The Greeley auditorium is buzzing with excitement as rehearsals for the fall drama, Little Women, are underway. The play will be performed on November 21, 22, and 23. Written by Kate Hamill and based on the book by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women follows the lives of the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.
Talented student actors ranging from freshmen to seniors are enthusiastic about introducing Greeley students to the world of the March family. Junior Zoya N. is playing Marmee, the March mother. She says, “I think Little Women is a good play for Greeley, because it is about familial relationships. I feel like that’s so important, because as high schoolers, we’re so busy, and sometimes we don’t stop and see our families.” She continues, “It’s really nice to see the bond between the sisters and their mom.”
The process for bringing this play to life is both exciting and challenging. Theater teacher Ms. Beattie and orchestra teacher Ms. Feldman are the director and assistant director, respectively. The directors, cast, and crew have been working together since September to prepare for the play. Sophomore Molly F., who is playing Jo, says, “Little Women is one of my favorite books. However, I was worried when I got the script, because I have a lot of lines. It was tough memorizing.” Now that the memorization is complete, the actors freely practice their scenes and are getting comfortable with the choreography. They work hard to channel the emotions of their characters to create an authentic performance.
The set of Little Women helps bring the performance together. Zoya says, “The sets are super cool. I love any two-level sets, because they bring so much dimension to the stage.” She describes the house set as being “like a dollhouse.” The stage crew is getting the props ready for the performance, and they are keeping track of which sets go where during the play. They mark down where objects and furniture will be placed in each scene to be sure they are all in the right places for the actors. Freshman Allie R., a member of the stage crew, says that “During the play, we will be moving props and furniture around the stage in between scenes. To say the least, it’s a really fun job, and it helps keep the play organized.” They love the feeling of community and purpose in stagecraft. The stage crew is eager and ready for their integral job as part of Greeley’s production.
In bringing Little Women to the stage, Greeley is not just presenting a literary classic, it is also celebrating the joy of our school community working together. Junior Sydney F., playing Aunt March, says, “[The process] was definitely time consuming, but it’s rewarding when it’s done. When you get to the time when you’re putting everything together, it feels really nice to have prepared.”
The cast and crew are looking forward to this production. They are preparing every day after school for the culmination of their work: showtime. All the elements of the show—the acting, stage directions, costumes, sets, and more—come together for what hopes to be a captivating production. Watch Little Women when the curtain rises at 7pm on November 21, 22, and 23. Be sure to buy a ticket soon, and come to see the show.