“Jo – The Little Women Musical” – find out more about this truly modern adaptation

Publicist Dustin Fitzharris provided this interview providing in depth information about the upcoming Little Women musical. Answers are provided from the collective: Dan Redfeld (composer), Christina Harding (co-writer/lyricist) and John Gabriel Koladziej (co-writer/lyricist) 

1. What is the inspiration behind this Little Women musical, and why now? How did the creators come up with the theme and how does it make Little Women relevant to today’s audiences?

   1A. When Dan Redfeld, the composer, saw the 1994 Gillian Armstrong adaptation, he was incredibly moved by its themes of sisterhood, finding one’s voice, female empowerment but also positive depiction of the principal male characters and also the relationship between Jo and Bhaer. Upon reading the novel shortly thereafter, Louisa May Alcott’s brilliance and artistry on the page only deepened his love for the work and he felt it needed to be musicalized. But with even more emphasis on Jo and a woman/the artist finding her voice and achieving what she declares she wants from the beginning.

   While our adaptation’s themes are very geared toward a modern audience, all the nuts and bolts are in the novel. The beauty of Alcott’s piece is that it is indeed a timeless story of family. And because it is so sprawling, it is filled with many threads and ideas which can be extracted and woven together however someone adapting the work wants. In the case of Jo, we have focused on the family but also a strong sense of female empowerment, and the notion that no one is alone.

2. The synopsis of the musical focuses on Jo’s personal growth after the death of Beth, asking the question, “”Will you have the courage to write your own story?” How does the script follow the book? Does the main part of the play take place after Beth’s death? How is the book incorporated into the theme of the play?

   2A. Beth’s death in the musical is the final piece of the puzzle which ignites Jo’s fire to write the novel of Little Women. The loss and the grief are catalysts for what she chooses afterward. I think one of the reasons Alcott’s novel is so beloved is that it is deeply personal and specific. Jo has thought of home as a little small and maybe even boring. But after Beth dies, she begins to see how incredibly rich, exciting and precious her own family and experiences are to her. And she realizes that Beth, as heard earlier in the opening Pickwick Portfolio number, had embraced this.

3. I really like this theme of writing your own story – how does the play spell it out?

   3A. Hopefully, this theme plays out in several ways in “Jo.” Marmee tells her daughters to follow their own path, but also not to judge or criticize the paths others choose. This is a very important lesson. True freedom and feminism is the power to choose. Not only does each girl have her own story and her own dream, but Jo as a writer has a dynamic shift where she discovers her unique literary voice. It’s strange how the most specific and personal stories can somehow feel the most relatable. Jo discovers that. Jo’s story is familiar to many of us – but her voice, once she finds it, could never be mistaken for anyone else’s.

   

4. A single, called “Little Women,” was released on January 19th. What has been the reception to it so far? It is lovely, by the way. The musical was previewed in March and April of last year (was it the production in full or a reading of the songs?) to sold-out audiences. What was the response?

   

   4A. Thank you so much. We have had a couple previews, and it seems that audiences are responding to the lush music and cinematic orchestrations. Audiences are longing for great melodies which tug at the heartstrings and this score is a return to the sound which shaped much of the modern musical. The concerts were a selection of songs from the show told in narrative order. And again, the audience response was overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. The show has had several private industry readings thus far and is a complete 2 ½ hour work.

5. When will it be performed on Broadway? Will the show be performed in other cities as well?

   5A. We’ve had lots of success with smaller presentations of this new work in New York City and Los Angeles with a development workshop poised for some time in 2024. Broadway is one of the destinations for the show, but we do see the show having national and international iterations as well.

6. What do contemporary versions of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy look like? Three of the sisters have dreams and stories that play out and have happy endings while the fourth had no specific dream and died young. How is this handled?

   6A. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are icons of American women. And that is a beautiful thing. All the ideals we’ve held through time about what it is to be a person of extraordinary character are still much the same today. To me, those themes and these characters are timeless. When I think about Beth, I actually see someone with a very specific dream and exceptional clarity in her sense of purpose. She is the one running the spotlight, shining light on all the intricate details of the world, and quietly adding grace to her community. We could even say – just because Beth’s dream may be secret doesn’t mean she doesn’t have one. Her untimely end is beyond her control – an interesting character arch, as she is the one who already wisely understands that nothing is in our control. The mystery Beth holds could be all the other secret desires that any reader may have, and that reader can attach those desires to her as they see fit.

7. Please tell me about the cast, and the principal creators (director, producer, composer, screenwriter).

   7A. Our director will be announced shortly. Jenna Lea Rosen has now been with us since 2021. She is the perfect Jo – not only does she sing the role spectacularly, but she is also filled with energy and moxie which captures Jo perfectly. Chris Mann has also been with the project now for 3 years as Prof. Bhaer, as has Sophie Pollono as Amy. The rest of the cast will be rounded out once we move into the workshop phase in the coming months.

Visit the website Jo: The Little Women Musical for details.
Instagram – @jothemusical
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jothemusical

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