“Little Women: The Musical” coming to St. Luke's United Methodist

Louisa May Alcott’s classic tale of love, personal discovery and empowerment will be hitting the stage at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

“Little Women: The Musical” premieres Jan. 25 and runs through Feb. 3 at St. Luke’s, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. Showtimes for opening weekend are 7 p.m. Jan. 25 to 26 and 2:30 p.m. Jan. 27. The following week will have shows at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Matinees will take place at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 2 and 3. Tickets cost $15 to $30 and additional processing fees apply. Tickets can be ordered online, and anyone with questions about tickets can call the church. 

The musical production is based on Alcott’s 150-year-old novel, “Little Women” — a timeless tale based on the author’s life. The story follows the adventures of the four March sisters — Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy — as they experience growing up during the Civil War era. With their father gone fighting in the war, the sisters and their mother must look after themselves, according to the show’s director, Steve MacKinnon.

“This (production) is based on the Broadway version (of Little Women), which came out 10 years ago,” MacKinnon said. “The story, I think the reason it holds up over time is because it is so relatable. It’s about family … and about growing up and finding your voice and your way in the world. (It’s about) finding your passion or whatever your calling is, and that’s what these girls do.”

Each of the March sisters has a distinct personality of her own. Jo is based on Alcott herself and is driven, precocious, passionate and “has a fire within her to be a writer.” Meg is the oldest of the March sisters and desires to be a stay-at-home mother. The youngest of the March sisters is Amy, an artist who wants to see the world. The fourth March sister, Beth, plays the piano and is known for seeing the good in everything. Beth is also “the glue that holds the girls together,” MacKinnon said. 

“The mother (is) trying to understand how to be a mother to these four girls alone,” MacKinnon said. “There’s dancing and love and a lot of drama. It’s not what people think when you think of ‘Little Women.’ … It packs a lot of punch.”

Meg Stefanowicz is cast for the role of Jo.

“I have always gravitated toward the book ‘Little Women,’” Stefanowicz said. “Jo, in particularly, always resonated with me — even before I listened to the musical — because she was so strong and volatile. … It’s a story about a woman who was growing into her own power and she wanted to pursue her dreams and still take care of her family. … It’s the first real depiction I had of a strong girl who ended up not being afraid of her soft side as well. She fights it sometimes, but I love that dichotomy about Jo.”

Stefanowicz added one of the biggest challenges of the role was letting go of her own defense mechanisms to portray the character’s “raw, rough-around-the-edges” personality.

“I’m stripping everything away and taking away all of my personal defense mechanisms because (Jo) is very open and emotional,” Stefanowicz said. “That’s been something that’s terrifying and rewarding for me — to be comfortable enough letting all of that go so I could be honest to her (character).”