What others are saying!
VPA closes with 'Little Women'
By J.J. Harrier
Published on Friday, May 2, 2008 9:18 AM AKDT
WASILLA In a world of mindless cinema and sex driven cable programming, finding tame, elegant and thought provoking material in the entertainment world is like finding the preverbal needle in the haystack. Even in theater, where audiences usually go to escape the drudgery of monotony, originality is often replaced with formula driven garble.
Recently, box office hits of the past have been recreated for the stage in an effort to popularize a flailing entertainment medium.
Movies such as “The Little Mermaid,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Billy Elliot the Musical,” and “Xanadu” were made into Broadway plays with the idea that if they made it on the screen, then it’ll work on stage.
Photo by John Harris/ In The Wings Photography ‘Little Women’ is as modern as Little House on the Prairie, but the universal themes are all there. Directed by Elizabeth Hanson and Marcia Dean Beck, VPA’s interpretation of the lives of the March girls, teenage sisters coming to terms with who they are, may come across as old fashioned and irrelevant to today’s teens, but somehow it works.
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Then there’s “Legally Blonde” and “Cry Baby,” which are playing to packed New York theaters through the summer.
Whoops.
For many, a classic story-line, derived from a timeless piece of literature, is all that is needed to kick start a decent theater experience. Problem is, that experience is hardly felt by the younger generation of today.
Adapting a classic to the stage is one way the Valley Performing Arts will try to familiarize a new generation of theater goers with a story timeless in theme and appeal.
“Little Women,” a play by Peter Clapham, adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, opens tonight at the Valley Performing Arts (VPA) Center in Wasilla.
Directed by Elizabeth Hanson and Marcia Dean Beck, VPA’s interpretation of the lives of the March girls, teenage sisters coming to terms with who they are, may come across as old fashioned and irrelevant to today’s teens, but somehow it works.
In the age of Hannah Montana and American Idol, Hanson and Beck attempt to pull off the impossible: Attract a new, modern audience to their stage with a lengthy three act play, highlighting the importance of family values, feminist equality and creative independence. Where was that remote again?
Alcott’s “Little Women,” published in a very tumultuous 1868, is a story concerning the lives and loves of four sisters growing up during the American Civil War. The book was based on Alcott’s own experiences as a child in Boston and Concord, Mass., along with her three sisters, Amy, Meg, and Beth.
In the play, the 19th century Cosby family goes through a myriad of revelations and trying ordeals during one year’s time, losing their money, family and sense of self in the process.
Romance, illness and sister-to-sister rivalry are key scene stealers in this production, but the undertones of the script, written by Peter Clapham, tell a different story.
Alcott is able to showcase, very subtlety, the overcoming of each March sister’s character defects they’ve acquired in their young years: Meg, her vanity; Jo, a hot temper; Beth, annoying shyness; and Amy, selfishness. They each overcome their flaws through lessons learned the hard way, most of which are kept in check, but still must be worked out in order for them to become future mothers, wives, sisters, and citizens. These are the ornaments of a successful woman in those times.
In the course of the two-plus hour play, relationships are broken and built, while family life is thoroughly examined and truths are told.
“Little Women” is as modern as Little House on the Prairie, but the universal themes are all there.
In true VPA fashion, set, costuming and detailing for “Little Women” are extraordinary.
Jo March (Kaitlyn Miller) is the tomboy of the family who is very outspoken with her passion for writing. Her bold nature often gets her into trouble, but her younger sister Beth (Melody Mileur), helps her become a gentler person.
In one scene, Jo cuts off her long, brown hair (“her one beauty,” as Amy calls it) and sells it to a wig shop to get money for her mother. She learns humility through necessity.
Toting behind Jo in every scene is close friend Laurie (Justin Windish), whose sheepish boy like qualities render him non-threatening for that time. The character of Jo is based on Alcott herself.
Meg March (Cori Schleich) is the eldest sister who is somewhat vain about her looks. She is probably the most responsible, helping run the household in her mother’s absence, and also guards Amy from Jo when they have fights, just like Jo protects Beth. Due to the family’s poverty she must work as a governess for wealthy friends and eventually discovers that true worth does not lie with money.
Meg falls in love with Mr. John Brooke (Michael Bailar), Laurie’s poor tutor.
Bailar, who has been in everything under the VPA sun, delivers on time as usual in this period piece, yet somehow looks bored in many of his scenes.
Beth, the second-youngest sister, is quiet and kind young woman who is an exceptional pianist. She is especially close to Jo, despite their very different personalities. Mileur plays Beth’s docile and shy character with perfection, showing her chronic shyness and, later on, her illness with subtle passion.
Amy March (Alora Zulliger) is the youngest sister who is a talented artist and very occupied with getting her way. She shows great care about her family, but is also “cool, reserved and worldly.” When things do not go her way, her relationship with Jo in particular, her life is strained. Zulliger plays Amy with aggressive energy, showing her slightly spoiled side, throwing tantrums with the best. She will be one to look for in future VPA roles.
Marmee March (Sharon Lasselee) is the girls’ mother and head of the household while her husband (Pete Tomco) is away. She engages in charitable works and attempts to guide her girls’ morals while shaping their characters. In many scenes, she confesses her weak side in the light of being the iron fist of the house.
Lasselee does a wonderful job playing sheepish and overly concerned, as mothers tend to be, but is void of real presence in “Little Women.” Despite her fragile and emotionless undertones, her sense of urgency in the light of her character’s daughters is quite visible.
Hannah Mullet (Jaleen Bloomstrom) is the March family maid of the March family, who is kind, loyal, and lacking in formal education.
Bloomstrom has a number of opportunities in “Little Women” to provide the laughs with her lines and movement, but somehow falls short, due in part to the use of her indescribable accent somewhere between a Carolina twang and Sebastian, the crab from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”
Despite its minor character flaws, “Little Women” is a well produced and exquisitely crafted production When the stage is finally set, Alcott’s feminine vision comes alive in the actors, on the set and invariably in the hearts of the audience.
Both Hanson and Beck said one of the biggest challenges in bringing “Little Women” to life has been keeping the lengthy production alive and thought provoking while showcasing Alcott’s masterpiece honorably.
“This play is about young women who have been raised to be independent, educated and yet lady like and practical,” Hanson said. “That theme is strong in Alcott’s work. This is a period of enlightenment for Alcott and it comes alive in her characters.”
Despite the lack of laughs, action and music, Hanson and Beck said people should come check out “Little Women” and get a feel for a thinking person’s play, one that opens windows of inspiration and memories for moms, daughters and everyone in-between.
“We hope some of that comes across in our modern day audience,” Beck said. “This is a timeless piece that speaks to us today, which is pretty cool.”
“Little Women” premieres tonight at 8 p.m. at the Valley Performing Arts Center in Wasilla. For tickets, visit Valleyperformingarts.org, or call 373-0195.
Contact J.J. Harrier at valleylife@frontiersman.com.
Creating Community Through Theater
by Marcia Dean Beck |
Creating Theater Through Community—these words emphasize the one of the main goals of Valley Performing Arts. Located at 251 Swanson Street, in Wasilla and in its thirty-second season, Valley Performing Arts is community-theater at its best. All of the plays are made possible through community support—from the actors, directors, and stage crews, to the audiences, and sponsors. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott’s famous tale of the March family’s struggles during the Civil War, is this season’s final fare. From an audience perspective, community- theater is at its finest when a well-loved story comes to life.
For the directors, opening night is one of the highlights too. However, the journey to opening night is part of the magic as well. Instead of creating theater through community, we create a community through theater. The journey begins from the moment when the cast is chosen at the highly competitive auditions. (Over seventy young women vied for the four March sisters’ roles). The introductory night, when the cast gathers for the first time for a read-thru of the script, is marked with nervous small talk and silence. Our cast of the March family--Kaitlyn Miller (Jo), Cori Schleich (Meg), Melody Mileur (Beth), and Alora Zulliger (Amy), and Sharon Laselle (Marmee) were relative strangers to one another. Some, like Melody and Kaitlyn, attend the same high school (Colony) and recognize each other’s face yet they had never spoken. Contrastingly, five weeks later, within the walls of the Machetanz Theater, laughter ensues as the stage family tries to perfect their posture by balancing books on their heads. Next, the girls pore over books relating to hair and fashion styles of the Civil War. The stage sisters discover they have more in common than their outstanding Grade Point Averages (3.8 or higher); the acting bug has bitten them all.
Alora, 12, is home schooled through IDEA. She has been in several Valley Performing Arts plays, including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Here’s Love. Alora loves acting, not only because it is fun, but for the friends that she meets. She enjoys playing the spoilt Amy and brings energy and depth to the role.
Melody, who attends Colony High School, is no stranger to performing. An accomplished pianist and vocalist, Melody is active in the Alaska Children’s Choir when not on stage with VPA. Her past stage credits include Oliver! and Scrooge. Melody plays the thoughtful and serene Beth. The character of Beth is also very adept with piano, but Melody states that is where their similarities end. Outgoing, confident, and straightforward, Melody admires some of the quieter traits that Beth possesses.
Kaitlyn, a sophomore at Colony High School, is the play’s only rookie. Encouraged to audition by her brother Eric, who has been in several VPA plays; Kaitlyn was ecstatic when she learned she earned the coveted role of the tomboyish Jo. Straightforward, strong-willed, and enthusiastic, the role is perfect for Kaitlyn.
Cori Schleich plays the eldest March sister, Meg. A freshman at Wasilla High School, Cori is also busy with spring track season. Other plays that Cori has acted in include Cheaper By The Dozen and To Kill A Mockingbird. Meg is brought to life with kindness and compassion.
Sharon Laselle, originally of Enid, Oklahoma, was drawn to the role of Marmee, the mother, because she personally identified with Marmee’s nurturing nature. Sharon also has daughters of her own. Another aspect in which Sharon and Marmee share in common is the role of being a military wife. Sharon’s stage credits include The Miracle Worker and The Diary of Anne Frank. When not at the theater, Sharon is busy with home-schooling and teaching Spanish.
Over one hundred years has passed since the March family’s saga became immortalized in American Fiction. A well-loved story is brought beautifully to life. The journey of watching five strangers from across the Valley become the March family is filled with wonderment. We create theatre though community and yet a community is created through theater. |
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