The keystone role of Jo March as well as that of her suitor Laurie have been cast for the upcoming national tour of Little Women, which will kick off at San Diego's Civic Theatre on August 30th.
Kate Fisher as Jo and Stephen Brian Patterson as Laurie join a cast that already consists of Maureen McGovern (reprising her Drama Desk-nominated Broadway turn) as Marmee, Renee Brna as Meg, Autumn Hurlbert as Beth, Gwen Hollander as Amy,
Michael Minarik as John Brooke, Andrew Varela (who understudied the role on Broadway) as Professor Bhaer, and Louisa Flanagan as Aunt March, with Robert Stattel reprising his Broadway role as Mr. Laurence. Little Women, set during the Civil War, concerns the efforts of the March women to keep up their hope and family spirit in the wake of the father's absence.Fisher played Cosette during the Broadway run of Les Miserables, and has appeared regionally in My Fair Lady and Jekyll and Hyde. Patterson also appeared inLes Miserables (as Marius) both on Broadway and on its national tour, with regional credits in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Pippin.
Little Women's tour, which is produced by Ken Gentry in partnership
with Randall L. Wreghitt and Dani Davis, will make its way to 30 US cities,
including San Jose, Columbus, Chicago, Atlanta, Birmingham, Ft.
Lauderdale and Washington, D.C.With music and lyrics by Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein, and a book by Allan Knee, Little Women (based on the much adapted-novel by Louisa May Alcott) opened at the Virginia Theatre on January 23rd after starting previews on December 7th, 2004. Directed by Susan H. Schulman and choreographed by Michael Lichtefeld, the show closed on May 22nd after running for 137 performances and 55 previews. Sutton Foster, who starred as Jo, received a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. A cast album is available on Ghostlight Records.For more information, visit www.littlewomenonbroadway.com.
