Embassy Theatre

6 hours ago

Review by Elayne Warren

The Embassy Theatre's production of "Little Women," adapted by Kate Hamill from Louisa May Alcott's novel, opened May 9th. It will run through Sunday, May 18th, with Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM, and Sundays at 2:00PM.

Director Al Hall has assembled his cast from familiar faces and some welcome newcomers. Returning to the Embassy are Skylar Lane who brings exuberant energy to the stage as Jo March; Sophia Young as a delightfully vehement juvenile Amy; Tyler Gilks as the helpful and understanding John Brooks; newly-renamed Denise Gilks as the Marsh's loyal and dependable Hannah; Jack Tabb doubling the statesmanlike Mr. Laurence and the grave Doctor; and veteran Danise Whitlock, who rises to the challenge of playing two wildly different characters — beloved, restrained and wise Marmee AND Aunt March, whom Hamill called "the most gnarled, horrible woman imaginable." Making their Embassy debuts are Julia Rae Jackson as the older, more practical Amy; Reese Tabb playing a nuanced, exquisitely poised Beth; Elizabeth Mudge as Meg, who comes into her own in the second act; Jonah Caudle as Amy's champion and Jo's alter ego, Theodore "Laurie" Laurence; Alex Ritchie in the treble characters of Parrot, Mr. Dashwood, and Robert Marsh; and, new not only to the Embassy but taking her first turn ever on stage, DeBorah Alston as the aristocratic — dare we say, almost snooty — Mrs. Mingott.

Kate Hamill's adaptation provides a contemporary perspective on Alcott's classic story. The play focuses on the lives of the four March sisters: Meg, the romantic and domestic eldest; Jo, a tomboy and ambitious writer; Beth, loving and gentle and the moral center who holds the family together; and Amy, tenacious and artistic. The sisters are raised in genteel poverty by their loving mother, Marmee, in the quiet Massachusetts town of Concord. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, a period of great social and political upheaval, the sister's family experiences the challenges of the time, including their father's absence as a military chaplain and the necessarily changing roles of women who must learn to make their way on their own. They befriend Theodore Lawrence (Laurie), the lonely grandson of a rich old man next door, which results in both households extending mutual support as the relationship develops. As the sisters grapple with the constraints placed on women in the 1860s, they try to reconcile their feelings and desires for independence and romance with their duties and societal expectations. Ultimately, the story is about the girls learning the importance of love, both familial and romantic, as they progress from an innocent, idealized version of love in the safety of their family setting — albeit spiced with occasional conflicts and jealousy -- to a more complex, worldly understanding of it by the end.

Caption, Left to Right: Alex Ritchie (Parrot/Mr. Dashwood/Robert March), Danise Whitlock (Marmee/Aunt March), Jonah Caudle (Laurie), DeBorah Alston (Mrs. Mingott), Jack Tabb (Mr. Laurence/Doctor), Denise Gilks (Hannah), Tyler Gilks (John Brooks)

Sisters: Sophia Young (juvenile Amy), Julia Rae Jackson (older Amy), Reese Tabb (Beth), Skylar Lane (Jo), Elizabeth Mudge (Meg)

Reclining: Al Hall. Photo: Perk Hull ... See MoreSee Less