Little Women - The Musical at Duke University is Underway
DURHAM, N.C. – The creation of Little Women: The Musical is underway at Duke University. The cast and crew of Little Women arrived in Durham on September 7th to begin rehearsals. Artistic powerhouses in directing, acting, design and music are all in residence in Durham with the authors, creating the musical of this classic tale which will run at Duke University’s Reynolds Theater Oct. 13-31.
Theater Previews at Duke, the producing arm of the Duke University Department of Theater Studies, is co-producing the musical with Randall L.Wreghitt, Ken Gentry and Dani Davis.
“It is wonderful to produce the work at Duke, not just with Duke as a host, but as a financial and artistic partner,” says producer Dani Davis, a 1988 Duke graduate. “Duke is somewhere that supports efforts and risks and provides an environment and colleagues whose goals are the same as mine¾to make something lasting and of great quality.
“To see the original company of Little Women: The Musical will become something of note for anyone who attends the show here. As it moves through Broadway and into touring and eventually into high school productions over the years, people who were here will have been an intrinsic part of what will become a classic,” says Davis.
Duke University students have the opportunity to intern in producing, directing, stage managing, marketing and all technical aspects of theater required to bring a production from the pages of a script to the stage. “We will really put the interns to good use, and they will get invaluable experience and make contacts that could well lead to future work in professional theater,” says Davis.
Directed by Broadway veteran Susan H. Schulman (The Sound of Music, The Secret Garden), Little Women will move to the Virginia Theater on Broadway in December, where ticket sales are already brisk. New York audiences are looking forward to the return of Sutton Foster, who stole their hearts as Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, which earned her a Tony Award. She will play the role of Jo March, and Broadway and recording star Maureen McGovern will play the beloved mother of the March girls.
The libretto is by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. The design team includes accomplished Broadway artists Derek McLane (sets), Catherine Zuber (costumes) and Peter Hylenski (sound).
Post performance talks featuring cast members are planned for Oct. 21 and 26. (http://www.duke.edu/web/drama/ for more information or to purchase tickets.) ###
