Local High School Seniors Featured in FPAC’s Little Women-The Musical 3/12

High school seniors Meghan Dean, Callie Liljeberg, Avery McStay and Catherine Weiss will take the stage as the March sisters in Franklin Performing Arts Company's (FPAC's) production of Little Women-The Musical, to be performed March 11 at 8:00 p.m. and March 12 at 3:00 p.m. The production will be staged at the Franklin Country Club, 672 East Central Street in Franklin. The evening performance will feature a dessert buffet at intermission and the matinee will follow an afternoon tea to be served at 2:15 on Saturday.

Based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women - The Musical takes the audience on a journey back in time to meet the beloved characters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, growing up in Concord, MA during the Civil War. The show debuted on Broadway in 2005 with a beautiful musical score composed by Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein.

Catherine Weiss, 17, of Franklin and a senior at Mount Saint Charles Academy, will portray the role of Jo March in the show. She has studied voice, dance and acting at Franklin School of the Performing Arts (FSPA) for ten years. Catherine is a soloist with the touring ensemble Electric Youth and a member of FSPA's Broadway Ladies.

Avery, McStay, 17, also of Franklin and a senior at Mount Saint Charles Academy, will play the role of Meg March. A student at FSPA for 12 years, Avery also performs with Electric Youth and Broadway Ladies and has appeared as Hope in Anything Goes and Rose in The Secret Garden with FPAC.

Meghan Dean, 18, of Franklin will play the part of Beth March in Little Women. She is a senior at Franklin High School and has been enrolled at FSPA for the past eleven years. Meghan was recently named the 2011 Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts, (formerly Junior Miss) and will compete in the national competition June 23-25 in Mobile, Alabama.

The role of the youngest March sister, Amy, will be portrayed by Callie Liljeberg, 18, of Wrentham. A senior at King Philip High School, she has been a student at FSPA for the past eleven years. An accomplished dancer, she was recently featured as Clara in FPAC's The Nutcracker. Callie is a soloist with Electric Youth and a member of Broadway Ladies.

Little Women features professionals sharing the stage with talented amateurs from the MetroWest area. Shauna Martin of Franklin and a member of the Voice Faculty at FSPA will appear in the role of Marmee. Director, actor and drama instructor at FSPA, Nick Paone of Franklin, will portray Professor Bhaer. Kellie Stamp of Franklin and the FSPA Dance Faculty will appear in the role of Aunt March. Returning to FPAC and joining the cast of Little Women is actress Jamie Dellorco, an alumnus of FSPA.

Pat Dutton, 17, of Franklin will play John Brooke, while members of the ensemble include Emily Dufour, Greg Dutton, and Ali Funkhouser of Franklin; Kaylyn Venuto of Hopkinton; Lindsey White of Mansfield; Amanda Flynn of Plainville; Sasha Gardner of Sharon; and Lindsay Tomas of Wrentham.

Little Women-The Musical is under the direction of Nick Paone, with musical direction by Hallie Wetzell and choreography by Kellie Stamp. Production coordinators are Raye Lynn Mercer and Tracy Lane. Conducted by Wetzell, a professional ensemble of Boston-area musicians provides accompaniment for the musical.
The Franklin Performing Arts Company was founded in 1991 and is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts, with a commitment to live music and a focus on youth development. A distinctive suburban non-profit arts organization, FPAC presents quality performances while offering opportunities for professional artists, amateurs, families and students of the arts to work together in a collaborative and creative environment.

Little Women's Box Office is now open. Tickets for the show, which include a dessert buffet or afternoon tea, are $35.00 for adults and $30.00 for students and seniors. Tickets are available by contacting the FPAC box office at 508-528-2887. Reservations for dinner prior to the Friday performance are available by contacting the Franklin Country Club at 508-528-6110.

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