This review contains spoilers for the plot of “Little Women.”
Magic is center stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center. The kind of magic that makes a story written over a century ago feel brand new. Magic, buttoned up with wit and humor, belting vocals, long skirts and short heels. From now through Nov. 23, audiences can witness it all in Musical Theatre West’s “Little Women: The Musical.”
With all the warmth, levity and grief of Louisa May Alcott’s novel, Director and Choreographer Cate Caplin and Music Director and Conductor Diane King Vann have revitalized this classic tale just in time for the holidays. Anchored with music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, the talented cast moves across the stage as if they actually are family.
Set in the mid-1800s in Concord, Massachusetts, the four March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy) rely on one another in their cozy home, having only what they need — each other. Over the years, they cling to their childhood while simultaneously growing up and chasing after their own dreams, through first loves, deaths, passion and a persistent belief in themselves.
“Little Women: The Musical” keeps the same heart of the story, of Jo wanting to be a writer and the sisters’ love and selflessness. While beloved characters stay the same, the play expands on its humor through song, dance and expert performances.
Jenna Lea Rosen plays Jo March beautifully, jumping on furniture and down steps in her heeled boots and patched-up pants with a contagious energy that can only be encapsulated by her unusual catchphrase: “Christopher Columbus!” Hers is the voice that opens and closes the show, and her range of emotions carries the audience through the many shades of Jo’s childhood and transformation.
The daunting task of aging a character from a rambunctious child willing to do anything to make her sisters laugh to a wise young woman, carrying an air of sadness and undeniable passion, looks easy under Rosen’s finesse. She makes the audience laugh one scene, modesty and grace be damned, then draws a standing ovation with her knockout vocals as she envisions a future she longs for in her cluttered attic.
Her humor, passion, willingness to argue and fierce love for her family are apparent with every expression. If you harbor any hesitation in seeing the show, you should see Rosen while her talents still grace the Southern California theater scene.
While Rosen is a pleasure to watch with every scene partner, there is electricity when she and Jonathan Von Mering (Professor Bhaer) share the stage. From their first scene together, arguing over Jo’s writing, there is a gravity that leaves audiences begging for Jo to return to New York. Mering’s German accent is completely believable, and his and Rosen’s songs together are some of the best in the show.
The remaining March sisters, played by Katie Roche (Meg), Haven Watts (Beth) and Jordan Cruz (Amy), provide the perfect mix of fast talk, teasing, bickering and the palpable chemistry that makes “Little Women” such a welcoming watch. These little women deliver their parts with magnificent charm and delight, arguing and laughing and singing all the way.
Roche embodies Meg’s sweet grace while not being too sentimental. Aaron Gibbs (Mr. John Brooke) and Roche provide the sure and steady hand of love as audiences see their relationship from meet-cute to marriage and children.
Watts as Beth immediately captivated viewers with her innocence and gentle disposition. Her onstage relationship with Rosen feels like watching two siblings who would move mountains for one another, and a pivotal scene between the two had audiences sniffling in their seats.
The self-important and youngest sister, Amy, played by Cruz, is an utter delight. Cruz nails the whiny little sister with every line and makes the audience laugh throughout the play. She too ages wonderfully and effortlessly, from the curled pigtails and ribbons in her hair to more refined looks as her character grows.
Marmee, played by Tami Tappan Damiano, nearly steals the show as the matriarch. Damiano gives the role more depth than in any other rendition I’ve seen, with deep shades of anger and sadness over being left alone to care for her daughters. Her song to Jo, encouraging her to keep writing after Beth’s death, drew the loudest applause of the evening.
Caplin conjured an ingenious way of displaying Jo’s storytelling growth throughout the show, with two stunning set pieces featuring campy costumes, humorous plot twists and impressive lip-syncing skills from Rosen. What could have been simple line readings transform into some of the most memorable scenes in the show.
As the play is primarily a comedy, characters like Amy and Laurie (Ariel Neydavoud) are boiled down to melodramatic versions of themselves. While amusing, omitting the usual angst and maturation of these characters result in an emotionally flat disclosure when the two reveal their engagement to Jo. Perhaps a feature rather than a bug, it makes Jo’s eventual relationship with Professor Bhaer seem all the more inevitable, since her and Laurie have little to no romantic chemistry.
Neydavoud’s best moments are when he is simply enjoying himself in the company of the March sisters, taking on the role of their ever so loyal brother through childhood as he skips across stage and kicks up his feet with them during my personal favorite song, “Five Forever.” It seems the emotional moments of the show are reserved for Beth and Marmee, which are undeniably and delicately conducted.
While they received less stage time, Martin Kildare (Mr. Laurence) and Barbara Carlton Heart (Aunt March/Mrs. Kirk) had some of the funniest moments of the show. With a surprising change of heart from Mr. Laurence and the sassy criticism only Aunt March can provide, the two supporting roles are captivating in their own right.
The talented actors of “Little Women: The Musical” have catapulted their rendition of this heartwarming story into a must-watch, the perfect way to end Musical Theatre West’s 2026 season.
“Little Women: The Musical” will play at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center (6200 E. Atherton St.) on select dates through Nov. 23. Tickets can be purchased on the Musical Theatre West website.
