LITTLE WOMEN Will Be Performed at Chapel Off Chapel Next Month

The COVID-19 crisis has kept Melbourne's many theatres in the dark for much of 2020 and 2021. Ongoing lockdowns and capacity restrictions have made it near impossible to stage productions, and as a result many events and shows, for both professional and community theatre, have been put indefinitely on hold, or postponed to 2022.

But it hasn't stopped newcomer, Theatrical, from staging their inaugural production of Little Women the Broadway Musical at Chapel Off Chapel fresh out of lockdown this November 19 - 28. The Production, originally scheduled for October, is going forward despite three lockdown interruptions. It will be one of the first shows, and possibly the very first musical, to take to the stage post lockdown 6.0.

Says Executive Producer, Andrew Gyopar, "It's been a monumental effort to get the show to this point. But Melbourne is a creative city and we're determined to play our part in bringing theatre back to Melbourne audiences as soon as we can".

Little Women the Broadway Musical is an adaptation of the beloved book by Louisa May Alcott, telling the story of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they navigate the journey from girlhood to womanhood in Civil War America. The key protagonist, Jo, is an inspiring author whose fierce determination to rise above the expectations of women in 1860s America drives the story. Little Women explores themes of sisterhood, women's lives, and female endeavour in all its many guises. The musical adaptation, with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Jason Howland, was originally staged on Broadway in 2004.

"Little Women is a story that transcends generations, with its inspiring story of ambition and perseverance. So, it only seemed right for us to bring that kind of drive and perseverance to our approach as a team in bringing this incredible production to life," Gyopar said.

A team of over 50 volunteers have spent their lockdown doing everything they can to get the show ready for a November 19 opening.

"The set designer converted his personal shed into a workshop to continue building the set during lockdown; our costume team have had their living rooms and kitchens taken over by sewing machines they work tirelessly to construct over 20 period costumes; and our Creative Team and Cast have been working tirelessly over Zoom, using blocking software to piece the show together remotely during restrictions," he said.

This weekend, the cast and production team will finally be able to meet face to face outdoors for the first time since early August when lockdown 6.0 brought the production to a grinding halt. From there, it'll be an intensive few weeks of rehearsal to put the finishing touches on the show ahead of opening night at Chapel Off Chapel on November 19.

"Little Women is story of personal discovery, heartache, hope and the everlasting love of family. There couldn't be a better time to bring this inspiring and uplifting story to life for Melbourne audiences," said Gyopar.

For tickets, or to find out more, head to theatrical.com.au/tix. Note, tickets are limited due to capacity restrictions.

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