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Auditions Announcement

Little Women

Adapted by Kate Hamill from the novel by Louisa May Alcott

Auditions: Wednesday, Dec. 4, Cowles Auditorium Stage II, 6-9 p.m.

Callbacks:  Thursday, Dec. 5, Cowles Auditorium Stage II (by appointment, 6-9 p.m.)

First read-through: Monday, Dec. 9, Cowles Auditorium Stage II, 4 p.m.

Tentative rehearsal times:  Monday-Friday, 6:30-9:30 p.m.; potential Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.

Production dates:  Fridays and Saturdays, March 7, 8, 14 & 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 16, at 2 p.m.

Synopsis
Jo March doesn't want to be like other girls; in fact, she's not even sure that she wants to be a girl. Jo is ambitious, rough around the edges, headstrong, and yearns for a future that she can't yet articulate. As the nation is torn apart by civil war, Jo and her sisters struggle with what it means to grow up. Restrictive gender roles, political beliefs, poverty and even love itself threaten to break family ties, as the March sisters try to reconcile their identities with society's demands. How do you stay true to yourself when the world wants you to become a perfect little woman?

Auditions – Wednesday, Dec. 4, Cowles Auditorium Stage II, 6-9 p.m.

  • After filling out an audition form (see link after character breakdowns), If you cannot be at the audition, please email chansen@whitworth.edu a 1-2 minute contemporary monologue or provided side with a reader off camera by Thursday, Dec. 4, at 10 p.m. Plan to read sides at least twice. But you will not need to be at auditions for the full time.

Callbacks – Thursday, Dec. 5, Cowles Auditorium Stage II (by appointment, 6-9 p.m.)

  • Select auditioners may be asked by the artistic team to come back and read for different and specific pairings.
  • Please note: Being called back does not guarantee casting, and not being called back does not mean that you are not being considered.

Tentative Rehearsal Schedule – Monday-Friday, 6:30-9:30 p.m.; potential Saturdays, noon-4 p.m., in Cowles Auditorium Stage II

  • Not all cast will be called for every rehearsal.
  • Specific schedule to be set once cast conflicts have been sorted.
  • First rehearsal is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m. in Stage II. 

Audition Preparation
We are looking for a diverse ensemble of talented storytellers to play a variety of exciting roles. Please be prepared to read from excerpts from the script provided online as well as outside the student workroom in Cowles Auditorium Room 102. If you cannot be at the audition, please email chansen@whitworth.edu a 1-2 minute contemporary monologue or provided side with a reader off camera by Thursday, Dec. 5, 10 p.m.

Characters Breakdown:  
There are a total of 16 character in this production. Some cast will double these roles. There will also be a chance of understudy/swing for this production.

Main characters are as follows:

  1. Jo March
  • Personality: Jo is headstrong, ambitious and fiercely independent. She has a passion for writing and often struggles with societal expectations of women during her time.
  • Role: The central character, Jo is the second-oldest March sister. She yearns for more than the traditional roles prescribed for women, often resisting marriage and dreaming of a career as a writer. Jo’s emotional journey toward self-acceptance and the balance between independence and love is a focal point of the play.
  1. Meg March
  • Personality: Meg is nurturing, responsible and embraces traditional domestic life more than her sisters. She values love and family, though she occasionally struggles with her desire for a more comfortable lifestyle.
  • Role: The oldest March sister, Meg serves as a maternal figure to her younger siblings. She marries John Brooke and faces the challenges of living a modest life, highlighting her personal growth as she learns to appreciate the simpler joys of family and love.
  1. Beth March
  • Personality: Beth is gentle, kind and introverted. She is the moral heart of the family, always thinking of others before herself. Her shy nature and love for music are central to her character.
  • Role: Beth's character represents innocence and quiet strength. She becomes gravely ill, and her illness serves as a catalyst for much of the emotional growth in the other characters, particularly Jo. Beth’s selflessness and eventual death have a profound impact on the family.
  1. Amy March
  • Personality: Amy is artistic, ambitious and has a keen sense of beauty and sophistication. She can be impulsive and vain but matures significantly throughout the story.
  • Role: The youngest March sister, Amy initially appears somewhat spoiled and self-centered, but she grows into a more poised and thoughtful young woman. Her relationship with Laurie, Jo’s close friend, evolves into a romance, and she marries him after he is rejected by Jo.
  1. Marmee (Mrs. March)
  • Personality: Marmee is the moral compass of the March family – wise, compassionate and resilient. She encourages her daughters to think for themselves and follow their hearts, even as they navigate the challenges of womanhood.
  • Role: As the mother of the March sisters, Marmee plays a crucial role in guiding her daughters through their struggles and joys. Her wisdom and patience anchor the family, and her relationship with her husband, who is often away at war, reflects the sacrifices families make.
  1. Laurie (Theodore Laurence)
  • Personality: Laurie is charming, carefree and somewhat mischievous. He has a close bond with the March sisters, particularly Jo, and grapples with his desire to find his place in the world.
  • Role: Laurie is Jo’s best friend and neighbor, though he eventually marries Amy. His character represents the challenges of youthful idealism and unrequited love, as his romantic feelings for Jo go unreturned.
  1. Aunt March
  • Personality: Aunt March is wealthy, opinionated and somewhat gruff, though she genuinely cares for her family. She has high expectations, particularly for the girls, often pushing them toward more traditional roles.
  • Role: Aunt March serves as a contrast to the more progressive ideals of Jo and Marmee, representing the conventional societal norms of the time. She also plays a key role in providing financial assistance to the family and offering opportunities, particularly to Amy.
  1. John Brooke
  • Personality: John is earnest, humble and loyal. He is less flamboyant than Laurie but more grounded and responsible.
  • Role: John Brooke is Laurie’s tutor and later Meg’s husband. His relationship with Meg highlights the theme of love and sacrifice as the couple faces the realities of marriage and raising a family on a modest income.
  1. Mr. March
  • Personality: Mr. March is compassionate, wise and a loving father, though he is absent for much of the story due to his service in the Civil War.
  • Role: While Mr. March’s presence in the play is minimal, his letters and influence are felt throughout. He embodies the values of integrity and sacrifice, serving as a model of quiet strength for his daughters.

Supporting and Minor Characters:

  1. Mr. Laurence – Laurie’s grandfather, initially gruff but becomes a good friend and benefactor to the March family, especially Beth, with whom he forms a special bond.
  2. Hannah – The March family's loyal housekeeper. She has been with the family for years and provides domestic support and advice.
  3. Mrs. Mingott – A wealthy, influential woman in the social circles of the March family’s community (optional in some productions depending on cast size).

Please fill out the audition form before Wednesday, Dec. 4. 

Audition Sides

About the Artistic Team

Chris Hansen: Whitworth Lecturer Chris Hansen holds an M.A. in theatrical production from Central Washington University. He has worked professionally as an actor, director, designer and technician at theatres across the Pacific Northwest. Chris has been a collegiate instructor to national award-winning success for the last ten years across three institutions! When not in the classroom, you can catch him working on film sets, commercials, or in the community at any number of our theatres and troupes all at once! He is no stranger to work, and always looks forward to sharing his passion for theatre arts with all who will share the time! 

If you have questions, please contact theatre-dept@whitworth.edu or call 509.777.3707.