act Two Once Jo comes down to earth, Mrs. Kirk remembers the telegram: Beth is gravely ill. Jo packs to leave New York immediately, hastily makes her goodbyes, and heads for Concord, Massachusetts. Back in Concord, Mr. Laurence has his own plan to make Beth well: he moves his piano into the March home. Beth and the family are overwhelmed by his generosity, and soon all join in another rendition of OFF TO MASSACHUSETTS. Jo makes plans to take Beth and Marmee to Cape Cod, and she sends a note to Professor Bhaer explaining her plans to him. She asks him what’s new in New York. He tries over and over, but just can’t quite find the way to tell her HOW I AM. On Cape Cod Jo splurges her meager earnings on her mother and sister. Everyone puts up a brave front concerning Beth’s health, but Jo and Beth privately admit to one another that SOME THINGS ARE MEANT TO BE. Back in Concord, Amy and Aunt March return from Europe. Much has changed. Meg is now a mother, Jo is now a published writer, and Beth has died. Things are different for Amy, too: she is engaged to Laurie, who consoled her in Europe when Beth died. Together they break the news to Jo; after all, it was THE MOST AMAZING THING. Later, Jo asks Marmee how she has been able to handle the loss of Beth. Simply, Marmee insists Beth will always be with them, and that Jo, too, will find she has DAYS OF PLENTY. Jo takes in what her mother has said and finally sees how she can go on—and how she can keep Beth’s memory alive. Jo begins work on what is to become her greatest achievement: Little Women. THE FIRE WITHIN ME fills her attic and her heart, as she brings her family to life on paper. The day of Amy and Laurie’s wedding arrives. Jo and Aunt March finally resolve their differences, and Aunt March promises to leave her house to Jo, with the suggestion that Jo open a school. Her generosity touches Jo in ways she never expected. All of a sudden, a confused Professor Bhaer enters, looking for Jo. He apologizes for arriving on Amy and Laurie’s wedding day, but he brings good news: Jo’s manuscript has been bought—she is finally a novelist! He also has a declaration to make: He bought a kite! However, from this point on, he also proceeds to pour his heart out to Jo, and tells her how he’s finally ready to share his SMALL UMBRELLA IN THE RAIN. Jo, always skeptical, questions their chances. Theirs would be a new kind of relationship for a new world. Could it work? Could it possibly work? SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DREAM just might provide the answer.
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