As a frequent attendee of professional theater productions, I can attest to the fact that Edmond Memorial High School’s theater department has reached a level of excellence that is difficult to attain at the high school level. This year’s production has proved me right yet again.

This year’s play “Little Women,” follows the childhood and upbringing of the March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Originally a book by Louisa May Alcott (adapted into a 2019 movie), the plot mainly revolves around Jo March and her dream to become a published author, while also shedding light on the other sisters’ lives. 

In EMHS’s production of “Little Women” Kylin Shortt plays Jo March to absolute perfection. She displayed all of Jo March’s iconic characteristics of being headstrong, imaginative and extremely intelligent. Even after Jo grew up and was living in New York, Shortt kept Jo’s spirit and active mind alive. 

As for the other sisters, they were brought to life flawlessly by the actresses. Meg, played by Addie Hoppers, was the perfect sensible eldest sister to the three others. Beth, played by Paige Medley, was a lighthearted, happy character, and despite her limited time on stage, Medley’s acting really brought out her spirit. The youngest sister, Amy, played by Berlin Flurry, was portrayed perfectly. Her stubbornness showed in Flurry’s acting and she grew into a distinguished lady of society by the end.

Laurie played by Connor Halley, Professor Bhaer played by Braden Flud and John Brooke played by Colin Nye perfectly portrayed the sisters’ love interests without pulling the focus off of their coming-of-age story. They were each unique in their acting skills and how they displayed the character. Professor Bhaer even had a subtle yet noticeable German accent throughout the show that Flud imitated perfectly and consistently. 

The girls’ mother, or “Marmee,” was brought to life by Annabelle Piper. Although she was only acting, it was easy to believe that she was a loving mother to the four girls. The other prominent adult figure to the girls was the sassy Aunt March, played by Olivia Romanson. She provided some comedic relief during some tense moments, as well as providing wisdom and opportunities to the girls as they grew older. 

In a very subtle yet very necessary touch, there was a string septet of three violins, two violas, one cello and one bass on the right wing of the stage that provided live music during scene transitions. Sometimes even a lone violin would play during important dialogue. The music really brought the culture of the era to life. 

The set remained mostly the same throughout the play; however, it did not take away from the beauty of the scenes. The play was set in the March’s living room with a view of the attic, where the girls hang out and Jo writes her stories. There were many intricate details, yet the design was simple and realistic for the era. 

The only aspect that took away from the otherwise perfect experience was the audience etiquette, especially the students. Talking at more than a whisper during scenes and moving excessively was distracting me from what was happening on stage, and it was clear I was not the only person that noticed.

Overall, it is clear that the cast and crew worked extremely hard on this play and brought it to life for their audience. They put on a broadway-level performance that I wish I could say took me by surprise, but I knew from past productions to expect absolutely nothing less than perfection from EMHS.

Contact Macey Thaxton at [email protected]