After celebrating its 100 th anniversary last season, the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre kicked off its next century of performance with the Broadway musical “Little Women”. The show is based on the beloved book by Louisa May Alcott, but it doesn’t stick strictly to the text. It wisely begins with the lead character, Jo March, away from her family in New York. Early scenes with the sisters can feel a bit slow and beginning it later in the story gives the show a stronger opening. The musical incorporates some of Jo's stories into the performance. As she reads them aloud to her sisters or friends we see the adventures acted out on stage. The campy dramas provide laughs as her "blood and guts" tales come to life. Julia Bonnett plays Jo March and it’s her role that truly stands out in this production. Bonnett is fiery and ambitious as the young writer. Her enthusiasm and temper sometimes get the better of her and it’s the character’s flaws that make the audience
Midwest theater reviews, everything from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare.