Rhinebeck Theatre Society Presents LITTLE WOMEN, December 8-23

Rhinebeck Theatre Society presents Little Women December 8-23 at The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck

For over 150 years, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women has been enchanting audiences young and old. Now, Rhinebeck Theatre Society takes a turn with its own adaptation-a play with music for the holidays.

"What we've done is follow the basic storyline and lean on the March family's Christmas celebrations just enough that it feels like a Christmas play," says writer/director Dorothy Luongo. "The scenes are interspersed with traditional carols, hymns, and early American folk songs sung by a small choir, while the script stays as faithful to the original text as possible."

Little Women tells the story of a family of four sisters growing up during and immediately following the Civil War in Concord, Massachusetts. Their father has volunteered as a chaplain with the Union Army, and they find themselves balancing necessary sacrifices with dreams of who they might become in the future. As the story continues, the girls move into adulthood, charting paths as independent women in a changing national landscape. Along the way, they learn about humility, charity, ambition, love, and friendship.

Audience members will recognize the now-iconic characters of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. In RTS's production, they are played respectively by Colleen Kelly, Lauren Silverman, Emily Eichler, and Katie-Beth Anspach. All four young women are seasoned, local actors who take on their roles with joy and purpose. Says Silverman, "Despite how different the March sisters (and the women who play them) might be, a golden thread of unconditional love is abundantly evident. It has been a pleasure for me to learn their hearts on and off stage."

A key theme in the show is the importance of community and how families are sustained by open hearts and giving spirits. This is evident in Rhinebeck Theatre Society's cast of 34, ranging in age from seven to 74! A troupe of musicians plays at a Christmas dance, a wedding, and a Freedmen's Harvest fair, and the scenes follow the girls to New York City and even Paris. The story, as so many good tales do, brings us full circle to home, where memories are made and collected with each passing year.

Little Women runs December 8-23 at The CENTER for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck. Friday and Saturday performances at 8pm and Sunday matinees are at 3pm. Tickets are $27 each with a family four pack available for $100 (2 adults and 2 children). Friday, December 8 is Pay What You Will in an effort to increase accessibility for lower income patrons. The CENTER for Performing Arts is located at 661 Rt. 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. For tickets and more information, visit www.centerforperformingarts.org.