Previewing at Duke: A Broadway Hit Before it Hits Broadway
DURHAM, N.C. – The first preview performance of Little Women - The Musical opened Oct. 13 at Duke University. An enthusiastic crowd jumped to its feet in unison, applauding vigorously as the curtain fell. After two evenings of previews, the show opens on Friday, Oct. 15 in Reynolds Theater in the Bryan Center at Duke and runs through Oct. 31. After its development run at Duke, Little Women will move to the Virginia Theatre on Broadway in December.
Based on the Louisa May Alcott classic novel, Little Women - The Musical has a book by Allan Knee with music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. Directing the musical is Susan H. Schulman, who directed Broadway’s Tony winning The Secret Garden, as well as receiving Tony nominations for her direction of Violet, Merrily We Roll Along and Sweeney Todd.
Sutton Foster stars as Jo. Joining Foster in the company are Megan McGinnis as Beth, Jenny Powers as Meg, Amy McAlexander as Amy, Janet Carroll as Aunt March, Robert Stattel, Danny Gurwin, Jim Weitzer and John Hickok. Recording, theater and concert star Maureen McGovern co-stars as Marmee.
Sutton Foster received the 2002 Tony Award for her performance in the title role of the Tony winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. She also was the Astaire Award winner and the Drama Desk winner for that performance. Her other Broadway credits include Eponine in Les Miserables and Sandy in the revival of Grease!.
Maureen McGovern, whose career has spanned over 30 years, returns to Broadway where she has also starred as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (her Broadway debut), Luisa Contini in the Tommy Tune production of Nine and opposite Sting as Polly Peachum in The 3 Penny Opera. She has also starred in productions of The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Guys & Dolls and I Do, I Do. She has recorded over 25 albums and some of her hits include “The Morning After,” theme from The Poseidon Adventure, “We May Never Love Like This Again,” theme from The Towering Inferno and “Wherever Loves Takes Me,” theme from Gold. A singer with a vocal range of unparalleled purity, she has been called “The Stradivarius Voice.”
Choreography for Little Women is by Michael Lichtefeld, with musical direction by Andrew Wilder. Set design is by Derek McLane and costume design by Catherine Zuber.
Cast members are available for interviews. Film footage can be shot during the shows and still photos are available. Contact Miriam Sauls at 919-660-3346 or email mmsauls@duke.edu to make arrangements.
Theater Previews at Duke, the professional producing arm of Duke’s Department of Theater Studies with Zannie Giraud Voss as producing director, is co-producing the musical with Randall L.Wreghitt, Ken Gentry, Dani Davis, Chase Mishkin, Ruben Brache and Lisa Vioni.
Post performance talks featuring cast members are planned for Oct. 21 and 26. These talks, as well as guest lectures by actors, writers and designers and a career panel featuring members of the cast and production team, are some of the ways the professionals associated with the production interface with both the university and community. In addition, 17 students are doing internships with members of the Little Women team in every aspect of theater development.
Major corporate and foundation sponsors for Little Women – The Musical are The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation; The Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club; The Thomas S. Kenan, III Foundation, Inc.; USAirways; Carolina Meadows; Korman Communities @ The Forest Apartments; The Millennium Hotel, Durham and The News and Observer.
(http://www.duke.edu/web/drama/ for more information or to purchase tickets.)
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