by Linda Chin
‘Little Women, the Musical’ – Book by Allan Knee; Music by Jason Howland, Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein; Based on the classic novel by Massachusetts author Louisa May Alcott. Directed by Nick Vargas; Music Directed by Jon Goldberg; Choreographed by Laurel Conrad. Presented by Wheelock Family Theatre through Feb. 24
In our disposable, highly stratified, screen obsessed culture it’s challenging to find live entertainment with enduring multigenerational appeal. Bringing an eclectic group of friends and neighbors (an eight year-old girl, her grandmother, college students, middle-aged men) to a Saturday night performance of Little Women, the Musical might have engendered complaint, but the show did not disappoint. In the capable hands of director Nick Vargas, musical director Jon Goldberg, choreographer Laurel Conrad and a talented cast of ten professional adult and young adult actors, Wheelock Family Theatre’s production was delightful, engaging and full of heart.
Little Women also succeeds in showing us that “family” is central to Wheelock Family Theatre’s name and identity, organizational culture, and mission – of providing its audiences a shared experience for the whole family and celebrating the diverse range of families found in the world today. The themes of family loyalty, genuine relationships and selfless generosity recur throughout and make for the show’s finest moments.
With the voice of an angel and stage presence of a professional, high school junior Abigail Mack plays the very kind Beth March. Beth helps her cantankerous but kind-hearted neighbor Mr. Laurence rediscover joy after experiencing significant loss. Veteran actor Neil Gustafson’s performance is spot on; he turns Mr. Laurence from a minor into a featured role. Together they perform the piano duet “Off to Massachusetts”. A week later these scenes and song that show the power of empathy and human connection are still stuck in my head.
Similarly, the beautiful tableau of Marmee (Leigh Barrett, who is magnificent) sitting in the wing chair surrounded by her devoted daughters is seared in my memory. While reading the letter from her husband aloud, Marmee shows her great depth and understanding in playing the protective mother; she absorbs her offsprings’ pain of their father’s absence into her own. Barrett is also lovely in the lighter moments of motherhood – her bemused expressions when she catches boys in the house are priceless.
As Laurie, the boy from across the road who becomes increasingly enamored with the warm and spirited March household (and several of the March daughters), Maxwell Seelig lights up the stage. A high school sophomore, Seelig handles the demands of his role with the skill and maturity of a more experienced actor. His character arcs and comedic timing are impressive, and in both song and speech he is a natural storyteller with an old soul. Seelig’s “Take a Chance on Me” is pitch-perfect.
Kira Troilo (Meg) and Dwayne Mitchell (Mr. Brooke) have compiled an impressive list of credits from different Greater Boston stages and though they have performed at WFT before (Troilo in In the Heights and Mitchell in Ragtime) this is the first time they’ve overlapped. The scene when they share their first dance is lovely, and takes you back to the excitement and anticipation of first romance; you can practically see the butterflies.
Sirena Albanian as Jo and Jared Troilo as her tutor Mr. Bhaer bring their extensive talents to the Wheelock stage. A recent college graduate, Little Women is Albanian’s tenth show at Wheelock, and not her first as the leading lady. She plays Jo with energy and effervescence and shows a good acting range as the determined artist and caring sister. Troilo is a very busy sought-after actor who has played featured roles throughout New England, including a terrific Tony in Wheelock’s Billy Elliot in 2017. Their teacher-student interactions were fun, but for me their romantic relationship was not as satisfying. Perhaps their age difference in Little Women seemed too prominent, or perhaps my memory of Troilo’s romantic involvement with Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Albanian as Pippi Longstocking made it difficult for me to suspend my disbelief.
On the Wheelock stage, Gamalia Pharms has played the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins, Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, and Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, and as Aunt March she is again majestic as the heart of the family and community. Pharms plays the perfect balance of soft and stern, and seeing her lovingly set her nieces Amy (an elegant Emilia Tagliani, a ninth grade student) and Jo on the right course made me wish I had the guidance of wise women like her when I was growing up. Speaking of wise women, at the production I attended, three of the four artist-activists who founded the theater in 1981 – Andrea Genser, Susan Kosoff, and Jane Staab (Anthony Hancock is deceased) – were honored for their contributions, possibly for the first time since the theatre became a program of Boston University in June 2018. Kudos to these astonishing women for their selfless generosity, and pioneering a model of theater production and education that cares so deeply about family and community. For more information and tickets, go to: www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org
