This winter the GOA Theater Department put on a dazzling production of Little Women.
Centered around four sisters coming of age in Civil War America, Little Women by Allan Knee is a story of the persistence of love, the effects of war and the power of family. There have been numerous adaptations, including the stage adaptation in 2005 and, notably, a film adaptation in 2019 starring Saoirse Ronan and Timothee Chalamet.
GOA’s production of Little Women was unlike any musical the school had seen before. This year, instead of just one cast, two casts performed separately on stage: one composed of lowerclassmen, and the other of upperclassmen– cast “Little” and cast “Women” respectively.
For nearly three months, the cast and crew worked tirelessly to ensure everything was perfect for the show. The cast met three times a week for over two hours at a time, running lines, songs, and fine-tuning small details.
Freshman and member of the “Little” cast, Hanna Laufer commented on the challenges the long rehearsal schedules and the two-cast system presented.
She said, “I liked the opportunity of having two casts, because the ability to see your role with someone else acting in it can really change your perspective and make the process easier.”
Hanna continued, “But despite the benefits, oftentimes it was difficult because practices had to be carefully separated between casts, and the director’s full attention couldn’t be exclusively on one cast the entire time.”
Despite the challenges, the cast and crew pushed forward, eagerly practicing for the first performance.
Sophomore Noah Cytrynbaum who played the character of Laurie in both casts, said, “It was my first time being in a GOA production, and at some points, the rehearsals were tiring. It took a lot of hard work, but in the end, it was totally worth it and a great experience. I was truly euphoric being on stage.”
Luckily, all their hard work, dedication and passion definitely paid off, as when the time came for the first show, viewers could not stop raving about it.
Sophomore Eloise Goldberg who saw the musical on opening night, said, “It was amazing to be there. Getting to watch and support my friends was an experience I would never pass up. I loved how entertaining the actors were. I couldn’t get enough!”
To many in the audience, it was clear how hard the actors worked to perfect their performances.
Though most of the spotlight has been on the cast, backstage, the crew was also immensely responsible for the show’s success. From switching sets smoothly to ensuring actors were in their places, the crew worked hard behind the scenes.
Junior Liora Goldberg, who is lead stage manager for Little Women, said, “It was an incredibly meaningful experience to work with people across all grades on Little Women and see everybody’s hard work pay off in such an amazing way. And since I was able to watch the show from the lighting booth, it was really rewarding to see all of our time and effort culminate in the shows.”
GOA’s Little Women showcased the talent and commitment of everyone involved and left a lasting impression on all those who attended.
By bringing Little Women to the stage at GOA, the Theater Department honored a timeless story. From the dedication of the cast and crew to the enthusiastic support from the GOA community, the production was a clear success.
