On Friday, March 16th, the curtain will rise on Jacksonville High School’s production of the classic, Little Women.
Little Women is a musical based on the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott about four sisters from Concord, Massachusetts and the details of their lives from childhood to marriage and even death.
Senior Cathy Colburn stars in the show as Jo March, an aspiring writer with a determined mind and a seemingly hard heart. Juniors Jordin Wyatt and Sydney Holloway, and sophomore Clara Lee portray Jo’s sisters Meg, Amy, and Beth March, respectively.
The show also features Chelsea Achord as Marmee, the mother of the March sisters; Matt Hall as Laurie Laurence, a young man interested in Jo; Nick Pennington-Piene as Professor Bhaer, a scholar and friend to Jo; and Maggie McNeal as Aunt March, the strict and classy aunt of Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth.
Other cast members include Mark Luth, Joe Bye, Katondra Haley, Marie Lockwood, and Kara Pattie. The show is directed by Choral Instructor Christine Smith and her assistant director is English teacher Jennifer Wellhausen.
Little Women is the first musical at JHS to be directed by Mrs. Smith, who says that the entire production has been “very inspiring.”
“This is a classic piece that has gone through six generations, and I think the timelessness and the idea of the power of women and of the family is important and something that is still felt today,” Smith says of the show.
The show is choreographed by junior Sydney Holloway, who also appears in the musical as Amy March. This is Holloway’s first venture into choreography, and she says that the experience has been “nerve-wracking,” but “a lot of fun.”
Colburn will take her final bow on the JHS stage at the end of Saturday’s performance. She has performed in every JHS theatre production since 2009’s Hello, Dolly!
“I love the book and I’ve loved the musical since I first saw it,” Colburn says of the classic work. “To be able to step into this strong character is fantastic, and I just hope that I can leave the same type of impression that she does.”
Little Women performances are Friday, March 16th and Saturday, March 17th at 7:30 in the Jacksonville High School Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door and are $6 for adults and $5 for students.