The charm and sensibilities of New England, and the difficult times during the American Civil War, have been sweetly and sensitively embraced by South Simcoe Theatre’s (SST) production of Little Women, directed by Scott A. Hurst.

The musical, based on Louisa May Alcott’s book, is a perennial Christmas favourite. The lively tunes and period costumes are further enhanced by the locale, the cozy Cookstown Town Hall theatre, which itself is a step back in time.

The play opened on November 15 and runs until Sunday, Dec. 2. It’s the first time the rights to produce this show have been granted to a community theatre group.

As one of the most endearing tales of sisterhood, sibling rivalry and family bonds in the face of adversity ever told, Little Women brings out the best, and sometimes worst, in the four March sisters. Struggling with impending poverty, the siblings are feeling the strain of the times. This provides an opportunity for each of the sisters character flaws to be easily revealed. Each girl is dealing with her own issues. For Meg, it’s her vanity. Jo is the feisty feminist with a temper, Beth is shy and Amy is slightly egocentric. As the play progresses, the sisters learn along the way, ultimately overcoming their personal challenges.

The sisters are wonderfully cast, and played by four of the most talented young women in Simcoe County. The play is musically and vocally demanding, and there is a great deal of dancing as well. Rising to their roles are Kristen Alary as Meg. Leanne Miller as Jo, Alexandra Potvin as Amy and Reva Timbers as Beth. Each of the young actresses does an amazing job of capturing her character.
All four of the young women watched the movie version of Little Women and enjoyed it.

Leanne Miller, 16, of Stroud plays an exceptional Jo. She has been very active in theatre taking on some prominent roles with Theatre by the Bay (TBTB), Talk is Free Theatre (TIFT) and has been in SST productions for the last four years.

“The sisters are all different but they have personalities we can relate to,” Miller said, adding that she is having fun with a character who speaks her mind.

Kristen Alary has also been active with TIFT and TBTB, She jokes that what she likes best about her character is her party dress.

“She always wants to look good, but she also wants to do well for her family,” Alary says.
New to SST, Alexandra Potvin, 14, is a delight on stage. She has been in productions with the Kempenfelt Community Players as well as TBTB. Recently, she won the Ray Betts Memorial Award for Outstanding Junior Musical Theatre Performance.

While the character of Amy is on the self-indulgent, bratty side, Potvin says, “It’s kind of fun to act like that.”

Reva Timbers, 15, who has been involved in community theatre from the age of five, also has the honour of playing the young Shania Twain in a made-for-television movie and will be featured in the upcoming film, Summerhood.

Having pretty much become real sisters thorough the camaraderie and the shared love of theatre, the closeness of the four actresses has translated well to the stage. They have added a warmth and shape to their dreams, coming of age, and familial relationships. The entire cast, along with the play, is thoroughly engaging, energetic and enchanting.

Packed with song and dance, Little Women is suitable for the whole family.

For more information, visit www, southsimcoetheatre.com. For tickets, call 458-4432.