Review: LITTLE WOMEN at Tipping Point Theatre

The Tipping Pointe's theatres present a new take on a classic tale with the newly reimagined adaptation of Little Women by Heather Chrisler. This familiar, beloved classic novel by Louisa May Alcott is presented in an entirely new way: a whimsical and adventurous play that's perfect holiday fare for the whole family. Imagination abounds as four actors in an attic play several roles, yet the voices of Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy remain true and clear. The story unfolds as the sisters experience the Christmas holiday, family hardships, artistry, love, and loss.

This 90-minute one-act sensation will take you through all the emotions this holiday season. I have always been a fan of classic American literature. Louisa May Alcott created such a lovable story about family dynamics, love, friendship, and hardship that it has become one of the most well-loved stories from the late 1800s and continues to be loved today. This story is so well known by anyone who is a fan of classic literature that it makes it even harder to give this story a fresh take. I can definitely say this is not your mother's Little Women. A cast of four outstanding actresses includes Jessica Greenwald (Beth/Laurie), Meghan VanArsdalen*(Jo), Mary Dilworth (Meg/Professor), and Meredith Parker (Amy/John). My favorite performance of the night was by Jessica Greenwald as Laurie. She also played Beth and did a fantastic job toggling between both roles. If I'm being honest, Laurie, as a character, has always intrigued me the most. I was curious to see how the actresses would switch between male and female characters, but Jessica Greenwald's natural charisma as Laurie, as he fights for Jo's attention and then flips to seduce Amy throughout the show was so flawless that I forgot I was watching the same actress. She would then switch back to playing the sweet and selfless Beth and I would forget about Laurie until she came back out in his signature vest. I was impressed by the directing of the show by Beth Torrey. There are no huge costume changes or fake beards and hats thrown on to switch characters. I enjoyed the subtle differences and felt all the actresses handled the separate roles with a finesse that was not obvious and gauche but brought a nice gentle grace to the characters.

I would be remiss not to mention the leader of the show, Meghan VanArsdalen, as Jo. Jo is such a fiercely independent and complicated character for me personally. To me, Jo has always given me a little "Pick Me Girl" energy, but in this rendition, she is portrayed slightly differently. This role is the only one in the show that doesn't have more than one character attached to the actor. I liked the attention this drew to Jo being almost the center of the show. She is always portrayed as the main character, but this really highlights the individuality of the role. Meghan VanArsdalen portrayed Jo with a vulnerability I haven't seen in this character before. I have always been kind of a Jo hater, but Meghan VanArsdalen brought out a very likable, more feminine side to the character that made her a lot more relatable to me. I was very impressed with the staging of the performance as well. I liked how it was all set in the attic and then the actors would use set pieces to create different locations. 

Tipping Pointe Theatre's adaptation of Little Women by Heather Chrisler will be playing at Tipping Point Theatre located at 361 E Cady Street • Northville, MI 48167, till December 21st, 2024. Get your tickets here.

Halftime With Don will start performances at Tipping Pointe Theatre from January 22nd- to February 16th.

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