Musical Theatre West is closing its 74th season with a regional production of Little Women – The Musical, marking the first time the company has staged the adaptation.
The show runs at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through November 22, 2026.
The musical, which features a book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland, and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, condenses Louisa May Alcott’s 19th-century novel into a narrative focused on Jo March. Directed and choreographed by Cate Caplin, the production emphasizes Jo’s development as a writer and her efforts to balance her personal ambitions with her family life.
Did You Know? The 2005 Broadway musical adaptation of Little Women frames the events of the story through Jo March’s own writing, depicting the narrative as if it were being prepared for publication.
Jenna Lea Rosen, who recently appeared in the national tour of Suffs, stars as Jo. She is joined by Tami Tappan Damiano as Marmee, along with Katie Roche, Jordan Cruz, and Haven Watts as the other March sisters. The production also features Ariel Neydavoud as Laurie, Martin Kildare as Mr. Laurence, Jonathan Von Mering as Professor Bhaer, Aaron Gibbs as John Brooke, and Barbara Carlton Heart as Aunt March.
While the show incorporates elements like period costumes and an ensemble cast, the physical size of the Carpenter Performing Arts Center stage presents a challenge for the production’s intimate storytelling. “this house looks so much smaller now….” Jo exclaims wistfully about returning to the March home, according to the review, while the expansive nature of the venue occasionally creates distance between the characters, despite the production's focus on the emotional journey of the March family.
The production is directed and choreographed by Cate Caplin.
Performances continue through Sunday, November 22, 2026.
The show is staged at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, located at 6200 E. Atherton Street in Long Beach, California.
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