SANDY — Little Women combines all the things I love: classic novels of historic times with female heroines combined with slightly more modern musical theatre scores. Based on the work of novelist Louisa May Alcott, the musical, with a book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, debuted on Broadway in January of 2005, and though it only played for 137 performances, that happened to be when I was living in New York, so I saw it whenever I could. The Hale Sandy production, directed by David Smith, has a great deal of good to be said about it.

UTBA has not received photos for this production. When they are received, they will be added and attributed. 

When first walking into the Jewel Box, the set design by Jenn Taylor is center stage and absolutely fitting for the story. Utilizing the turntable that the theatre is known for, a small staircase set up with little intricacies like a bookcase, trunks for the attic, a writing table, couches and chairs, and a piano adorn the stage. Throughout the show, the set changes minimally, using the turning of the table for major scene changes along with great projection design by Madeline Ashton. The projections were my favorite technical element, with the use of written pages and words to reflect the importance of Jo’s writing in a much larger scale, as well as adding to the scenery with beautiful images of outdoor settings like brooks, trees and beaches. Having been to the actual Orchard House that Alcott set this story in, the projections were a nice touch. Orchard house in Concord, Massachusetts is quite a modest home, but is surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature a person can imagine. Ashton’s projections were a great way to encompass the world outside of the small home.

The actors all played their parts with precision. It seems almost redundant to give a synopsis of a story that has been the subject of several hit movies, plays, and has been translated into over 50 languages. My favorite players in the Hale production were Jo, the rambunctious heroine played by Rachel Martorana who excelled with her balance of sheer confidence and will as well as humility when needed, and surprisingly the gruff neighbor Mr. Lawrence, played in this cast by Daniel Hess. Hess had quite a way with his manner, being able to transition believably from the strict and angry neighbor to the person with a soft spot for music and memories. Allie White as Beth played alongside him so well, and their duet “Off to Massachusetts” was a highlight. White and Martorana also connected with one of the most heartfelt parts of the show, “Somethings are Meant to Be” where their voices and the lovely imagery spoken of earlier were combined in the best way possible. The family, having traveled to Cape Cod, were able to bring the audience with them through Ashton’s designs.

As an organization that has the privilege of seeing productions from small community theatre to professional equity productions across the state, I feel it is very important to consider the level of the cost of the ticket and what the audience is getting out of it. I do like that Hale charges half the price for youth tickets, because I commend introducing young people to the arts. However, I have long felt (and still feel with this production), that the price point of a Hale production warrants having live musicians. One of the reasons that performing arts are so excellent in Utah is because of the vast talent we have in our area. To have one of the largest theatrical organizations, with one of the strongest audiences, consistently see shows without the benefit that live orchestras bring to the mix is disappointing to me.

Otherwise as I watched the production, I felt strange in my evaluation because overall, it was lovely in every way, yet I felt it missing something. Every actor seemed to hit their marks perfectly. Each costume, designed by Joy Zhu, was beautiful, each note was in place. The choreography, also by Smith, was spot on and the cast pulled it off with perfection. It was not until after the opening number of the second act, “Weekly Volcano Press”, that my mind could settle on the discomfort: can a production be too elaborate, too perfect? The March family in the story struggled in poverty yet always found their joy in simplicity. Jo’s stories were her salvation, but as she imagined them, she did so with the simple joys of her family as her characters and the costumes and trappings that she had in her attic as her backdrops. Near the end of the show, one of the sisters, Amy, played by Natalie Wren, returns from Europe supposedly more elegant than the family, both from riches and experience. Because all of the costumes, mannerisms, and everything in the show had already been elegant, this transition fell a bit flat. It was almost as if the production was a decadent wedding cake, amazing and beautiful to behold, yet the lasting beauty of Little Women has always been the warm comfort of cookies and milk by the fire.

Little Women plays on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage from January 17 – April 23 at Hale Centre Theatre (9900 Monroe St, Sandy). Tickets are $51-71 for adults and $25-35 for children and youth. For more info, visit https://hct.org/

These reviews are made possible by a grant from the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks program.