author: Jaki Demarest and Alan Duda
A confession. I have never read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. But that’s okay, as this is Allan Knee’s Tony-nominated 2005 musical Little Women going up at Goddard’s Music and Drama Club (MAD). This is director James Pildis’ ninth show since joining MAD in 2024, and according to his bio, he does not sleep. But I believe his dreams are being fulfilled. MAD is known for dual casting big musicals. No two nights have the same cast, so I regret I can only speak to the night I saw.
Bringing this beloved classic to the stage is no small task. The musical Little Women moves at a rapid clip, condensing years of Civil War-era domestic life, personal tragedy, and artistic emergence into a single evening. Yet in the hands of MAD, this inherently character-driven musical finds an emotional anchor, delivering a rich, earnest production with standout vocal performances.
At the center of the story is Jo March, played with infectious drive and fiery ambition by Maura Campbell. Carrying a show that demands constant stage presence, Campbell successfully navigates Jo’s journey from a headstrong tomboy writing blood-and-guts thrillers to a grounded author telling her own family’s story, finally writing what she knows.
The chemistry among the four March sisters provides the production’s beating heart. Gabrielle Dorney brings a delightful romantic idealism to Meg, while Rozanna Saza captures Amy’s capricious vanity with sharp comedic timing. Daisy Hall delivers a quiet, loving presence as Beth; her Act II duet with Jo, “Some Things Are Meant to Be,” offered the most tender and genuinely wrenching moment of the night.
Supporting the sisters is an equally committed featured cast. Susan Heney presents a warm, steadying influence as Marmee, raising four girls while “Here Alone”. Christine Wells manages to turn the often unsympathetic Aunt March into a subversively feminist powerhouse, and her duet with Jo, “Could You,” is a comic gem. Brian Monsell is a cantankerous but ultimately lovable Mr. Laurence, and Millie Tansill’s impish Mrs. Kirk can’t resist setting up her boarders, or trying to read their mail.
And you will absolutely root for all three couples. As Laurie, Keshav Swaminathan brings sensational vocals to every song, serving as a vibrant honorary member of the March family, Jo’s heartbroken would-be suitor, and eventually, the perfect match for Amy. Sean Morton lends subtle depth to Professor Bhaer, allowing the intellectual courtship between Bhaer and Jo to unfold with genuine warmth. And Daniel Dausman’s kind and self-effacing John Brooke couldn’t be more of an ideal partner for Meg.
The sequence depicting the story Jo pitched to “The Weekly Volcano Press” showcased the playful dramatic flair of the lovely and sweet-voiced Clarissa (Giannina Guzman Caloca), the villainous Braxton (Eliot Malumuth), the swashbuckling Rodrigo (Keshav Swaminathan), some very game Hags (Stacy Bishop, Lucia Cartegni, and particularly Courtney Ritz), Trolls with a cardboard boat and a jewelry fetish (Katie Frye, Kristi Gardner, and Alaska Heintzelman), and a dashing Knight (Curtiss Burnett).
The production makes clever use of space, balancing the quiet intimacy of the March living room with the theatrical exaggeration of Jo’s stories. I am a big fan of fast and efficient set changes. And they do. Kudos to the stage crew executing Millie Tansill’s set design which simply and effectively takes you from the Concord forest to New York City and elsewhere. Gabrielle Dorney’s costume design (remember almost every role hence costume is dual cast) shows great flair in the final wedding scene.
Susan Breon’s music direction and conducting of the eight-piece orchestra (nine when the assistant director is also running out between scenes playing Laurie to join on violin) proudly shows off the original music by Jason Howland. Hopefully another sound baffle will help better level the orchestra with the voices but otherwise concerning Marc Lichtman’s sound design projecting Mindi Dickstein’s lyrics, well, I note flawless miking as a rarity in community theater – well done!
While Allan Knee’s book occasionally rushes through major narrative turns, MAD’s production succeeds because it honors the warmth and enduring humanity of its source material. It is a poignant reminder that while our dreams and ambitions may take us far from home, the stories we craft together remain forever anchored in family.
Running Time: Approximately 3 hours with one intermission
Little Women plays through November 22nd 2026 with MAD (Goddard’s Music and Drama club) on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm at the Barney & Bea Rec Center— 9998 Good Luck Rd, in Greenbelt, MD 20771. Tickets must be purchased in advance online.
