Entertainment

<< Previous   of   Next >> Jay Koh photo for Village Theatre  (click to enlarge) Michaela Koerner (left) as Beth March and Victoria Huston-Elem as Jo March in Village Theatre's production of "Little Women."   ADVERTISEMENT   Review "Little Women": 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and 7 p.m. Sundays through May 18, Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. Tickets $15 to $49, 425-257-8600, 888-257-3722, www.villagetheatre.org.   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   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

1. Shot ends search for man sought in killing of Seattle police officer 2. Thousands honor slain Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton 3. No charge will be filed in death of Everett pedestrian 4. Rain, thunderstorms forecast for lowlands 5. Bothell steamrolls Stanwood 6. PREP FOOTBALL/SWIMMING ROUNDUP: Halfback pass for touchdown sparks Sultan win 7. More jibba-jabba 8. Obama OK's homebuyer tax credit 9. Suspect identified in Seattle police killing 10. Dana nibbles into Somers’ lead 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Gough on track to keep job • Jazz vocalist headlines NPAC • Mountlake Terrace makes football history • Tax revenue sagging, city budgets lagging • ‘Touch of Magic' show opens at Gallery North • Jackson repeats as South champs • Holiday Bazaars Calendar • Meadowdale storms back to grab title • Edmonds moves to Fire District 1 • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million