LITTLE WOMEN Ends Bristol Riverside Theatre's Season May 22

Bristol Riverside Theatre Company concludes its 2010-2011 season with Little Women with book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein on May 3-May 22. Directed by Susan D. Atkinson, the ensemble cast features Leslie Becker, Kim Carson, Kara Dombrowski, Jennie Eisenhower, Elisa Matthews, Cathy Newman, Steven Nicholas, Stephen Schellhardt, Michael Sharon, and James Van Treuren.

Previews begin Tuesday, May 3 with opening night on Thursday, May 5. Performances run Tuesday through Sunday until May 22. Tickets start at $36, with discounts for students and groups. BRT will also host an afternoon tea of sandwiches and desserts (just like the March girls) beginning at 12:30 PM prior to the May 7 matinee performance. Admission to this special event, which includes the show ticket, are $58 for adults and $32 for children. Tickets are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.

The Broadway musical based on Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Little Women follows the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America. The four March sisters - brassy, tomboy-like, aspiring writer Jo, romantic Meg, pretentious Amy, and kind-hearted Beth - and their beloved Marmee live at home in Concord, Massachusetts while the family patriarch is away serving as a Union Army chaplain during the Civil War. Intercut with the vignettes in which their lives unfold are several recreations of the melodramatic short stories Jo writes in her attic studio. Brought to life as an exhilarating new musical filled with glorious music, dancing and heart, the powerful score soars with the sounds of personal discovery, heartache and hope -- the sounds of a young America finding its voice.

Susan D. Atkinson (Director) is the founding director of BRT. With a theatrical career spanning 40 years of directing, producing, and teaching on both the east and west coasts, she has directed well over 150 plays and musicals in her career, including world and area premieres from such playwrights and composers as Doug Katsoras, Mark St. Germain, Dan Rustin, Michael Hickey and Larry Gatlin. For BRT, Atkinson has directed such shows as The Good Earth, Wintertime, Irma La Douce, Alive and Well, The Price, 110 in the Shade, A Sunbeam, Inspecting Carol, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Arsenic and Old Lace, A Little Night Music, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Holiday, Talley's Folly and Proof. In 1998, Ms. Atkinson directed Larry Gatlin's Texas Flyer both at BRT and at Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, Texas.

Leslie Becker (Marmee March/Hag) appeared in the Broadway revival of Nine and in the national tours of Wicked and Show Boat. BRT audiences may remember her from Baby. Regionally she has also appeared at La Jolla Playhouse, Barrington Stage Company, Geva Theatre, Signature Theatre and Paper Mill Playhouse.

Kim Carson (Beth March/Rodrigo 2) was most recently seen in Peoples Light and Theatre Co.'s production of The Master Builder, and in Title of Show with Maukingbird Theatre. The recipient of a Barrymore Award for her role in Hedwig and the Angry Itch at Azuka theatre, she has also performed at Philadelphia Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, 11th Hour Theatre Company, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and Interact Theatre Company.

Kara Dombrowski (Amy March/Troll) recreates the role of Amy which she created at University Theatre at Ohio Northern University where she recently graduated. She has also appeared in leading roles at Weathervane Playhouse, Freed Center for the Performing Arts, and McCarter Theatre in A Christmas Carol.

Jennie Eisenhower (Jo March) returns to BRT where she last appeared in The Foreigner. She has won Barrymore Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Forbidden Broadway and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for The Wild Party. She has appeared at the Walnut Street Theatre in Fiddler on the Roof, Arden Theatre Company in Baby Case, The Wilma Theater in Embarrassments, Philadelphia Theatre Company in Adrift in Macao, and People's Light & Theatre Company in Once in a Lifetime.

Elisa Matthews (Meg March/Clarissa) has appeared locally in leading roles in several productions at Media Theatre, including Jekyll & Hyde, Annie, My Fair Lady, Show Boat, Oliver and Master Class. She has also performed at People's Light & Theatre Company, Arden Theatre Company and Ohio Light Opera.

Cathy Newman (Aunt March/Mrs. Kirk) has performed in the national tours of South Pacific, Les Miserables, and Big River. Regionally she has been a frequent performer at Fulton Opera House, Don Powell Theatre and Musicals Tonight.

Steven Nicholas (Mr. John Brooke/Braxton) has appeared at White Plains Performing Arts Center as Houdini in Ragtime, Yorktown Players as The Sheriff in Robin Hood and Kent Players as Al in A Chorus Line. He was featured in DiMaggio - The Musical at The Wings Theatre.

Stephen Schellhardt (Laurie Laurence/Rodrigo) recreates the role of Laurie which won him a Jefferson nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Marriott Theatre. A frequent guest at the Marriott Theatre he has earned two Jefferson Awards in Shenandoah and All Night Strut. He has also appeared in several productions at Drury Lane Theatre and North Carolina Theatre as well as participated in the national tour of Altar Boyz.

Michael Sharon (Professor Bhaer) returns to BRT where he starred as Jekyll in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde last fall. Locally he has also appeared as Oberon in Shakespeare in Hollywood at The Wilma Theater. In addition to multiple seasons at the Utah, Alabama and Oregon Shakespeare Festivals and the Shakespeare Theatre of DC, where he was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Twelfth Night, he has performed regionally at Virginia Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, and Goodspeed Opera House. He recently completed filming on the feature Bleecker Street.

James Van Trueren (Mr. Laurence/Knight) appeared on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel and later in its national tour as well as the tours of Singing in the Rain and Camelot. He received a Barrymore nomination in his last appearance at BRT in Evita. Other regional credits include productions at Geva Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre, Barrington Stage and Goodspeed Opera House.

Little Women brings together the creative team of Set Designer Roman Tatarowicz, Lighting Designer Deborah Constantine, and Costume Designer Millie Hiibel. Mark Yurkanin is the Musical Director, and Karen Getz is the Choreographer.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintained a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 60 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director, Amy Kaissar, BRT is in its 24th season. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.

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