Review: LITTLE WOMEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL at The Black Box at The Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center

On Friday, August 21 The Barnplayers opened their production of LITTLE WOMEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL, a show that is not short on talent. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, and with Book by Alan Knee, Music by Jason Howland, and Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein the musical came to life on the stage of the Black Box Theatre at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center in Overland Park.

LITTLE WOMEN, THE BROADWAY MUSICAL opened on Broadway at the Virginia Theatre in January 2005 after 55 reviews. The show ran for 137 performances before closing in May of the same year. In 2005 the musical was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, three nominations for Drama Desk Awards, and a nomination for the Outer Critics Circle Award.

This is the story of four sisters growing up during the Civil War, their hopes and dreams, and for some the hard reality of life, told with entertaining songs. It is also the story of the sisters as they grow, not just in age, but also in personal development. It is a show that will make you laugh, and at times may bring tears to your eyes.

Cara Hampton directs LITTLE WOMEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL, with musical direction by Betsy Jane Bledsoe, and choreography by Rob Reeder. It is the story of the March sisters, Jo the would-be writer living in New York, prim and proper Meg played by Larissa Briley, Beth the second youngest sister who is timid and musical played by Abbey Downs, Amy the youngest of the siblings who is used to getting her way, and their mother Marmee played by Ginger Birch. Other cast members include Kathleen Marx, Zak Smith, Carson Tate, Henry Morgan, and Stan Cole.

Though all the cast members of LITTLE WOMEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL are very talented and have wonderful voices, Miranda Brand as Jo March and Mia Cabrera as Amy stand out as astonishing talents in their vocals, facial expressions, and stage presence. Miranda has a very powerful and beautiful voice and could easily bring joy to an audience, even if she was the only performer on the stage. She also shows true acting skills in her portrayal of Jo, a character she played in LITTLE WOMEN at the Theatre Atchison. Mia gives an outstanding performance as Amy and could have stolen the show had it not been for the phenomenal performance by Miranda. I was fascinated by her performance, especially during her confrontations with Jo.

LITTLE WOMEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL continues at the Black Box Theatre at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center through August 20th. Purchase tickets online at www.thebarnplayers.org.

Photos courtesy of The Barn Players by Vida Bikales

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