Leman Mainstage is back, and this time, it’s stepping into the world of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel Little Women! This classic story of sisterhood, love, and resilience is being brought to life by the talented students of Léman, offering a fresh and powerful perspective on what it means to dream, grow, and fight for what you believe in.
Little Women follows Jo March (Caelyn Osburn ‘25), an ambitious and fiercely independent aspiring author who dreams of making a name for herself in a male-dominated literary world. Set in Concord, Massachusetts, during the Civil War era, the story captures the struggles, joys, and triumphs of Jo and her three sisters—Meg (Zeinab Omar ‘26), Beth (Alex Gabbay ‘29), and Amy (Ella Levine ‘27)—as they navigate the challenges of growing up, finding love, and pursuing their dreams while holding onto the deep bond of family.
As rehearsals wrap up and tech week approaches, I asked my fellow cast members (I’m taking on the silly but pure-hearted role of Laurie) and the creative team how they felt leading up to the big performances.
Star of the show Caelyn Osburn reflects on her final mainstage: “This experience has been my favorite part of my high school experience. Playing Jo has given me the ability to never back down from something that I want and shown me an exceptional amount of love throughout the process.”
Ms. Partee, the director of Little Women, speaks highly of the show’s themes. As she envisions the production, she has played a crucial role in helping each actor find the passion behind their character’s journey. Partee shared, “I think when people first look at a show like Little Women, they might say, ‘Women in the 1860s—what does this have to do with me?’ What’s exciting to me about this show is that t, at its core, it is about dreams and honoring your dreams and pursuing them, especially in the face of adversity. That’s something that every person can relate to.”
Paloma Alfonso ‘25, who plays Marmee, the matriarch of the March household, shared, “It’s been an incredible experience, and I feel like I've made such great friendships. It's truly a tight-knit community. I cannot wait to show it to the rest of the Léman community.”
Michael Douglas, ‘26, who plays Professor Bhaer, shared what makes this production stand out: “I’d say it's different from any story we've ever done before. It focuses on family and community and what it means to be a woman and to grow up in that period.” Alex Scotti, ‘27, who plays John Brooks, is a mainstage repeater. He shared, “Mainstage is about community, love, and acceptance,ce and this year, I feel this even more than the past six years doing Mainstage. I’m incredibly grateful to the creative team for this open space to play, laugh, and, more importantly, feel.
Beyond its rich storytelling, Little Women challenges its cast and crew with its unique musical style and period-accurate staging. Mr. John, the musical director of the show, explained, “Little Women is a great show that provides a lot of unique opportunities for students involved, particularly in the musical style, which is more classical and almost operatic at several moments. It also provides opportunities for several actors to engage in fight choreography and stage combat, led by professional stage combat production team members.”
As the cast and crew prepare to bring Little Women to the Léman stage, they invite the entire school community to experience this heartfelt production! Tickets are on sale now, so visit lemanmanhattan.org for more information.