Little Women
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Little Women

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2022-2023 Season Sponsored by
The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation and The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation

Brian Isaac Phillips, Producing Artistic Director Presents:

by Kate Hamill
Adapted from the novel by Louisa may Alcott
Directed by Jemma Alix Levy

November 11 – December 3, 2022

 

Cast

Beth: Angelique Archer
Mr. Laurence/Robert March/Mr. Dashwood: Geoffrey Warren Barnes II* 
Hannah/Mrs. Mingott/Messenger: Shelley Delaney*
John Brooks/Doctor/Parrot: Justin McCombs* 
Jo March: Elizabeth Chinn Molloy 
Amy March: Emelie O’Hara* 
Laurie: Patrick Earl Phillips* 
Meg: Maggie Lou Rader*
Marmie/Aunt March: Torie Wiggins* 

 

Creative Team

Scenic Designer: Shannon Moore 
Costume Designer: Abbi Howson 
Lighting Designer: Justen N. Locke
Dance Choreographer: Rachel Perin*
Composer: Patrick Earl Phillips*
Sound Designer: Robert Carlton Stimmel 
Properties Designer: Kara Eble Trusty 
Fight & Intimacy Director: Gina Cerimele-Mechley 

 

Production Staff

Scenic Artist/Carpenter: Rebecca Armstrong
Production Manager
: Kate Bindus
 
Production Stage Manager: Brenna Bishop* 
Assistant Stage Manager: Arran Bowen 
Sticher/Draper: Rainy Edwards 
Technical Director: Chris Holloway 
General Technician: Drew Homan 
Costume Shop Manager: Abbi Howson 
Wardrobe Supervisor: Emily Kemmerer 
Scenic Associate/Master Electrician: Justen N. Locke 
Charge Artist: Samantha Reno
Stitcher: Krissy Sneshkoff 
Technical Director: Robert Carlton Stimmel 
Properties Supervisor: Kara Eble Trusty 

 

Check out the virtual version of our print program here!

 

Thank you to our Community Partners Pedal Wagon and Everything Cincy

 

Design Sponsor:

Pete and Ginger Strange

 

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Angelique Archer
Beth

Angelique Archer (3 Seasons) is thrilled to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for a second season! She was last seen in “it’s not a trip it’s a journey” at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Some of her favorite credits with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company include Jane Bennett and Miss de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice and Ophelia in Hamlet. Angelique is a proud graduate of Hamilton College, where she majored in both Theatre and Economics. She also spent a semester in London studying with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. In addition to acting, Angelique is passionate about arts education, intimacy direction, and photography! Check out her website, angeliquearcher.com, for more information about intimacy direction and her hopes of continuing to share stories that showcase underrepresented voices. Special thanks to her family for their continued love and support.

Geoffrey Warren Barnes II*
Mr. Laurence/Robert March/Mr. Dashwood

Geoffrey Warren Barnes II* (he/him) (8 Seasons) is overjoyed to return to CSC for his 8th season. Finally, at last! Credits include The Drunk Santa Xmas Spectacular (video), All the Way, Fences, Macbeth, Twelfth Night with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, After AIDA (joint project with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and Cincinnati Opera), Hands on a Hardbody (Ronald McCowan) at ETC, and Marian: or the True Tale of Robin Hood at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Geoffrey holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Webster University in St. Louis and an MFA in acting from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Thank you to his family, friends, and Katie for their love and encouragement. Be well, stay safe, and get vaccinated!

Shelley Delaney*¹
Hannah/Mrs. Mingott/Messenger

Shelley Delaney (she/her) (Debut) is happy to be working with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for the first time. Regional acting credits include work at McCarter Theatre Center, Bay Street Theater, Geva, Two River Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse, Virginia Stage, Delaware Theater Company, Capital Rep, Victory Gardens, Dorset Theater Festival and many others. New York City credits include La Mama, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Public Theater (Plays in Process), The Ohio, HERE and the Women in Theater Festival: all in premieres of new work. Through spring of 2021, Shelley taught acting at the Ohio University School of Theater (for 19 years), where she also directed 23 productions. She continues to direct professionally. Shelley is a proud member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. With gratitude to Dennis for his support.

¹SAG/AFTRA, National Alliance of Acting Teachers

Justin McCombs*
John Brooks/Doctor/Parrot

Justin McCombs* (he/him) (16 Seasons) is proud to call CSC his artistic home for another season. A company member of over 100 productions for CSC, audiences may remember him from Every Christmas Story Ever Told!, 1984, Macbeth, Othello, Noises Off, Henry V, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The 39 Steps, The Great Gatsby, and The Grapes of Wrath. Justin has appeared on Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s and Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s stages as well as in the Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile opposite Zac Efron. He is the proud husband of local actress and playwright Maggie Lou Rader, to whom he dedicates his season. They live in Cincinnati with three charming, hilarious pets.

Elizabeth Chinn Molloy
Jo

Elizabeth (she/her) (Debut) is beyond thrilled to be making her CSC debut! A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Elizabeth has worked with various theatres throughout the Greater Cincinnati area including the Know Theatre, Falcon Theatre, Concert: Nova, MadCap Puppets, and New Edgecliff Theatre.  Elizabeth is a graduate of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. As always, she would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support and encouragement.

Emelie O’Hara*
Amy

Emelie O’Hara (she/her) (debut) is thrilled to be joining CSC for the first time! Emelie has performed in theatres across America as well as film and television. Some of her favorite roles include Richard in Henry VI Parts 2 & 3 at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Red House Arts Center in New York, and Lady Macbeth at Sierra Repertory in California. Most recently, she appeared as Puck in John De Lancie’s Midsummer Night’s Dream collaboration with the Colorado Music Festival. She would like to extend her gratitude to all the folks at CSC for such a warm welcome and a fantastic experience!

Patrick Earl Phillips*
Laurie

Patrick (he/him) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for another great season. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. His recent CSC credits include Romeo and Juliet (Paris), Comedy of Errors (Second Merchant, Musician), Titus Andronicus (Demetrius) and Twelfth Night (Sebastian). Other credits include productions with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Human Race Theatre Company, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and others. He would like to thank Brian for this opportunity and sends his love and gratitude to his family and friends for their constant support. www.PatrickEPhillips.com

Maggie Lou Rader*²
Meg

Maggie Lou Rader is thrilled to be back on stage at CSC. An Oklahoma native, she attended William Jewell College in Kansas City and then crossed the pond to attend Oxford University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She’s performed regionally and internationally with such theaters as Human Race Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare, Know Theatre, StageOne, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, The Kitchen Theatre, Birmingham Old Rep, and the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Some of her favorite memories on stage have been playing Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, June in the rolling world premiere of Alabaster, Jo March in Little Women, The Pilot in Grounded, and Marie Antoinette in The Revolutionists. She is also a national award-winning playwright of epic plays about epic women. Follow her journey as an actor and writer at www.maggielourader.com. She sends love to her family, husband Justin Lee, and their three fur babies with four eyes between them.

 

² Dramatists Guild

Torie Wiggins*
Marmie/Aunt March

Torie Wiggins* (she/her) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at CSC for another season! Her Cincinnati theatre credits include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Harry and the Thief at Know Theatre of Cincinnati; The Mountaintop, Violet, and His Eye is on The Sparrow at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Mame, Crowns and The Revolutionists at Human Race Theatre Co.; To Kill a Mockingbird at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith and Your Negro Tour Guide. Here at CSC, Torie has had the pleasure of performing in To Kill a Mockingbird, Oliver Twist, A Raisin in the Sun, and Fences. Her greatest role is that of a loving wife to her amazing husband, Aaron, who always supports her.

Jemma Alix Levy
Director

Jemma Alix Levy (Director, 2nd Season) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Washington and Lee University.  She has directed nationally and internationally for over 20 years, including critically acclaimed productions in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and Illinois, where she spent ten years as Artistic Director of Muse of Fire Theatre Company. Jemma received her Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, then graduated from The Juilliard School's directing program, where she studied with JoAnne Akalaitis, Michael Kahn, and Garland Wright.  She also earned a Master’s degree in Humanities from the University of Chicago, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University’s program in association with the American Shakespeare Center. Recent directing work includes a multi-media production of Natsu Onoda Power’s kamishibai adaptation of Thumbelina, Moliere’s Tartuffe at Prague Shakespeare Company, and Miss Holmes at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.  Jemma is also a playwright, and has written two Shakespearean adaptations: Queen Margaret, from the Henry VI tetralogy and Richard III; and Believe None of Us, from Hamlet.  She also adapted Lope de Vega’s Fuenteovejuna, and "Jenny Aloo," a short story by two-time National Book Award nominee Howard Norman.  Before joining the faculty at Washington and Lee, Jemma taught at Webster University's Conservatory of Theater Arts, Wabash College, Roosevelt University Chicago College for the Performing Arts, Mary Baldwin College, and The Brearley School.

Kate Hamill
Playwright
Shannon Moore
Scenic Design
Abbi Howson
Costume Design

Abbi Howson (she/her) (10 Seasons) is so grateful to be back in the Costume Shop making more costumes than masks this season! She holds a BFA from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Favorite designs of hers in her time at CSC include The Elephant Man (2016), The Tempest (2017), and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018). When she's not at the theater, you can most likely find Abbi on her bike around town in search of craft beer. Thanks to Cam for an incredible last 15 years.

Rainy Edwards
Costume Coordination

Rainy Edwards (she/her) (4 Seasons) is from Llano, Texas, and received her MFA in Costume Design at Florida State University. She has been with the company since 2018. Rainy has had the pleasure of designing many shows here including, The Winter’s Tale, Titus Andronicus, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and All The Way, to name a few. Her work has been seen at Utah Shakespeare Festival, The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Triad Stage, and Lexington Children’s Theatre. Rainey is excited to be back and making art with her colleagues and friends. She is forever thankful for the support of Chris and their dog Obi.

Justen N. Locke
Lighting Design

Justen N. Locke (he/him) (7 Seasons) is excited to be returning for his 7th season at CSC. He has had the great pleasure of working at CSC and collaborating on many great productions such as Macbeth, The Diary of Anne Frank, 1984, Othello, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, The Elephant Man, and most recently King Lear. Justen excited to be back and looks forward to seeing all the shows that CSC will produce this season and beyond excited to collaborate on them with such as fantastic artistic team.

Rachel Perin*
Choreography

Rachel Perin (she/her) (4 Seasons) is excited to be back at CSC as a choreographer. Her favorite regional credits include 42nd Street, Damn Yankees, Steel Magnolias, Les Miserables, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, The Odd Couple, Fiddler on the Roof, Sister Act, Fallen Angels, A Funny Thing Happened..., How to Succeed…, The Best Little Whorehouse..., The Will Roger's Follies, Bedroom Farce, Spamalot, Meet Me In St. Louis, I Love a Piano, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Tarzan, Cabaret, Once Upon a Mattress, Sweet Charity, First Date, Godspell, Bells Are Ringing, Young Frankenstein, Awaited, and Lounge at The Edge of Heaven (Asia Tour). Rachel has also served as choreographer to numerous musicals, music videos, concerts, and competitive dance teams around the country. She would love to thank her people…the best people a gal could ask for.

Patrick Earl Phillips*
Composer

Patrick (he/him) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for another great season. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. His recent CSC credits include Romeo and Juliet (Paris), Comedy of Errors (Second Merchant, Musician), Titus Andronicus (Demetrius) and Twelfth Night (Sebastian). Other credits include productions with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Human Race Theatre Company, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and others. He would like to thank Brian for this opportunity and sends his love and gratitude to his family and friends for their constant support. www.PatrickEPhillips.com

Robert Carlton Stimmel
Sound Design

Robert Carlton Stimmel (he/him) (4 Seasons) is thrilled to be returning to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company! He is a Cincinnati area native, hailing from Fairfield, Ohio. After receiving his BA in Theatre at Miami University, he has worked with various theatre including Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Alliance Theatre, Short North Stage, and Tantrum Theatre. In addition to his technician and design work, he is also a performer and producer and is always looking to expand his artistic abilities! Robert is the Artistic Director of Impaired Vision Productions, a local theatre organization that produces new works. He would like to thank his wife Kayla for her constant support of his artistic aspirations and her unconditional love.

Kara Eble Trusty
Properties Design

Kara Eble Trusty (she/her) (3 Seasons) is delighted to be returning to make art with CSC for a second season. A Cincinnati native, she saw her first CSC production at 12 and is amazed that she gets to collaborate with some of the same people that inspired her love of theatre and art at a young age. Kara has worked locally with the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, The Carnegie, and the Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. She would like to thank her friends and family, especially her parents Bob and Sue, for their love, support, and encouragement as she continues down this incredible and irrational artistic path.

Gina Cerimele-Mechley
Fight & Intimacy Director

Gina Cerimele-Mechley (she/her) (27 Seasons) a Cincinnati native, Gina has been involved with CSC since its inception as Fahrenheit Theatre Company. She played the Nurse in their very first production of Romeo and Juliet in 1996. Getting cast in the role again specifically with CSC is a dream come true.  Gina is a 30 year member and one of the few female Certified Teachers with the Society of American Fight Directors. Gina runs the nationally recognized Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy, and she was the first recipient of the CAA’s Arts Educator Award.  Some of her favorite regional credits outside of Cincinnati include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center Theatre Company, and Opera Theatre St. Louis.

I am Jo.  My mom was Jo.  My friends were all Jo.  I strongly suspect my grandmother was Jo.  In fact, every single person I’ve ever talked to who read Little Women in their youth identified with Jo.  Which is ironic, of course, because in Jo’s world, she is the outlier, the one who doesn’t fit in, the one who is somehow intrinsically “different”.

What does that say about us?  What does it say about Jo?  And what does it say about the way things have changed since Louisa May Alcott wrote her book in 1868?  The transition to adulthood is difficult for just about everyone and presumably always has been.  It invariably includes feeling alone, misunderstood, hopelessly out of sync, and just plain “wrong”.  Jo March shares these feelings with us through Louisa May Alcott’s book, and therefore it is difficult not to empathize with her, and to feel seen by her creator.  But all of the sisters are “little women”, girls on the cusp of womanhood.  Each is facing her own fears about what it means to grow up.

When I first read Kate Hamill’s adaptation, I was struck by the differences between her play and the original novel.  And while some of them initially provoked some nostalgia-laced ire, I quickly found that her adaptation made the March sisters feel real to me in a new way: no longer historical children living in a distant and therefore somewhat unimaginable era, but actual teenagers dealing with struggles that felt familiar from my own youth, and that I watch my children and my students face every day.  What is deemed “appropriate” or “adult” behavior has changed since the Civil War, and I think the power of this script is the way the playwright chooses to have her characters fighting against those changed expectations without feeling the need to reset the entire story into a contemporary world.

My wish for you, the audience, is that you see in our Little Women the story Louisa May Alcott wrote, and of which you may or may not have fond memories.  But I also hope you see the real struggles that face today’s youth every day, particularly the struggles to fully embrace themselves without fear and to fight against the injustice they see around them.  I also hope you see the power of love to protect, to nurture, and to sustain them.  As Jo reminds us, this story isn’t a great epic.  It is our story, all of ours.  That’s why it needs to be told. 

- Jemma Alix Levy, Director

 

 

The book Little Women, originally published in 1868, was not seen as a literary masterpiece by its author Louisa May Alcott. Alcott was already a published author, writing gothic thrillers and stories about her experiences in the war. Her publisher encouraged her to write “a girls story,” which Alcott herself was not a fan of, writing in her journal, “I don’t enjoy this sort of thing…Never liked girls or knew many, except my sisters; but our queer plays and experiences may prove interesting, though I doubt it.” (Waxman) But she went ahead with it anyways, writing part one of her novel Little Women. Despite Alcott and her publisher both not being too excited about the novel, it was released and immediately became a smash hit, selling out the first run of 2,000 books in just a few days. The following year Alcott released part two of the book called Good Wives.

The book itself was somewhat based on her own life and family. Alcott was the second of four daughters born to Abigail Alcott and well-known transcendentalist Amos Alcott. “American transcendentalism is essentially a kind of practice by which the world of facts and the categories of common sense are temporarily exchanged for the world of ideas and the categories of imagination.” (Brodrick) In other words, transcendentalists believe that personal intuition should lead you to knowledge rather than reason or empirical evidence. Transcendentalists fought for equal rights for women and the abolition of slavery. This forward-thinking household undoubtedly influenced Louisa and is possibly a big reason Little Women has often been deemed ahead of its time.

Louisa’s sisters are believed to have inspired the March sisters. Her eldest sister Anna inspired Meg. Her sister Elizabeth who passed away before Louisa wrote Little Women, was the inspiration for Beth. And finally, her youngest sister Abigale May was the inspiration for Amy. The sisters have many striking similarities to their book counterparts. Anna, like Meg, married a man named John and was often seen as the most traditionally acceptable woman. Abigale, like Amy, was an aspiring artist who went on to travel through and live in Europe. Elizabeth, like Beth, contracted scarlet fever from a baby she was caring for. She recovered initially, then later passed. While Louisa was very similar to Jo in her constitution and her passion for writing, her ultimate fate was very different. Louisa contracted typhoid pneumonia during the Civil War and never fully regained her strength. Also, unlike Jo, she never married or had children, although the original intention of the novel was to leave Jo unwed as well. However, between the release of the first and second part, fans were so vocal about their hope for Jo to get married that Louisa finally relented. However, she refused to let Jo end up with Laurie, settling her with Professor Bhaer instead.

After the publication of both parts, the combined full novel, known only as Little Women, became an instant classic for people of all ages and genders. Striking a particularly personal cord with young women, “young female readers have deeply identified with one or more of the March sisters, whose distinct personalities gave them individuality, something girls were rarely granted in literature. Generations of girls have wondered, which one am I—Meg, Jo, Beth, or Amy? Which one do I aspire to be? Providing girls with a way to understand themselves as they grew into young women” (Rioux). However, as time passed, Little Women was seen less universally, being deemed “a girls book” and therefore not given its proper place in the classical American literary cannon. At a time when critics were almost exclusively male, those critics “largely ignored it, no doubt feeling, as G. K. Chesterton did in 1907, that, as a man, ‘I am the intruder, . . . and I withdraw.’” (Rioux) This othering of the feminine experience stunted the academic acknowledgment of the book. However, it did not hinder the general population from making it one of the most beloved books in America. Then in the 1930s, the book became part of mainstream American education in high schools nationwide. As it began to be taught in schools and more female critics rose to prominence, people started viewing Little Women as a seminal piece of American and feminist literature.

 

Credit: Colleen Dougherty (Education Associate)

An adaptation is taking an existing story and reimagining it. This can mean turning a book into a movie, a play into a song, a poem into a musical, and so on. Adaptations can often stick pretty closely to their sources’ material, only changing a few details to “breathe new life into a piece,” or they can alter massive details while still “maintaining the heart of the story.” When adapting something, it is important to keep in mind why you are retelling this story. Are you taking an old lesson and showing its contemporary relevance? Are you changing tangible aspects of the story to give a new perspective, i.e., race, gender, setting, etc.? What do you want the audience to think or feel when interacting with this new adaptation that they don’t feel with the original material? An intentional adaptation is a successful adaptation.

Credit: Colleen Dougherty (Education Associate)

This adaptation is explicitly written to be viewed through a contemporary lens. Kate Hamill is not asking you to ignore your assumptions but instead to trust them. In an interview with Broadway Box, Hamill said, “I was really interested in creating the stories of these four women and how they struggle in their gender roles. I want LGBTQ people, but especially kids and teens, to come and see a classic piece and go, ‘You know what, the world has always had people like me. I can be the center of an American classic. This country has always had people like me. There is a place for me, and I don’t have to fit in some heteronormative world.’” (Ferri) Specifically, in regards to Jo, Hamill says she wants Jo’s representation in this adaptation to be one of someone struggling with gender and possibly sexuality. In reference to the relationship between Jo and Laurie, Hamill says, “they’re soulmates, but Jo can’t decide if she wants to be Laurie or be with Laurie.” (Ferri) This interpretation, while fresh, is not entirely revolutionary. Jo has often been the subject of gender and sexuality conversations. Even Louis May Alcott herself has been brought into those conversations. In an 1883 interview, Alcott said, “I am more than half-persuaded that I am a man’s soul put by some freak of nature into a woman’s body...because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man.” (Alberghene)

For years Little Women has been the subject of feminist debate, with people disagreeing on whether or not the book offers aspirational feminist ideas. On the one hand, people think, “For the first time, a life of free choice for women was presented as a possibility in literature. Influencing one of the first waves of feminism, Jo’s character galvanized many women and girls to defy the confining gender roles of American society” (Carpenter). On the other hand, people criticize the book for ending with the women submitting to more traditional roles. Some feminist critiques view the novel as “an elucidation of the painful lessons of repression. Alcott’s novel, in this reading, finally tells its readers that women must learn to repress or redirect their anger, even if their anger is, in the world of the novel, just and reasonable.” (May) Hamill, undoubtedly aware of both interpretations, used her adaptation to redirect the story to a more contemporary feminist outcome. In her version, Jo does not give up writing and get married. While Jo struggles with a lot in this adaptation, there are also many decisions Jo isn’t forced to make in this version. In the play, when Jo makes clear that she can never become a real woman, Marmee tells her that she doesn’t have to be, thereby giving Jo the space to not submit to her repression but rather create a life that circumvents that repression.

Credit: Colleen Dougherty (Education Associate)

Friends of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

We wish to thank the following individuals for their support of the 2022-2023 Season. We are forever grateful. CSC recognizes donors $100 and above in the Donor Roll. This list reflects gifts received July 1, 2022 – November 8, 2022.

We endeavor to recognize correctly all of our supporters. If you see a problem with this list, please accept our apologies and email sara.clark@cincyshakes.com to correct. Thank you.

 

Sarah Aitken

Frank Albi

Dr. Bruce Allen

Lisa Allgoodd

Jeffrey and Karen Anderson

Anonymous (3)

Mary Baskett

John Batchelor

Tim and Lisa Beckelhimer

Chase and Karen Bramwell

Derek D Brancheau

M.C. and Tom Brennan

Vikki Brown

Jubilee Brown

Mr. Otto Budig

Kathleen Cail

Lee and Lisa Clapp

Heather Cole

Kathleen Collins

Mr. Willard H Connor Jr

Cynthia Crilley

Donald and Victoria Daiker

Marjorie E. Davis

Scott Goebel and Emily Detmer-Goebel

David and Kelley Downing

Drunk Santa's Dad

Nikki Drye

Dale Due

Marilyn and Rance Duke

Dr. and Mrs. Stewart Dunsker

Christine Dye

Rick and Melissa Eder

Elizabeth End

Steven Skibo and Susan Esler

Sarah Faulkner

Allyson Fleischer

Michelle Getz

Laura Leigh Hahn, In honor of Annabelle Magruder

Catherine Hamilton Hicks

Daniel J. Hoffheimer

Chris Holloway

Haleigh Hopkins

Brett and Amy Johnson

Steve Kane

Mark and Marcy Kanter

Dr. Robert Keith and Kathleen Thornton

Emily S. Kennedy

Charles Kichler and Nicole Bramesco

Beverly Kinney

Gail and Eric Kirchner

Ms. Linda Klump

The Knuth Family

Chris and Julie Kuhnhein

Stan Ladrick

Robert and Ellie Lamb

Jean and Charles Lauterbach

Mr. David Lazarus

Chandra Linn

Ms Sophia McAllister

JoAnn McCaughan

John McFerran

Darcy McMahon

Patrick and Melissa Melugin

Ted Molinari

Bridee Morris

Kim Morrow

Christine Mulvin

TJ Murphy

Chris Nare and Lori Rappold

Whitney Owens

Sue Ann and Judge Mark Painter

Ms. Taina Pankiewicz

Rick Pender and Joan Kaup

Janet and Tim Peter

Patrick Points and Wijdan Jreisat

Kathy and Mike Rademacher

Mitchell and Karen Rashkin

Kelly Read

Maddie Regan and Brian Lloyd

Mr. Dan Reynolds

Joyce Rich

Catherine R.

James W Roberts

Barbara Norris

Patty Rosely

Mr. Louis Ross

Dr and Mrs Eric Ruby

Jessica Ruebusch

Kimberly Saliba

Jennifer Sauvey

Susan Schapiro

Suzanne M. Schindler

Rosemary and Mark Schlachter

Rich Schultz

Dr. Catherine Shackson

Saira Shahani and Rick Warm

McCready-Shore Family Fund

David Smith

Carol and Annie Sostok

Dr William Spohn and Dr Margaret Dunn

Pete and Ginger Strange

Steve Sullivan

Don and Linda Tecklenburg

Robert and Sue Trusty

James Vachon

Rosalie P. van Nuis

Levy-Wall Family Fund

Carrie Walsh

William Watts

Christine Whittaker and Thane Thompson

Ms. Jo Ann Wieghaus

Dr. H. James Williams and Carole Campbell Williams

Beverly Williams

Leo Yakutis

George and Nancy Yund

Justin Zimmerman

Little Women
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Little Women

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2022-2023 Season Sponsored by
The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation and The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation

Brian Isaac Phillips, Producing Artistic Director Presents:

by Kate Hamill
Adapted from the novel by Louisa may Alcott
Directed by Jemma Alix Levy

November 11 – December 3, 2022

 

Cast

Beth: Angelique Archer
Mr. Laurence/Robert March/Mr. Dashwood: Geoffrey Warren Barnes II* 
Hannah/Mrs. Mingott/Messenger: Shelley Delaney*
John Brooks/Doctor/Parrot: Justin McCombs* 
Jo March: Elizabeth Chinn Molloy 
Amy March: Emelie O’Hara* 
Laurie: Patrick Earl Phillips* 
Meg: Maggie Lou Rader*
Marmie/Aunt March: Torie Wiggins* 

 

Creative Team

Scenic Designer: Shannon Moore 
Costume Designer: Abbi Howson 
Lighting Designer: Justen N. Locke
Dance Choreographer: Rachel Perin*
Composer: Patrick Earl Phillips*
Sound Designer: Robert Carlton Stimmel 
Properties Designer: Kara Eble Trusty 
Fight & Intimacy Director: Gina Cerimele-Mechley 

 

Production Staff

Scenic Artist/Carpenter: Rebecca Armstrong
Production Manager
: Kate Bindus
 
Production Stage Manager: Brenna Bishop* 
Assistant Stage Manager: Arran Bowen 
Sticher/Draper: Rainy Edwards 
Technical Director: Chris Holloway 
General Technician: Drew Homan 
Costume Shop Manager: Abbi Howson 
Wardrobe Supervisor: Emily Kemmerer 
Scenic Associate/Master Electrician: Justen N. Locke 
Charge Artist: Samantha Reno
Stitcher: Krissy Sneshkoff 
Technical Director: Robert Carlton Stimmel 
Properties Supervisor: Kara Eble Trusty 

 

Check out the virtual version of our print program here!

 

Thank you to our Community Partners Pedal Wagon and Everything Cincy

 

Design Sponsor:

Pete and Ginger Strange

 

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Angelique Archer
Beth

Angelique Archer (3 Seasons) is thrilled to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for a second season! She was last seen in “it’s not a trip it’s a journey” at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Some of her favorite credits with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company include Jane Bennett and Miss de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice and Ophelia in Hamlet. Angelique is a proud graduate of Hamilton College, where she majored in both Theatre and Economics. She also spent a semester in London studying with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. In addition to acting, Angelique is passionate about arts education, intimacy direction, and photography! Check out her website, angeliquearcher.com, for more information about intimacy direction and her hopes of continuing to share stories that showcase underrepresented voices. Special thanks to her family for their continued love and support.

Geoffrey Warren Barnes II*
Mr. Laurence/Robert March/Mr. Dashwood

Geoffrey Warren Barnes II* (he/him) (8 Seasons) is overjoyed to return to CSC for his 8th season. Finally, at last! Credits include The Drunk Santa Xmas Spectacular (video), All the Way, Fences, Macbeth, Twelfth Night with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, After AIDA (joint project with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and Cincinnati Opera), Hands on a Hardbody (Ronald McCowan) at ETC, and Marian: or the True Tale of Robin Hood at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Geoffrey holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Webster University in St. Louis and an MFA in acting from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Thank you to his family, friends, and Katie for their love and encouragement. Be well, stay safe, and get vaccinated!

Shelley Delaney*¹
Hannah/Mrs. Mingott/Messenger

Shelley Delaney (she/her) (Debut) is happy to be working with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for the first time. Regional acting credits include work at McCarter Theatre Center, Bay Street Theater, Geva, Two River Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse, Virginia Stage, Delaware Theater Company, Capital Rep, Victory Gardens, Dorset Theater Festival and many others. New York City credits include La Mama, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Public Theater (Plays in Process), The Ohio, HERE and the Women in Theater Festival: all in premieres of new work. Through spring of 2021, Shelley taught acting at the Ohio University School of Theater (for 19 years), where she also directed 23 productions. She continues to direct professionally. Shelley is a proud member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. With gratitude to Dennis for his support.

¹SAG/AFTRA, National Alliance of Acting Teachers

Justin McCombs*
John Brooks/Doctor/Parrot

Justin McCombs* (he/him) (16 Seasons) is proud to call CSC his artistic home for another season. A company member of over 100 productions for CSC, audiences may remember him from Every Christmas Story Ever Told!, 1984, Macbeth, Othello, Noises Off, Henry V, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The 39 Steps, The Great Gatsby, and The Grapes of Wrath. Justin has appeared on Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s and Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s stages as well as in the Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile opposite Zac Efron. He is the proud husband of local actress and playwright Maggie Lou Rader, to whom he dedicates his season. They live in Cincinnati with three charming, hilarious pets.

Elizabeth Chinn Molloy
Jo

Elizabeth (she/her) (Debut) is beyond thrilled to be making her CSC debut! A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Elizabeth has worked with various theatres throughout the Greater Cincinnati area including the Know Theatre, Falcon Theatre, Concert: Nova, MadCap Puppets, and New Edgecliff Theatre.  Elizabeth is a graduate of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. As always, she would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support and encouragement.

Emelie O’Hara*
Amy

Emelie O’Hara (she/her) (debut) is thrilled to be joining CSC for the first time! Emelie has performed in theatres across America as well as film and television. Some of her favorite roles include Richard in Henry VI Parts 2 & 3 at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Red House Arts Center in New York, and Lady Macbeth at Sierra Repertory in California. Most recently, she appeared as Puck in John De Lancie’s Midsummer Night’s Dream collaboration with the Colorado Music Festival. She would like to extend her gratitude to all the folks at CSC for such a warm welcome and a fantastic experience!

Patrick Earl Phillips*
Laurie

Patrick (he/him) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for another great season. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. His recent CSC credits include Romeo and Juliet (Paris), Comedy of Errors (Second Merchant, Musician), Titus Andronicus (Demetrius) and Twelfth Night (Sebastian). Other credits include productions with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Human Race Theatre Company, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and others. He would like to thank Brian for this opportunity and sends his love and gratitude to his family and friends for their constant support. www.PatrickEPhillips.com

Maggie Lou Rader*²
Meg

Maggie Lou Rader is thrilled to be back on stage at CSC. An Oklahoma native, she attended William Jewell College in Kansas City and then crossed the pond to attend Oxford University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She’s performed regionally and internationally with such theaters as Human Race Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare, Know Theatre, StageOne, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, The Kitchen Theatre, Birmingham Old Rep, and the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Some of her favorite memories on stage have been playing Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, June in the rolling world premiere of Alabaster, Jo March in Little Women, The Pilot in Grounded, and Marie Antoinette in The Revolutionists. She is also a national award-winning playwright of epic plays about epic women. Follow her journey as an actor and writer at www.maggielourader.com. She sends love to her family, husband Justin Lee, and their three fur babies with four eyes between them.

 

² Dramatists Guild

Torie Wiggins*
Marmie/Aunt March

Torie Wiggins* (she/her) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at CSC for another season! Her Cincinnati theatre credits include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Harry and the Thief at Know Theatre of Cincinnati; The Mountaintop, Violet, and His Eye is on The Sparrow at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Mame, Crowns and The Revolutionists at Human Race Theatre Co.; To Kill a Mockingbird at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith and Your Negro Tour Guide. Here at CSC, Torie has had the pleasure of performing in To Kill a Mockingbird, Oliver Twist, A Raisin in the Sun, and Fences. Her greatest role is that of a loving wife to her amazing husband, Aaron, who always supports her.

Jemma Alix Levy
Director

Jemma Alix Levy (Director, 2nd Season) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Washington and Lee University.  She has directed nationally and internationally for over 20 years, including critically acclaimed productions in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and Illinois, where she spent ten years as Artistic Director of Muse of Fire Theatre Company. Jemma received her Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, then graduated from The Juilliard School's directing program, where she studied with JoAnne Akalaitis, Michael Kahn, and Garland Wright.  She also earned a Master’s degree in Humanities from the University of Chicago, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University’s program in association with the American Shakespeare Center. Recent directing work includes a multi-media production of Natsu Onoda Power’s kamishibai adaptation of Thumbelina, Moliere’s Tartuffe at Prague Shakespeare Company, and Miss Holmes at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.  Jemma is also a playwright, and has written two Shakespearean adaptations: Queen Margaret, from the Henry VI tetralogy and Richard III; and Believe None of Us, from Hamlet.  She also adapted Lope de Vega’s Fuenteovejuna, and "Jenny Aloo," a short story by two-time National Book Award nominee Howard Norman.  Before joining the faculty at Washington and Lee, Jemma taught at Webster University's Conservatory of Theater Arts, Wabash College, Roosevelt University Chicago College for the Performing Arts, Mary Baldwin College, and The Brearley School.

Kate Hamill
Playwright
Shannon Moore
Scenic Design
Abbi Howson
Costume Design

Abbi Howson (she/her) (10 Seasons) is so grateful to be back in the Costume Shop making more costumes than masks this season! She holds a BFA from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Favorite designs of hers in her time at CSC include The Elephant Man (2016), The Tempest (2017), and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018). When she's not at the theater, you can most likely find Abbi on her bike around town in search of craft beer. Thanks to Cam for an incredible last 15 years.

Rainy Edwards
Costume Coordination

Rainy Edwards (she/her) (4 Seasons) is from Llano, Texas, and received her MFA in Costume Design at Florida State University. She has been with the company since 2018. Rainy has had the pleasure of designing many shows here including, The Winter’s Tale, Titus Andronicus, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and All The Way, to name a few. Her work has been seen at Utah Shakespeare Festival, The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Triad Stage, and Lexington Children’s Theatre. Rainey is excited to be back and making art with her colleagues and friends. She is forever thankful for the support of Chris and their dog Obi.

Justen N. Locke
Lighting Design

Justen N. Locke (he/him) (7 Seasons) is excited to be returning for his 7th season at CSC. He has had the great pleasure of working at CSC and collaborating on many great productions such as Macbeth, The Diary of Anne Frank, 1984, Othello, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, The Elephant Man, and most recently King Lear. Justen excited to be back and looks forward to seeing all the shows that CSC will produce this season and beyond excited to collaborate on them with such as fantastic artistic team.

Rachel Perin*
Choreography

Rachel Perin (she/her) (4 Seasons) is excited to be back at CSC as a choreographer. Her favorite regional credits include 42nd Street, Damn Yankees, Steel Magnolias, Les Miserables, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, The Odd Couple, Fiddler on the Roof, Sister Act, Fallen Angels, A Funny Thing Happened..., How to Succeed…, The Best Little Whorehouse..., The Will Roger's Follies, Bedroom Farce, Spamalot, Meet Me In St. Louis, I Love a Piano, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Tarzan, Cabaret, Once Upon a Mattress, Sweet Charity, First Date, Godspell, Bells Are Ringing, Young Frankenstein, Awaited, and Lounge at The Edge of Heaven (Asia Tour). Rachel has also served as choreographer to numerous musicals, music videos, concerts, and competitive dance teams around the country. She would love to thank her people…the best people a gal could ask for.

Patrick Earl Phillips*
Composer

Patrick (he/him) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for another great season. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. His recent CSC credits include Romeo and Juliet (Paris), Comedy of Errors (Second Merchant, Musician), Titus Andronicus (Demetrius) and Twelfth Night (Sebastian). Other credits include productions with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Human Race Theatre Company, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and others. He would like to thank Brian for this opportunity and sends his love and gratitude to his family and friends for their constant support. www.PatrickEPhillips.com

Robert Carlton Stimmel
Sound Design

Robert Carlton Stimmel (he/him) (4 Seasons) is thrilled to be returning to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company! He is a Cincinnati area native, hailing from Fairfield, Ohio. After receiving his BA in Theatre at Miami University, he has worked with various theatre including Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Alliance Theatre, Short North Stage, and Tantrum Theatre. In addition to his technician and design work, he is also a performer and producer and is always looking to expand his artistic abilities! Robert is the Artistic Director of Impaired Vision Productions, a local theatre organization that produces new works. He would like to thank his wife Kayla for her constant support of his artistic aspirations and her unconditional love.

Kara Eble Trusty
Properties Design

Kara Eble Trusty (she/her) (3 Seasons) is delighted to be returning to make art with CSC for a second season. A Cincinnati native, she saw her first CSC production at 12 and is amazed that she gets to collaborate with some of the same people that inspired her love of theatre and art at a young age. Kara has worked locally with the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, The Carnegie, and the Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. She would like to thank her friends and family, especially her parents Bob and Sue, for their love, support, and encouragement as she continues down this incredible and irrational artistic path.

Gina Cerimele-Mechley
Fight & Intimacy Director

Gina Cerimele-Mechley (she/her) (27 Seasons) a Cincinnati native, Gina has been involved with CSC since its inception as Fahrenheit Theatre Company. She played the Nurse in their very first production of Romeo and Juliet in 1996. Getting cast in the role again specifically with CSC is a dream come true.  Gina is a 30 year member and one of the few female Certified Teachers with the Society of American Fight Directors. Gina runs the nationally recognized Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy, and she was the first recipient of the CAA’s Arts Educator Award.  Some of her favorite regional credits outside of Cincinnati include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center Theatre Company, and Opera Theatre St. Louis.

I am Jo.  My mom was Jo.  My friends were all Jo.  I strongly suspect my grandmother was Jo.  In fact, every single person I’ve ever talked to who read Little Women in their youth identified with Jo.  Which is ironic, of course, because in Jo’s world, she is the outlier, the one who doesn’t fit in, the one who is somehow intrinsically “different”.

What does that say about us?  What does it say about Jo?  And what does it say about the way things have changed since Louisa May Alcott wrote her book in 1868?  The transition to adulthood is difficult for just about everyone and presumably always has been.  It invariably includes feeling alone, misunderstood, hopelessly out of sync, and just plain “wrong”.  Jo March shares these feelings with us through Louisa May Alcott’s book, and therefore it is difficult not to empathize with her, and to feel seen by her creator.  But all of the sisters are “little women”, girls on the cusp of womanhood.  Each is facing her own fears about what it means to grow up.

When I first read Kate Hamill’s adaptation, I was struck by the differences between her play and the original novel.  And while some of them initially provoked some nostalgia-laced ire, I quickly found that her adaptation made the March sisters feel real to me in a new way: no longer historical children living in a distant and therefore somewhat unimaginable era, but actual teenagers dealing with struggles that felt familiar from my own youth, and that I watch my children and my students face every day.  What is deemed “appropriate” or “adult” behavior has changed since the Civil War, and I think the power of this script is the way the playwright chooses to have her characters fighting against those changed expectations without feeling the need to reset the entire story into a contemporary world.

My wish for you, the audience, is that you see in our Little Women the story Louisa May Alcott wrote, and of which you may or may not have fond memories.  But I also hope you see the real struggles that face today’s youth every day, particularly the struggles to fully embrace themselves without fear and to fight against the injustice they see around them.  I also hope you see the power of love to protect, to nurture, and to sustain them.  As Jo reminds us, this story isn’t a great epic.  It is our story, all of ours.  That’s why it needs to be told. 

- Jemma Alix Levy, Director

 

 

The book Little Women, originally published in 1868, was not seen as a literary masterpiece by its author Louisa May Alcott. Alcott was already a published author, writing gothic thrillers and stories about her experiences in the war. Her publisher encouraged her to write “a girls story,” which Alcott herself was not a fan of, writing in her journal, “I don’t enjoy this sort of thing…Never liked girls or knew many, except my sisters; but our queer plays and experiences may prove interesting, though I doubt it.” (Waxman) But she went ahead with it anyways, writing part one of her novel Little Women. Despite Alcott and her publisher both not being too excited about the novel, it was released and immediately became a smash hit, selling out the first run of 2,000 books in just a few days. The following year Alcott released part two of the book called Good Wives.

The book itself was somewhat based on her own life and family. Alcott was the second of four daughters born to Abigail Alcott and well-known transcendentalist Amos Alcott. “American transcendentalism is essentially a kind of practice by which the world of facts and the categories of common sense are temporarily exchanged for the world of ideas and the categories of imagination.” (Brodrick) In other words, transcendentalists believe that personal intuition should lead you to knowledge rather than reason or empirical evidence. Transcendentalists fought for equal rights for women and the abolition of slavery. This forward-thinking household undoubtedly influenced Louisa and is possibly a big reason Little Women has often been deemed ahead of its time.

Louisa’s sisters are believed to have inspired the March sisters. Her eldest sister Anna inspired Meg. Her sister Elizabeth who passed away before Louisa wrote Little Women, was the inspiration for Beth. And finally, her youngest sister Abigale May was the inspiration for Amy. The sisters have many striking similarities to their book counterparts. Anna, like Meg, married a man named John and was often seen as the most traditionally acceptable woman. Abigale, like Amy, was an aspiring artist who went on to travel through and live in Europe. Elizabeth, like Beth, contracted scarlet fever from a baby she was caring for. She recovered initially, then later passed. While Louisa was very similar to Jo in her constitution and her passion for writing, her ultimate fate was very different. Louisa contracted typhoid pneumonia during the Civil War and never fully regained her strength. Also, unlike Jo, she never married or had children, although the original intention of the novel was to leave Jo unwed as well. However, between the release of the first and second part, fans were so vocal about their hope for Jo to get married that Louisa finally relented. However, she refused to let Jo end up with Laurie, settling her with Professor Bhaer instead.

After the publication of both parts, the combined full novel, known only as Little Women, became an instant classic for people of all ages and genders. Striking a particularly personal cord with young women, “young female readers have deeply identified with one or more of the March sisters, whose distinct personalities gave them individuality, something girls were rarely granted in literature. Generations of girls have wondered, which one am I—Meg, Jo, Beth, or Amy? Which one do I aspire to be? Providing girls with a way to understand themselves as they grew into young women” (Rioux). However, as time passed, Little Women was seen less universally, being deemed “a girls book” and therefore not given its proper place in the classical American literary cannon. At a time when critics were almost exclusively male, those critics “largely ignored it, no doubt feeling, as G. K. Chesterton did in 1907, that, as a man, ‘I am the intruder, . . . and I withdraw.’” (Rioux) This othering of the feminine experience stunted the academic acknowledgment of the book. However, it did not hinder the general population from making it one of the most beloved books in America. Then in the 1930s, the book became part of mainstream American education in high schools nationwide. As it began to be taught in schools and more female critics rose to prominence, people started viewing Little Women as a seminal piece of American and feminist literature.

 

Credit: Colleen Dougherty (Education Associate)

An adaptation is taking an existing story and reimagining it. This can mean turning a book into a movie, a play into a song, a poem into a musical, and so on. Adaptations can often stick pretty closely to their sources’ material, only changing a few details to “breathe new life into a piece,” or they can alter massive details while still “maintaining the heart of the story.” When adapting something, it is important to keep in mind why you are retelling this story. Are you taking an old lesson and showing its contemporary relevance? Are you changing tangible aspects of the story to give a new perspective, i.e., race, gender, setting, etc.? What do you want the audience to think or feel when interacting with this new adaptation that they don’t feel with the original material? An intentional adaptation is a successful adaptation.

Credit: Colleen Dougherty (Education Associate)

This adaptation is explicitly written to be viewed through a contemporary lens. Kate Hamill is not asking you to ignore your assumptions but instead to trust them. In an interview with Broadway Box, Hamill said, “I was really interested in creating the stories of these four women and how they struggle in their gender roles. I want LGBTQ people, but especially kids and teens, to come and see a classic piece and go, ‘You know what, the world has always had people like me. I can be the center of an American classic. This country has always had people like me. There is a place for me, and I don’t have to fit in some heteronormative world.’” (Ferri) Specifically, in regards to Jo, Hamill says she wants Jo’s representation in this adaptation to be one of someone struggling with gender and possibly sexuality. In reference to the relationship between Jo and Laurie, Hamill says, “they’re soulmates, but Jo can’t decide if she wants to be Laurie or be with Laurie.” (Ferri) This interpretation, while fresh, is not entirely revolutionary. Jo has often been the subject of gender and sexuality conversations. Even Louis May Alcott herself has been brought into those conversations. In an 1883 interview, Alcott said, “I am more than half-persuaded that I am a man’s soul put by some freak of nature into a woman’s body...because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man.” (Alberghene)

For years Little Women has been the subject of feminist debate, with people disagreeing on whether or not the book offers aspirational feminist ideas. On the one hand, people think, “For the first time, a life of free choice for women was presented as a possibility in literature. Influencing one of the first waves of feminism, Jo’s character galvanized many women and girls to defy the confining gender roles of American society” (Carpenter). On the other hand, people criticize the book for ending with the women submitting to more traditional roles. Some feminist critiques view the novel as “an elucidation of the painful lessons of repression. Alcott’s novel, in this reading, finally tells its readers that women must learn to repress or redirect their anger, even if their anger is, in the world of the novel, just and reasonable.” (May) Hamill, undoubtedly aware of both interpretations, used her adaptation to redirect the story to a more contemporary feminist outcome. In her version, Jo does not give up writing and get married. While Jo struggles with a lot in this adaptation, there are also many decisions Jo isn’t forced to make in this version. In the play, when Jo makes clear that she can never become a real woman, Marmee tells her that she doesn’t have to be, thereby giving Jo the space to not submit to her repression but rather create a life that circumvents that repression.

Credit: Colleen Dougherty (Education Associate)

Friends of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

We wish to thank the following individuals for their support of the 2022-2023 Season. We are forever grateful. CSC recognizes donors $100 and above in the Donor Roll. This list reflects gifts received July 1, 2022 – November 8, 2022.

We endeavor to recognize correctly all of our supporters. If you see a problem with this list, please accept our apologies and email sara.clark@cincyshakes.com to correct. Thank you.

 

Sarah Aitken

Frank Albi

Dr. Bruce Allen

Lisa Allgoodd

Jeffrey and Karen Anderson

Anonymous (3)

Mary Baskett

John Batchelor

Tim and Lisa Beckelhimer

Chase and Karen Bramwell

Derek D Brancheau

M.C. and Tom Brennan

Vikki Brown

Jubilee Brown

Mr. Otto Budig

Kathleen Cail

Lee and Lisa Clapp

Heather Cole

Kathleen Collins

Mr. Willard H Connor Jr

Cynthia Crilley

Donald and Victoria Daiker

Marjorie E. Davis

Scott Goebel and Emily Detmer-Goebel

David and Kelley Downing

Drunk Santa's Dad

Nikki Drye

Dale Due

Marilyn and Rance Duke

Dr. and Mrs. Stewart Dunsker

Christine Dye

Rick and Melissa Eder

Elizabeth End

Steven Skibo and Susan Esler

Sarah Faulkner

Allyson Fleischer

Michelle Getz

Laura Leigh Hahn, In honor of Annabelle Magruder

Catherine Hamilton Hicks

Daniel J. Hoffheimer

Chris Holloway

Haleigh Hopkins

Brett and Amy Johnson

Steve Kane

Mark and Marcy Kanter

Dr. Robert Keith and Kathleen Thornton

Emily S. Kennedy

Charles Kichler and Nicole Bramesco

Beverly Kinney

Gail and Eric Kirchner

Ms. Linda Klump

The Knuth Family

Chris and Julie Kuhnhein

Stan Ladrick

Robert and Ellie Lamb

Jean and Charles Lauterbach

Mr. David Lazarus

Chandra Linn

Ms Sophia McAllister

JoAnn McCaughan

John McFerran

Darcy McMahon

Patrick and Melissa Melugin

Ted Molinari

Bridee Morris

Kim Morrow

Christine Mulvin

TJ Murphy

Chris Nare and Lori Rappold

Whitney Owens

Sue Ann and Judge Mark Painter

Ms. Taina Pankiewicz

Rick Pender and Joan Kaup

Janet and Tim Peter

Patrick Points and Wijdan Jreisat

Kathy and Mike Rademacher

Mitchell and Karen Rashkin

Kelly Read

Maddie Regan and Brian Lloyd

Mr. Dan Reynolds

Joyce Rich

Catherine R.

James W Roberts

Barbara Norris

Patty Rosely

Mr. Louis Ross

Dr and Mrs Eric Ruby

Jessica Ruebusch

Kimberly Saliba

Jennifer Sauvey

Susan Schapiro

Suzanne M. Schindler

Rosemary and Mark Schlachter

Rich Schultz

Dr. Catherine Shackson

Saira Shahani and Rick Warm

McCready-Shore Family Fund

David Smith

Carol and Annie Sostok

Dr William Spohn and Dr Margaret Dunn

Pete and Ginger Strange

Steve Sullivan

Don and Linda Tecklenburg

Robert and Sue Trusty

James Vachon

Rosalie P. van Nuis

Levy-Wall Family Fund

Carrie Walsh

William Watts

Christine Whittaker and Thane Thompson

Ms. Jo Ann Wieghaus

Dr. H. James Williams and Carole Campbell Williams

Beverly Williams

Leo Yakutis

George and Nancy Yund

Justin Zimmerman