by Grace Mapes
This November, the OBU Theatre department will put on a production of Marisha Chamberlain’s stage adaptation of the classic novel Little Women. The show will run from November 6-16 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Performances will be held in Sarkeys Black Box Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday to Saturday and 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sundays.
Little Women is a one-act play adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel, with an expected run time of about 75 minutes. It is made up of five scenes and will be directed by Director of Theatre John Dement and senior creative writing student Elena Streett, the assistant director for this production.
“I am learning a lot from working with him as a team, and I appreciate how much free rein he has given me,” Streett said about Dement. “It has been a good hands-on learning experience.”
Streett is directing two out of the five scenes of the show. One OBU student mentioned that they have a particular interest in how true the theatrical version is to Alcott’s novel.
“I enjoy reading classic novels and seeing how the movies compare,” they said.
Since it is a one-act, some events of the source material have been rearranged or omitted to fit within the allotted time. However, the integrity of the show remains intact.
“Marisha Chamberlain’s adaptation preserves the atmosphere of the novel and includes most of the recognizable moments (marriages, deaths, etc.), but some of the chronology has been adjusted,” Street said.
According to some crew members, this show’s biggest theme is acceptance.
“The play takes place in a transitionary period in the March sisters’ lives. They are growing up, and the world around them is changing. They must learn to joyfully and peacefully accept (not just grudgingly resign themselves to) the way this difficult time will change them,” Street said.
The play also delves into themes of family dynamics and relationships.
“One of my favorite things about this show is the way it balances funny and serious moments; it shows the sisters fighting, making up, and taking care of each other,” Street said.
Junior English major and stage manager for Little Women Reese Janik also offered his favorite aspect of the production.
“It could just be because I helped build it, but for me, it’s the set. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen us do at OBU before,” Janik said.
This is the first time OBU has put on this production and excitement is mounting as showtime draws closer.
“The cast is an exciting mix of freshmen and OBU veterans, many from non-theatre majors such as Business and GME. Our professor John is even playing a small role near the end,” Streett said.
Full casting information is available online through a link on the OBU Theatre page. This page also includes the link to buy tickets, which are available now. Student tickets are five dollars and adult tickets are ten dollars.
“We’ve all dedicated so much time to this show. Please come see it so we know that our efforts were worth it,” Janik said.
