Review: Interaction Between Characters Brings Life To 'Little Women'
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
What works best in Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts’ production of “Little Women” the musical is the realistic, emotional interactions between the characters. There’s anger and jealousy between sisters Amy (Laura Plyler) and Jo March (Elaine Cotter) that anyone with a sibling can relate to easily. Love comes in big doses like when Laurie (Keaton Eckhoff) expresses his feelings for Jo, but there’s also rejection when she tells him flat out no. And there’s sorrow like when Beth (Allison Schiller) knows she is dying and has a special moment at Cape Cod with Jo. It is because the actors are so strong with their emotional acting performances in the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts’ production that you wish “Little Women” wasn’t a musical at all but a straight-up play. Definitely, there are some songs that are lovely, like “Somethings are Meant to Be” by Jo and Beth in Act II. And it’s not a question of ability, as every actor on stage has the vocal talent. It’s simply that “Little Women” would work much better without music, save Beth and her love for playing the piano. Obviously, the actors still act while singing with their movements, gestures and so forth – and some of the songs do advance the story a bit – but the songs still feel unnecessary to getting “Little Women” onto the stage. I will note that the musical did receive a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Orchestrations. The musical, based on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved book, is set during the Civil War. It makes very few references to that war, and with such a contemporary feel from the music, it could be set during any time a war has gone on. Just change the costumes, hair and set and a few lines in the show and you can move it to World War I or II, Vietnam or even Desert Storm. But if you focus more on the relationships told in the story, and the interactions between the characters, then it’s easy to see why Alcott is such a beloved writer, especially for women. Based on her own life, she put her heart and soul into the book and the characters feel real because of that. As Jo, Cotter really grows from a tomboy who loves to write to a writer who realizes that even though she and her sisters have grown apart, they will always be together in their hearts. This season, Cotter played Hippolyta in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” among some other smaller roles in other shows, but she finally gets to shine in “Little Women” and she brings life to Jo. If she’s angry, you feel her thunder; if she’s upset, you feel her sorrow. Other women who have played Jo have included Katharine Hepburn in the 1933 film version and Winona Ryder in the 1994 film. Cotter brings just as much fiery passion to the role of Jo as they did. Amy is the youngest of the four sisters and the bratty one of them. Especially when in confrontation with Jo, Plyler really lets her inner spoiled child out. It’s exciting to watch Cotter and Plyler go at it as their characters. Audiences may last remember Plyler as Hermia in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Her character was a bit more mature in Shakespeare’s play, so it’s interesting to see how much Plyler can change to become such a different character in “Little Women,” who isn’t as grown up. Meg (Ellen Jenders) is the romantic one of the sisters who ends up marrying John Brooke (Danny Burgos), Laurie’s tutor. If you saw “The Addams Family” – a show that became a musical that works – you quickly will remember how well Jenders and Burgos did as Morticia and Gomez in that show. Though their characters’ relationship in the musical of “Little Women” doesn’t feel like it’s explored enough, Jenders and Burgos definitely have chemistry on stage together. If there’s a musical out there about Bonnie & Clyde, I bet Jenders and Burgos would be exceptional in the lead roles. Another character in “Little Women” who could use more stage time thanks to the performance of the actress playing her is Aunt March. In that role, Kristen Yasenchak comes across almost as wicked as her role of Ursula in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” the musical. Yasenchak could probably play the “good” characters in a show, but she’s so much better at playing the villains. When she comes on stage as Aunt March – you better watch out, she’s about to criticize you, humiliate you or just beat you down with her words alone. I love her devilish performances. The incomparable Kira Lace Hawkins again plays the role of a mother. In “Little Women,” she’s Marmee, the mother of four daughters and whose husband is off serving as chaplain to the soldiers fighting the Civil War. She’s strong but loving, supportive and understanding – and Hawkins never fails to make audiences feel that from her character. Jo is a writer and wants to continue to be a writer when she grows up. In the musical, one of Jo’s stories comes to life, providing a story within a story. In the second act, that story gets fleshed out a bit and becomes one of the most interesting parts of the entire show. There’s a damsel in distress, a villain, a troll, a hag and even a knight. It’s definitely a scene worth waiting for in the show. I also want to point out the great costumes in this show. Costume designer Stephen R. Hollenbeck never disappoints as is evident from this show. From the dresses to the hag and Laurie’s attire, Hollenbeck makes the actors look marvelously fabulous. Overall, “Little Women” works best when the actors get to act instead of sing and those are the moments I enjoyed – the heated arguments, the crying in the attic, the glances and embraces. I didn’t leave the theater humming any of the tunes, but I will remember the actors’ performances. My rating (out of four): 3. “Little Women” is on the Wagon Wheel stage through Aug. 22. Tickets are on sale at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts or can be purchased online at wagonwheelcenter.org. The cost of admission is $32 for adults, $24 for seniors, $18 for students and $14 for children up to age 12. Call the box office at 574-267-8041 with any questions. The show is presented by Parkview Warsaw.
