(OUTscene NW) RE-view: Artswest's Little Women, the Broadway Musical, works better as light Holiday fare!

Frasca has that Judy Look and Voice/ AWP

by MK Scott

Most are familiar with the classic story of Louisa May Alcott's classic 1869 semi-autobiographical novel, but only a few are aware of the Broadway Musical (with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland.) that had a short run in 2005 and closed after 55 Previews and 137 performances, starring Broadway star, Sutton Foster as Jo, singing the classic,  "Astonishing!" Now Seattle's Artswest Playhouse has restaged it and as a Holiday piece it works.

The story is familiar and focuses on the four March sisters — brassy, tomboy-like, aspiring writer Jo (EmilyRose Frasca),  romantic Meg (Marissa Ryder), pretentious Amy (Maddy Kennard), and kind-hearted Beth (Amanda L. Carp) — and their beloved Marmee (Cindy Bradder), at home in Concord, Massachusetts while the family patriarch is away serving as a Union Army chaplain during the Civil War. Intercut with the vignettes in which their lives unfold are several recreations of the melodramatic short stories Jo writes in her attic studio.

This musical could be compared other Historical Family and Holiday Themed musical, like with 'Meet me in St. Louis', instead of being set in the turn of the Century mid-west, it is set in Post Civil war New England. Other Musicals that came to mind was during the Act 2 Dream Sequence it reminded me of Camelot or later it reminds me of Gigi and Wicked.

Laurie (center) was just one of girls               Photo: AWP

 

The Male cast members also play well with the girlish Laurie (Michael Krenning), the dashing John (Morgan Bader), and the distinguished Professor (Danny Kim).

I compare the Lead actress (Frasca) as Jo as Ballsy going from Tomboy to sophisticated with the voice of Judy Garland.

Pamela Haines-Ainsworth , who was in last year's production of Next Fall, has great comic chops as Aunt March and the kind-hearted Mrs Kirk.

The story is classic, and the songs are memorable, but I like about this production is the intimate sitting and how the audience gets wore involved with emotion of love between sisters.

Little Woman runs through December 29. 2013, at ArtsWest Playhouse, 4711 California Ave SW. For tickets go to www.artswest.org or call 206-938-0339.