Musical version of classic novel ‘Little Women’ takes the stage

Young Jo March and her three sisters are visiting campus to recount growing up in Concord, Massachusetts with their mother while their father was away in the Civil War.

Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, “Little Women” was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2005 with the book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein.

Earlier this year, the Oklahoma Christina University theater department chose “Little Women” as the homecoming musical.

“It is really the story of a family and how these girls grow up under very trying circumstances but learn to maintain their love for each other but also to reach for their dreams,” Phil Reagan, associate professor of communications and theater, said. “It has a really good message.”

Reagan, the show’s producer, was a part of the committee that helped choose the musical approximately six months before casting. According to Reagan, all the directors met to discuss the possibilities. Several factors went into this decision.

“This year we would like to do a little bit more intimate show with not quite such a large cast… one of the reasons for choosing was to give our women a chance to perform since last year was mostly a male show,” Reagan said. “We try to balance out the musicals from year to year.”

Typically, the stage director has a large say in the show. However, this year Chad Anderson, the previous director, accepted a new role, leaving the position open as a new director was brought in later in the process.

Peggy Hoshall, an Oklahoma Christian alumna, is filling Anderson’s spot.

“She is just so fun and spunky,” senior Lauren Wheeler, cast member, said. “She is very to the point. She is active in her teaching… we would do a scene and then she would do it until she imagined it and we would repeat it up to a point where we liked it.”

From the change in director, minor changes to the auditioning process also occurred.

“We had to go in with an English Art song [a song written with the intention of being performed], which is a little different, but we had a new director this year and so she wanted to hear us sing more classically because… there’s a little bit more of a classical mix within the singing,” sophomore Andrea Ochoa, cast member, said.

Besides the change in audition music, the students wishing to be in the musical had to submit a professional resume.

Wheeler has performed in a several Oklahoma Christian performances, including three other homecoming musicals and is familiar with the different audition process.

“I’m definitely more comfortable with the audition process now as a super senior than I was freshman year,” Wheeler said. “I was a little intimidated freshman year by some of the older kids.”

Wheeler is portraying the role of Aunt March, a rich, uppity widow who considers herself a member of high society.

This is Ochoa’s second performance at Oklahoma Christian and her first homecoming musical.

“Auditions are incredibly stressful for me, just because they’re kind of scary,” Ochoa said. “Once I get in there and I do my thing, it’s fine. I went in knowing that I wanted a role. I really wanted it.”

Once the initial audition process was held, the actors still had to wait for callbacks before the cast was set.

“They posted the cast list and I started crying because I was so excited that I actually got cast because I wanted to be in it so badly,” Ochoa said.

Ochoa was cast as Beth March, Jo March’s kind-hearted little sister.

“It’s just a fun role… there’s not much change that happens within the role,” Ochoa said. “Beth is a very solid character and it is just kind of fun to embrace that and just go with it because I don’t have to focus on ‘Beth is this here, Beth is this here.’”

After the cast list was posted, rehearsals began. The cast had to learn the music before they were given scripts. The week before opening night, new elements were added nightly.

“Each night they get something new, after the orchestra comes in, they’ll have lights, after that they’ll have microphones and sound, and they’ll have costumes to put on… and make-up,” Reagan said. “Each night they have something big to deal with. And, finally, they’re ready.”

Wheeler said rehearsals, though long, are one of her favorite parts of the musical.

“Rehearsals are some of the most fun times with the musical because you’re not only forming a relationship with your character, but with everyone else in the cast as well. Both their characters and who they are as people,” Wheeler said. “They can be long and daunting, but in general it’s fun… rehearsals are over in the blink of an eye.”

Opening night for “Little Women” was Thursday. Two other performances are on Friday and Saturday both begin at 8 p.m. in Hardeman Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased in the box office or online.

“It’s a great show and we have worked very hard on it,” Wheeler said. ”It’s got wonderful music so make sure you come out and see it because you’re going to regret it if you don’t.”