Little Women

Little Women at Janet Allen Stage - Indiana Repertory Theater

Four sisters, four different dreams—and a world that expects them to choose smaller lives. Then someone puts Louisa May Alcott herself on stage, and you realize you've only met half of them. At Little Women on February 20 at the Janet Allen Stage in Indianapolis, Lauren Gunderson's adaptation brings the author into the frame and draws on passages from Alcott's own text. It's a familiar family story, seen through the mind of the woman who made it.

Then there are the March sisters. Four young women, each with different ambitions, bound by a bond that holds even when their paths pull apart. Their mother keeps the household steady while the father serves in the Civil War. Love, growing independence, social restrictions, friendships, romance and loss all move through the story. In a live theatre, with Lauren Keating directing this Indiana Repertory Theatre production, those moments land in the room with you. You aren't just remembering them.

This is a spoken stage adaptation, and the local production explores the links between Alcott's life, her family and her fictional characters. That makes it a rare kind of night out. Bring a sister, a parent, a daughter or a friend who knows every page. Saturday evening at 5:00 PM is a lovely time to claim a seat, so secure your seats for Little Women in Indianapolis and share it with someone you love.