Louisa May Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN Comes to the City Theatre

City Theatre will present the second production of its 2025/2026 season, the Rolling World Premiere of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Kaja Dunn.

“Lauren’s version of the play highlights the revolutionary and dynamic insistence of these women to live life on their own terms, in the midst of a fractured nation, all while reminding us of the love stories we share with friends, siblings, and partners,” said Kaja Dunn who is making her City Theatre directorial debut. “I’m so excited to finally be able to work in my home city with such an incredible team of actors and designers.”

City Theatre co-commissioned Gunderson to write this new take on a beloved classic in collaboration with Northlight Theatre (Skokie, IL), People’s Light (Malvern, PA), and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley (Palo Alto, CA), an example of how regional nonprofit producers continue to adapt to post-pandemic financial realities while exploring new partnerships that allow for the continued investment in the commissioning of new work for the stage. All four theaters have a history of producing plays by Ms. Gunderson. City Theatre previously produced three Gunderson plays including The Revolutionists (2018), two of the Christmas at Pemberley series plays (2023, 2024), and the streamed production of The Catastrophists during the pandemic. 

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Lauren’s adaptation of this beloved classic to the Southside this holiday season,” shared Artistic Director Clare Drobot. “Under the vision of Director Kaja Dunn, the production features a wonderful cast and creative team, including many familiar Pittsburgh-based artists who will bring this timeless story to life with wonder and heart.”

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women explores the parallel lives of the author’s family and the iconic March sisters – Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy -- in a heartwarming coming of age tale of empowerment, family, resilience – and the creation of an American literary masterpiece, with Alcott herself center stage.

The cast includes Annalisa D’Aguilar, Zanny Laird, Alex Manalo, Nancy McNulty, Nell Murphy, Brenden Peifer, and Juan Rivera Lebron. The creative team includes: scenic design by Anne Mundell, costume design by Hugh Hanson, lighting design by Latrice Lovett, sound design and original composition by Pan-Pan Gou, dramaturgy by Kristi Good. The production is stage managed by Taylor Meszaros. 

City Theatre is partnering with a number of community organizations in conjunction with the production including Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh—South Side, Chatham University’s Women’s Institute, Community Human Services in which we will be supporting their collection drive for the second year in a row, Country Dance and Song Society in which they will be performing at our Greenroom Art & Afterparty event for the third year in a row, Literary Pittsburgh, and Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania. 

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