Little Women: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy
Adapted by Sandra Fenichel Asher from the writings of Louisa May Alcott.
Product Code: LA9000
Full-length Play
Comedy | Drama
Cast size: 6 to 7m., 10 to 12w., non-speaking extras if desired.
Livestream and Record & Stream Rights Available
Awards: The Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award
Rights and availability
This title can be licensed and sold throughout the World.
* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.
Synopsis
Louisa May Alcott published Little Women: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, the first volume of her now-classic book, in 1868. That story's instant success prompted the second volume, Little Women: Good Wives. This spritely adaptation, commissioned by DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre of York, Pa., is based on that first volume, along with "The Battle of Beaumanoir," a later Alcott story containing obvious echoes of Jo's penchant for swashbuckling tales and her touching friendship with their neighbor, Laurie. Special attention is given to the imaginative play of the young characters: storytelling, playacting, letter writing, newspaper publishing and other creative endeavors still available to young people today. "…a charming and intelligent adaptation… breathes new life into Louisa May Alcott's beloved story…remarkably faithful to the text." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Notes
Livestream and Record & Stream Rights Available
Details
- Status In stock
- Type of Show Full-length Play
- Product Code LA9000
- Minimum Cast Size 16
- Pages of Dialogue 74
- Min. Royalty Rate $90.00/perf
- Approx. Run Time 110 min
- Staging Area staging.
Categories
- Target Audience Young Audiences | Middle School | High School | College and Adult | Family (all ages) | Senior Adults
- Performing Group Middle School | High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Professional Theatre | TYA
- Genre Comedy | Drama
- ISBN(13) 9781583420584
Customer Reviews
This play had a great cast size and was much more accessible for us as a high school because it didn't encompass the entire, lengthy "Little Women" saga ... It was a huge success for us and outsold any drama we've ever produced!
What a great script. Nice roles for girls. The audience really enjoyed the drama and the humor.
Our 21st-century audience fell in love with this 19th-century family. An excellent show: laughter and tearsÑan exciting and meaningful evening of theatre!
This play is absolutely heartwarming and was delightful to direct. It was a wonderful opportunity to teach my students about researching authenticity. My actors wore authentic dresses, chemises, and pantaloons and loved it!
This show was great to perform at a high-school level. The students loved it, and it contained enough emotional range to give them a real acting challenge. Audiences appreciated the show as well, especially because so many people have read and loved the book.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
There is a wealth of information on the web re: Civil War era life. Reenactment websites were a great resource for costumes. Our backdrop was a simple curtain with the March living room on one panel, the picnic scene on another, and the party on another.
We used a small writing desk as part of the living room set in the March home. We then used a "special" to light it when we wanted to see Jo writing in the garretÑthis eliminated some set changes.
Use the following websites: Abraham's Lady www.abrahamslady.com, Orchard House www.louisamayalcott.org
Using music between scenes as suggested in the script really helped to tie the show together.
Production Map
| Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California HS | San Ramon | CA | 03/20/2025 | 03/21/2025 |
| Estrella Foothills High School | Goodyear | AZ | 04/10/2025 | 04/11/2025 |
| Genesee Christian School | Burton | MI | 04/24/2025 | 04/26/2025 |
Gallery
Little Women: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy - Saint James School, Saint James, MD
Little Women: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy - Take a Bough Productions, Friendship, ME
Also By These Authors
Melissa Graves, Actors Communicating Character, Alexandria, Va.