Little Women: The Musical

Little Women: The Musical: Author Allan Knee, composer Jason Howland and lyricist Mindi Dickstein use the American musical format to capture the heart of Louisa May Alcott's beloved classic. Passionate and aspiring young author Josephine "Jo" March is in New York City, writing fiction and fantasy stories. A fellow boardinghouse writer, Professor Bhaer, criticizes her content choice, pushing her to do better work. Jo, furious at him, but inspired, flashes back to her family home in Concord, Massachusetts. Her mother, Margaret "Marmee" is keeping the March family together alone because her husband has left to serve as a chaplain in the Civil War. Jo's sisters struggle to grow up together. Meg wants to be a proper lady while Beth volunteers her time and money to the poor and young Amy feels overshadowed by her older sisters. Jo is working for her Aunt March, trying to tame her behavior in order to be taken with Aunt March to Europe. Throughout the girls' adventures and struggles, they befriend their wealthy neighbors, Mr. Laurence and his son Theodore "Laurie." Three years later, back in the boardinghouse, Jo gets notice that Beth has fallen ill with scarlet fever. Rushing back to Concord, Jo and her sisters must learn how to say goodbye and move on. In memory of Beth, Jo finally sets down to write the truth, a memoir of her family.

Rental Costumes for Little Women: The Musical 

            What do you get when you request a FREE costume plot from The Costumer?  We will send you the listing and costume description for the entire show, organized by act and scene for your convenience. The Costumer is proud to provide quality Children’s and Adult rental costumes for productions of Little Women: The Musical! We offer rental costumes for all of the lead characters, including Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy, Marmee, and Laurie, as well as ensemble characters such as Trolls, Hags, Monks, and much more!

            Little Women is a musical based on Louisa May Alcott’s semi-autobiographical two volume novel by the same name. The musical follows the lives of the four March Sisters – the romantic Amy, meek Beth, traditional Meg, and the aspiring writer Josephine (“Jo”). The plot focuses on the sisters while they navigate the struggles of young adulthood in the 1860’s. As their lives unfold, vignettes and recreations of Jo’s melodramatic short stories are interspersed throughout the action. The musical features lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, music by Jason Howland, and book by Allan Knee. The musical began its life as a workshop production at Duke University in 2001, and eventually opened on Broadway on January 23^rd, 2005 at the Virginia Theatre.

            The story begins at Mrs. Kirk’s Boarding House in New York City in 1866, where Jo has just received a rejection letter from yet another publisher. Feeling slightly dejected, Jo asks fellow boarder, Professor Bhaer for his opinion on her story (“An Operatic Tragedy”). Unfortunately for Jo, the professor is not particularly fond of her blood and guts melodrama, and he states that Jo is capable of writing something better. Jo does not take kindly to the Professor’s criticism and the two argue. After the Professor leaves, Jo ponders what could possibly be “better” than the story that she had written. Jo is left to wonder that perhaps her writing was better when she was at her family’s home in Concord, Massachusetts (“Better”).

            The action then flashes back to three years prior to Jo’s attic studio in her old home. Jo assembles her sisters, Meg, Beth and Amy, and announces that she will be staging a play of her own called “The Operatic Tragedy.” Her sisters plead with her to not go through with it, however Jo is resolute and believes that the play will be a success and truly make their upcoming Christmas the best they have ever had (“Our Finest Dreams”). Soon after, the sisters’ mother, Marmee, enters with a letter from their father who is away serving as a Union Army chaplain in the American Civil War. As Marmee writes a response to her far away husband, she reflects on how difficult it is to be the single pillar of strength in family’s household (“Here Alone”).

            From the very beginning of this spellbinding musical, The Costumer will ensure that your audience is immediately transported into Little Women’s inspirational world with the help of our fabulous rental costumes! Our wide selection of period rental costumes will make your audience feel like they have stepped back in time to the mid 1800’s! At the very start of the show, Jo will resemble a more mature young women in a simple winter dress, yet when the clocks turn back to three years prior, she will change into a more youthful casual afternoon dress to match her sisters. Professor Bhaer will embody that of a traditional scholar in a worn conservative suit, complete with a button-down shirt, vest, and fashionable tie. Marmee will also resemble the strong matriarch of the March family in a mature period dress. 1800’s styled wigs for each of the March women can be added to your order to complete the authentic period look.

            Later on, the March sister are visited by their wealthy Aunt March, who insists that Jo ceases her tomboy tendencies and act more like a model lady of society. Aunt March proposes that if Jo changes, then she will take her along to visit Europe, to which Jo agrees, for she has always dreamed of seeing Europe (“Could You?”). At the same time, Meg discovers to her delight that her and Jo have been invited to Annie Moffat’s Valentine’s Day Ball. During the course of preparations of the day of the ball however, Meg announces that she cannot go because she is too nervous. Marmee soothes Meg’s nerves and tells her daughter that if one of her potential suitors asks her to dance, she should simply smile and say “I’d be delighted” (“Delighted”).

            At the ball, Jo runs into her neighbor, Laurie, by accidentally sitting on him, along with his curmudgeon of a grandfather, Mr. Lawrence. Laurie’s tutor, Mr. John Brooke, scolds Laurie for not dancing and socializing with important people, which would deeply upset his grandfather. Mr. Brooke soon meets Meg, and the two are immediately smitten with one another as they dance. Meanwhile, Laurie attempts to convince Jo to come dance with him (“Take a Chance on Me”).

            With the help of our eye-catching rental costumes, The Costumer will transform your cast members into ball attendees straight out of the 1800’s! Meg will be dressed in a slightly old fashioned ballgown, and her sister Jo will accompany her in a simpler ballgown with a patch sewn on the back. Each sister’s ensemble will be complete with a set of matching gloves. Laurie will look equally as dapper in a handsome two-piece black tail suit, with a sharp Essex shirt, white vest, matching white gloves, and a bowtie to top off the ensemble!

            This is only a mere glimpse at what The Costumer has to offer for productions of Little Women: The Musical! With the help of our rental costumes, let your artistic vision come to life onstage and transport your audience to the 19^th century and tell the March Sisters’ story. Request your free plot today!

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