The beloved March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, come alive on the Westmont stage in Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Hamill’s dramatic adaptations are known for giving 19th-century literary characters an evolved sensibility to highlight the gender oppression of the time. Directed by Madeline Fanton, this story of adolescents finding their voices against the backdrop of a changing American culture is a literary classic with a modern twist.
“A hallmark of Kate Hamill’s work is showing women in their full complexity,” says Fanton. In Little Women, the eldest sister, Meg (played by Jordyn Clinton), marries and has children. “In a lot of adaptations, we don’t get to see Meg struggling with motherhood,” says Fanton. “Hamill has written this fantastic monologue in which Meg is talking about the demands of motherhood with no support, which feels very resonant…. It has a fun balance of drama and hysteria.”
Jo (Junia Coe-Renner), the outspoken second-eldest who dreams of becoming a published writer, has an abbreviated arc that culminates before her end-of-book romance. “The focus remains on the bond between the sisters, and Jo’s journey of figuring out who she is on her own terms,” says Fanton. This structural change not only makes Jo’s journey feel more modern, but it’s more faithful to Alcott’s original vision for the novel before publishers pushed for a “happy coupling” for Jo’s character. The show also presents the personality intricacies and quirks of younger sisters Beth (Kieran Williams) and Amy (Haven Prosperi).
Little Women, says Fanton, is concerned with the passing of time. “These characters,” she says, “want to stay kids, but they also want to grow up, and they’re figuring out how to be adults. It’s very resonant for the college community.” See the show at the Porter Theatre February 27–March 8.
For more information, see westmont.edu/watchtheater.
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