Tami Tappan Damiano, Jordan Cruz and Katie Roche (Photo by Jason Niedle)
Reviewed by Madison Mellon
Musical Theatre West
Through November 22
RECOMMENDED
Jordan Cruz, Katie Roche, Tami Tappan Damiano, Jenna Lea Rosen and Haven Watts (Photo by Jason Niedle)
Little Women, the musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s groundbreaking novel, survives largely on the strength of its source material. The book is a celebration of sisterly bonds, female independence, and the rejection of restrictive societal norms — themes that remain evergreen and almost painfully relevant today.
Set during and after the Civil War, the story follows the four March sisters—headstrong Jo (Jenna Lea Rosen), romantic Meg (Katie Roche), gentle Beth (Haven Watts), and ambitious Amy (Jordan Cruz)—as they grow up and face the complexities of navigating the world as a woman.
Musical Theatre West’s production captures much of what makes this story beloved. The ensemble’s powerful voices fill the auditorium, while the staging is energetic, fluidly shifting among locations and time periods. Despite a lengthy 90-minute first act and a large cast of characters, the production rarely drags. Unfortunately, where things falter is in the script and the adaptation.
While hardly incompetent, Allan Knee’s book often feels too safe, bordering on pedestrian. Jo is reduced to a spirited tomboy who runs about shouting “Christopher Columbus!” (an exclamation scarcely used in the novel). Other characters similarly feel like thinly sketched versions of their literary counterparts.
The musical also struggles to balance its sprawling narrative. Jo’s relationship with Professor Bhaer (Jonathan von Mering) isn’t established until the truncated second act, making the ending feel like a rushed excuse to marry off each of the sisters and wrap it all up in a pretty bow. Her unique closeness with Beth is barely explored until Beth is dying, which diminishes the potential emotional impact. Even Marmee (Tami Tappan Damiano), despite considerable stage time, remains underwritten beyond her role as the steadfast matriarch holding everything together. Jason Howland’s melodic score suits the material, but many numbers blur together (with exceptions, such as the rousing Act I finale, “Astonishing”).
These shortcomings, however, are hardly the fault of Musical Theatre West’s accomplished production. Rosen is a spitfire Jo, her clear, powerful voice often recalling original Broadway star Sutton Foster. Damiano brings a great deal of gravitas to Marmee, delivering a roof-raising rendition of “Days of Plenty” (even if the song does feel somewhat narratively unearned). Von Mering makes the awkward Professor Bhaer instantly endearing, establishing convincing chemistry with Rosen despite their limited scenes together.
Director/choreographer Cate Caplin confidently navigates the challenge of presenting this intimate story in a cavernous space, for the most part managing to preserve its humanity. The clever scenic design (coordinated by Kevin Clowes) features picture-frame-esque openings that reveal painterly backdrops and shifting locations. Combined with Paul Black’s focused lighting, these elements effectively frame the story’s many vignettes.
Ultimately, Little Women is difficult to endorse wholeheartedly, given its shortcomings as an adaptation. But the material is very well-handled and succeeds in tapping into the warmth, fondness and nostalgia that so many people feel for this story of the March sisters.
Musical Theater West, Carpenter Performing Art Center, 6200 Atherton St. Long Beach. Thurs.-Fri., 7 pm; Sat., 2 pm & 7 pm; Sun., 1 pm; thru Nov. 22. https://musical.org/events/little-women-the-musical/ Runtime: two hours and 4 minutes with an intermission.
