Woodlands Academy stages classic tale of journey to womanhood

The musical "Little Women" will be presented three times by the Theatre Program at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart. All performances are in the Susan Saint James Performing Arts Center at Woodlands Academy, 760 E. Westleigh Road, Lake Forest, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2.

This stage presentation is based on Louisa May Alcott's novel detailing the passage of four sisters from childhood to womanhood. In doing so, it focuses on three interdependent themes: domesticity, work and true love.

The book, which sold out quickly after its first publication in 1868, is loosely based on the author and her three sisters. According to 21st century critic Barbara Sicherman, there was a scarcity of models for nontraditional womanhood during the 19th century, which led more women to look toward literature for self-authorization - especially during adolescence. She describes "Little Women" as the paradigmatic text for young women of the era.

"One reason the novel was so popular was that it appealed to different classes of women along with those of different national backgrounds, at a time of high immigration to the United States," Sicherman adds. "Through the March sisters, women could relate and dream where they may not have before."

The book's popularity has extended into the 21st century due to its timeless resonance with readers. For example, in 2003 "Little Women" was ranked #18 in The Big Read, a survey of the British public by the BBC to determine that nation's "Best-loved Novel."

In her book, "A Hunger for Home: Louisa May Alcott's Place in American Culture," Sarah Elbert says Alcott made women's rights integral to her stories, and above all to "Little Women." According to Elbert, Alcott's fiction became her most important feminist contribution.

"Little Women" has been adapted six times for cinema; twice as a silent film and then four times with sound (1933, 1949, 1978 and 1994). Six television series were made, including four by the BBC. The most recent BBC series (2017) was supported by PBS, which aired it in 2018 as part of the Masterpiece anthology. "Little Women" was adapted for the Broadway stage in 1912. A musical version opened in 2005.

Tickets for Woodlands Academy's production, which are $12 at the door, can be purchased for $10 in advance at the school's front desk. For more information, call 847-234-4300 or visit www.woodlandsacademy.org.

Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org