Review: LITTLE WOMEN at Castle Craig Players

Only a phenomenally performed show can successfully transport the audience, mentally, to another time and place. On Saturday, July 26th, I saw a show that drew me in so strongly that I had to remind myself that I was watching theater and not seeing reality unfold before my eyes! LITTLE WOMEN is an absolute masterpiece as performed by the Castle Craig Players at the Almira F. Stephan Memorial Playhouse in Meriden, CT. With music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and book by Allan Knee, this musical, based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, delivers excellence in an extraordinary way! Ian Galligan brings his directing expertise to this production, with the help of musical director Jill Brunelle and choreographer Brandon Gregorie. The casting is perfect, with all cast members performing their respective roles so well that I forgot that they were acting! It feels as if these cast members had become their characters!

The story is set during Civil Was times, and revolves around a New England family of a mother with four daughters. Their father is off to war and never shown on stage. The daughters, from oldest to youngest are Meg (Emily Pollack), Jo (Hazel Foley), Beth (Kate Stango), and Amy (Lexie Faust).

Meg, as the oldest sister, is loving towards her younger sisters, setting the tone for their dynamics. Jo is the most central protagonist of the characters, an aspiring writer who is not afraid to go graphic with her stories. She is a huge nonconformist, choosing to be herself, rejecting ideas of who society says she should be. This, however, comes across in a positive way, since nonconformity during Civil War times truly was unique. Beth is kind. She is very talented at the piano. Later in the story, Beth is inflicted with scarlet fever, leading to a sweet but sad moment with Jo capped by the song “Some Things Are Meant to Be.” Amy is envious of Jo and can say some nasty things, later accompanied by heartless actions. Nevertheless, Amy’s desire is to patch things up with Jo, which they do, since the four characters have a sisterly bond that is stronger than any of their differences.

The stage chemistry and dynamics between the four actresses who portray the sisters are so tight that I forgot that I was not watching four real sisters! Their modest attire and wholesome sweetness conveyed through their stellar acting makes it easy to also forget that I was watching four modern women act, and not transcending time with a glimpse into the past lives of four real sisters during Civil War times. All four of these actresses have excellent singing voices, whether singing as individuals or harmonizing together.

The sisters’ mother who they refer to as “Marmee” (Erin Campbell) is loving towards her daughters. She sings a moving song called “Here Alone,” regarding how much she misses her husband while he is off at war. Erin Campbell is convincing in every interaction with her character’s daughters, whether she is comforting them or disciplining them. Those five actresses gel so well together, like a real family from Civil War times.

The girls’ Aunt March (Lori Holm) adds a comical presence with her unwavering ideas of the way things should be, another excellent performance by Lori Holm.

The angry neighbor, Mr. Laurence (Bill Rodman) can be scary to the sisters with his anger, but shows that he can also be a generous and kind-hearted person, when he starts singing along as Beth plays the piano.

Laurie (Ben Clouse) meets the sisters and instantly develops a crush on Jo. He later saves Amy’s life. Jo sees Laurie like a brother and expresses that feeling in front of all the sisters who agree. While being seen like a brother is not what a single guy wants to hear from his crush, Laurie still does not realize that his romantic feelings for Jo are unrequited. He proposes and gets not merely rejected, but harshly criticized by Jo for believing that Jo would be willing to marry. You can’t keep a good man down, though. Laurie finds a new love interest, Jo’s youngest sister, Amy, a rather audacious choice. How will Jo feel about that? Will Amy even requite those feelings? Come to the show to find out!

John Brooke (William Moro) is Meg’s love interest. He is clearly mesmerized from the moment he meets her. It is clear by her vocal tones, words, and actions, that she feels the same way right back towards him. He proposes before going off to war, a common strategy of young men in the military, to add insurance that she won’t leave him for someone else during the time he is away at war. How will Meg respond to the proposal? Come to the show to find out!

Jo also catches the eye of Prof. Bhaer (Americo Salvi), a man who likes her writing and makes efforts to try to help her in her desired career as a writer. He eventually communicates his feelings to Jo. How will Jo respond? Come to the show to find out!

All four male performers also bring a lot to the show with their spot-on line delivery! The men also show excellent stage chemistry in their interactions with the women. As a male audience member, I supported all the relationships that came to be, as they all felt right for the respective couples.

The show is enhanced by the accompaniment of a talented live orchestra backstage led by conductor Jill Brunelle who also plays the keyboard. Selah Kwak and Marika Basagoitia play violins. Zack Sears plays cello. The music is moving and performed well.

The set depicts the inside of a house that contains many books. It is utilized ideally in this production.

The story extols family closeness, family unity, and the love between family members. With the family as the backbone of society, it is nice to see a show that reflects the dignity of the family, while depicting wholesome family values in a way that is appropriate for the entire family. Even though the story centers around women, it is also highly entertaining for male audiences.

I highly recommend LITTLE WOMEN which is scheduled to continue to run through August 10, 2025.  For times and tickets, please go to Tickets.