Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, May 9, 2008

'Little Women' musical shines at Village Theatre

By Theresa Goffredo
Herald writer

 EVERETT -- Village Theatre's new musical "Little Women" takes the audience on a wonderful cruise through this classic tale. You will laugh, you will cry -- but mostly you'll be wrapped in the warmth of the March family as if being swaddled in a soft quilt.

The musical continues through May 18 at Everett Performing Arts Center.

As with any new musical, the new music is always a question mark. But there's no question here; the score for "Little Women" contains one great number after another. The songs are lyrical, tuneful and altogether hum-worthy.

In fact, the score is so richly packed that it's difficult to come up with the money song. Is it the moving "The Music of Our Home," the melodic heart-warmer "I Have a Garden" or the bouncy love song "Fly at Me"? It's all so good. So kudos to lyricist Alison Louise Hubbard and composer Kim Oler for crafting the kind of collection of songs you want to have loop through your head. Kudos also to musical director Tim Symons, who masterfully delivered this fantastic score.

And this fine score only enhances the strength of this ageless Louisa May Alcott story, brilliantly redone by Sean Hartley who, in writing the musical's story dialogue, set a fast pace for this detailed novel but still was able to touch on all the critical moments and didn't miss a beat when it came to comic relief. As one member in the audience commented, It's quite funny in parts, but it's not fluffy.

The story takes place against the backdrop of the American Civil War. The little women are Jo and her three sisters Meg, Beth and Amy, who take varying journeys to womanhood while Mother Marmee March guides them as they fall in love, question gender identity and experience loss.

The casting for this Village Theatre production is close to perfect, especially so in the cohesiveness of the four actors who play the March sisters; they convincingly play off each other so that we're left believing they are real sisters.

The four-star performance, though, goes to Victoria Huston-Elem, who plays the headstrong misfit Jo. Huston-Elem delivered Jo with passion. She was as funny as she was painfully sincere. Watching her made us wish the best for her. We soared with her successes and we cried deeply at her loss. In watching Jo, Huston-Elem made us want to be her.

Other strong cast members were Shanna Marie Palmer, who was a riot as the vain Amy March, and Michaela Koerner, who delivered not only the sweetest Beth we could imagine but the beautifully heart-wrenching song "Hold on to Me."

Also, Dane Stokinger nailed the role of next-door neighbor Laurie. His one-liners were delightful -- "Me too, I'll never be a wife" -- as was his voice and his charming big-dog personality. Finally, Christian Duhamel brought a refreshingly funny take to the role of tutor John Brooke and made us smile when in the end this nerd got to marry one of the little women.



Reporter Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424 or goffredo@heraldnet.com
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA