To my cast, my crew, and everyone who supported this show, whether that was through helping me conceptualize the production, giving me feedback at rehearsals, or simply attending the performance. Many heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you.
Tiffany Garner (Director)
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
The Oldest: Meg March and Anna Alcott Pratt
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| A portrait of Anna Alcott Pratt |
The oldest of the four Alcott sisters was Anna, born in 1831, one year after her parents, Amos and Abigail were married. Anna was followed by Louisa (Jo), Elisabeth (Beth), and May (Amy). By all accounts she was a loving sister and daughter--in fact she seemed to be the family model for Victorian female domesticity.
Anna, of course, was the real-life woman that Meg March was based on.
Much of the characterization we see of Meg can be interpreted as Louisa's representation of her sister, Anna. Which is never going to give us a full and total look at Anna. But we do know that Louisa got a few things spot on.
Louisa (Jo) and Anna really were quite dramatic. They formed a society called the Concord Dramatic Union that would put on plays in the Alcott family's Orchard House. While performing in a play called The Loan of a Lover, Anna fell in love with John Pratt (called John Brooks in Little Women), who later became her husband. They were playing opposite each other.
In her journal, Anna reported her wedding day as the happiest day of her life. She married John in her family's farmhouse parlor. In writing the wedding scene in the book, Louisa actually took no poetic licenses whatsoever! It is a direct account of what happened the day Anna and John wed.
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| Meg (Trini Alvarado) and John's (Eric Stoltz) wedding in Columbia Pictures' 1994 Little Women |
The Alcott's lived under many burdens during their lives, and so the wedding day was a day that was remembered and cherished by all members of the family. A rare day of joy. Here's what Anna had to say about it in her journal:
"I was in a dream, the lovely day, the bright May sunshine streaking in upon the sweet flowers and loving faces, the influence of the kind hearts around me. All seemed so beautiful that although my heart beat fast and the tears came to my eyes, I did not feel like Annie. John looked like an angel, fair, innocent, with such loving eyes that I could not look at them but only held his hand and thought, He is my husband."
I'm looking forward to seeing what new life and sparkle our very own Anna can bring to portraying beloved Meg March.
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| Anna Romney, Meg in BYU's 2014 production of Little Women |
Friday, January 24, 2014
Little Women... Autobiographical fiction?
Hi! Amber here. I'm the dramaturg for Little Women. In other words, I'm the resident nerd. Little Women is the perfect show for me to put my nerdiness to good use because I started studying the Alcott family long before Tiffany asked me to dramaturg her show.
The author of Little Women was an Alcott--probably the most famous of the family--Louisa May Alcott. She wrote her book, Little Women, to be based on her experiences growing up. It's a genre all its own. Autobiographical fiction? It's a two-word contradiction if there ever was one, but that's what I'd call Little Women.
See, Louisa May based all of the principle characters, the March family, on her own Alcott family. And the four March sisters are just semi-fictional representations of the four Alcott girls. Keep watching the blog. In the coming weeks, I'll post a bit about each of the Alcott girls, and explore the similarities between the characters Louisa May created within her well-loved March family and the Alcott girls.
I think that, unbelievably, those March women become even more endearing after you know about the true people from which they sprang. I hope that knowing more about them will change the experience you have when you come to see Little Women at the end of February!
The author of Little Women was an Alcott--probably the most famous of the family--Louisa May Alcott. She wrote her book, Little Women, to be based on her experiences growing up. It's a genre all its own. Autobiographical fiction? It's a two-word contradiction if there ever was one, but that's what I'd call Little Women.
See, Louisa May based all of the principle characters, the March family, on her own Alcott family. And the four March sisters are just semi-fictional representations of the four Alcott girls. Keep watching the blog. In the coming weeks, I'll post a bit about each of the Alcott girls, and explore the similarities between the characters Louisa May created within her well-loved March family and the Alcott girls.
I think that, unbelievably, those March women become even more endearing after you know about the true people from which they sprang. I hope that knowing more about them will change the experience you have when you come to see Little Women at the end of February!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Getting anxious!
Little Women!
My name is Jake and I play the role of Laurie.
Last night we tried on more costumes and discussed hair and makeup. We are all becoming so anxious! It is a BLAST portraying this time period.
The cast is so incredible. Every single member brings something to the table. My favorite song in the show has changed over and over again because everyone really makes it their own. I'm so proud to work with such talented, beautiful, and spiritual people!
Playing with swords is fun, too.
Come see Little Women!
My name is Jake and I play the role of Laurie.
Last night we tried on more costumes and discussed hair and makeup. We are all becoming so anxious! It is a BLAST portraying this time period.
The cast is so incredible. Every single member brings something to the table. My favorite song in the show has changed over and over again because everyone really makes it their own. I'm so proud to work with such talented, beautiful, and spiritual people!
Playing with swords is fun, too.
Come see Little Women!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
About Little Women: A Director's Analysis
The novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is
known as one of the great American novels. Alcott set the piece in her own time and place, even basing the characters loosely on
herself and her sisters. The musical is set in the same time and place –
Concord, Massachusetts in the late 19th century. When the play
begins, Mr. March (whom we never see) is off fighting the civil war. Studying
the play, there are numerous references to this event and the hardships that
the people of the United States faced during that time. The March girls
persevere and do whatever they have to in order to survive in a world that is
too often cruel and unfair.
In all its forms, Little Women is a story of overcoming seemingly impossible odds in the pursuit of your dreams. But we not only see Jo persevere – we see her learn and grow as well. As she matures, she comes to realize what’s most important to her, and once she sets her priorities in order, she is unstoppable. This message is applicable to everyone regardless of what stage of life they might be in. Sometimes, the obstacles we face seem insurmountable, but this production illustrates that when we take control of our life and persevere, anything is possible.
Jo had to overcome physical, emotional, mental, and social barriers in order to achieve her dream, and in the process she found that her dream evolved and was no longer what it used to be. I was intrigued by this process, which we also see in the others sisters and even Marmee, Laurie, and Professor Bhaer – the process of finding yourself through your trials and coming out on top regardless of what is thrown at you. This resonated with me, and made me want to direct this production more than ever before.
In Jo’s story that she sells to the Weekly Volcano Press, an aging knight says to her heroine: “Your fate is in your hands.” At times it may seem that we have no control over what is happening, but we at least always have control over our reactions to events in our life. Though we cannot predict everything that will happen, we are the masters of our own fate. Jo’s story, and those of her sisters, demonstrates this important principle beautifully.
As we persevere and work hard, we will rise victorious.
In all its forms, Little Women is a story of overcoming seemingly impossible odds in the pursuit of your dreams. But we not only see Jo persevere – we see her learn and grow as well. As she matures, she comes to realize what’s most important to her, and once she sets her priorities in order, she is unstoppable. This message is applicable to everyone regardless of what stage of life they might be in. Sometimes, the obstacles we face seem insurmountable, but this production illustrates that when we take control of our life and persevere, anything is possible.
Jo had to overcome physical, emotional, mental, and social barriers in order to achieve her dream, and in the process she found that her dream evolved and was no longer what it used to be. I was intrigued by this process, which we also see in the others sisters and even Marmee, Laurie, and Professor Bhaer – the process of finding yourself through your trials and coming out on top regardless of what is thrown at you. This resonated with me, and made me want to direct this production more than ever before.
In Jo’s story that she sells to the Weekly Volcano Press, an aging knight says to her heroine: “Your fate is in your hands.” At times it may seem that we have no control over what is happening, but we at least always have control over our reactions to events in our life. Though we cannot predict everything that will happen, we are the masters of our own fate. Jo’s story, and those of her sisters, demonstrates this important principle beautifully.
As we persevere and work hard, we will rise victorious.
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