Little Women
In 1865, Josephine March (Jo) receives a notice of rejection from a publisher; it is her twenty-second rejection. Jo asks Professor Bhaer, another boarder at Mrs. Kirk's boarding house, his opinion on her story ("An Operatic Tragedy"). The professor is not impressed by her story, telling her that he thinks that she can write something better. Jo, taken aback and angry at Bhaer's reaction, asks him what he knows to give him the right to criticize her and insults him by calling him old. He reacts by saying that he is stating his opinion and leaves. Jo, left alone, wonders what could be better than the story she has written, then muses that perhaps her writing was better when she was at home in Concord, Massachusetts ("Better"). Two years earlier in her attic studio, Jo assembles her sisters, Meg, Beth, and Amy, to tell them that she will be putting on a show of her own called the "Operatic Tragedy". The sisters beg Jo to not make the show but Jo convinces them that this play will be a hit and will make for the best Christmas ever ("Our Finest Dreams"). Marmee, their mother, comes in with a letter from their father, who is away as a Union army chaplain in the American Civil War. As Marmee writes a response, she reflects on how hard it is to be the pillar of strength in the March home ("Here Alone"). Aunt March, the sisters' wealthy aunt, asks Jo to change from being a tomboy to a model lady of society. She tells Jo she is considering bringing her along to Europe. Jo begs to go with her, but Aunt March says that she will take her only if she changes. Jo, who has always dreamed of seeing Europe, agrees ("Could You?"). Meanwhile, Meg has one of her own dreams realized: she and Jo are invited to Annie Moffat's Valentine's Day Ball. On the day of the ball, while the two sisters are getting ready, Meg decides that she cannot go. She asks Marmee what she should say when one of her potential suitors asks her to dance. Marmee tells Meg to just smile and say "I'd be delighted" ("Delighted"). Amy, who cares about society life more than Jo, rushes down in Jo's old ball gown to join them in going to the ball, but Jo stops her as she is not invited. Spiteful, Amy burns Jo's manuscript in the fireplace. At the ball, Jo accidentally sits on Laurie, who is a neighbor of the Marches' along with his grumpy grandfather, Mr. Laurence. Laurie's tutor, Mr. Brooke, comes in and scolds Laurie for not meeting important people, which will make Mr. Laurence angry. Mr. Brooke accidentally takes Meg's dance card; when he returns it, he sees how beautiful she is, asks her to dance, and Meg agrees. Meg and Mr. Brooke are smitten with each other at first sight. Laurie confesses to Jo his need for friends and asks Jo to dance with him. Jo replies that she doesn't dance but Laurie keeps trying ("Take A Chance On Me"). Back at the Marches' after the ball, Jo and Amy have a confrontation after Jo discovers what Amy has done to her manuscript. Marmee sends Amy to bed and apologizes to Jo, but tells her that Amy is just a child and wants to be like Jo. Jo rushes up to the attic to rewrite her story ("Better (Reprise)"). Laurie invites Jo to a skating race, which she at first refuses but eventually agrees to. Amy wants to go with them but has already outgrown her skates. Beth, who intends to stay home, offers Amy her old skates. Beth is sitting at the family's old piano when Mr. Laurence comes in looking for Laurie. Mr. Laurence discovers Beth's talent at the piano and they sing a duet ("Off to Massachusetts"). Jo and Laurie come in from the skating race with Laurie carrying Amy because she fell through the ice while skating. Jo and Amy reconcile, and Jo makes Laurie an honorary member of the March family ("Five Forever"). Marmee receives a letter informing her that her husband has contracted pneumonia and she must go to Washington to be with him. As Marmee prepares to leave and Amy packs her things to stay with Aunt March, Jo returns with money for Marmee to travel, but confesses that she did not go to Aunt March; she tried to sell her stories in the town common, but ended up cutting and selling her hair. When Aunt March arrives to pick up Amy, she sees Jo and is furious. Jo has a confrontation with Aunt March, ending with Aunt March deciding not to take Jo to Europe after all. Aunt March then turns her focus to Amy, intending to mold her into the society life that she envisioned for Jo. Mr. Brooke tells Meg of his enlistment in the Union army. He then asks Meg for her hand in marriage, and she accepts ("More Than I Am"). Months later, Laurie returns to Concord and visits Jo, who is happy to see him. Laurie tells her that his grandfather has enrolled him in college and that he will be leaving in time for the summer session. Laurie begins to confess his feelings for Jo and kisses her ("Take A Chance On Me (Reprise)"). He put out a ring and tells Jo he loves her. Jo does not accept his marriage proposal and is upset by his words. He tells her that she will marry eventually, but Jo tells him that she will not; Laurie says she will, but not to him. Jo ponders her future, vowing to find another way to achieve her dreams ("Astonishing"). At Mrs. Kirk's boarding house in New York City, she is holding a telegram for Jo from Mrs. March. Jo runs in, looking for Professor Bhaer and finding him right in front of her. She has news of her first sale as an author ("The Weekly Volcano Press"). She tells them the story of the sale as well; following Professor Bhaer's advice, she embellished the story. When Jo reads the telegram, she is notified that Beth contracted scarlet fever and immediately packs her bags to return to Concord. Jo, after a few days, sends a letter to Professor Bhaer, asking him what's new in New York. The professor struggles to write a decent response ("How I Am"). With her new earnings, Jo takes Marmee and Beth to Cape Cod. When Marmee leaves to write to her husband, Beth and Jo put together a kite that Jo got for Beth and they fly it in the air. Beth tells Jo that she is not afraid to die, but says that the hardest part is leaving Jo ("Some Things Are Meant To Be"). Beth dies soon after. Amy and Aunt March return home from Europe. Laurie also returns home from Europe and sees Jo for the first time in a long time. Jo tells Laurie that she has missed him and that she sold a story; Laurie tells her that she was always meant to "fly on golden wings," and that he was not. Amy comes to them and Amy and Laurie struggle to tell Jo of their impending marriage because they do not wish for Jo to be upset ("The Most Amazing Thing"). Jo, grieving Beth's death, finds herself unable to write another story. Marmee tells Jo of how she copes with Beth's death, telling Jo that she must move forward for Beth's sake ("Days of Plenty"). Jo reminisces about her sisters. Her thoughts of her family and friends inspire her to write her novel, "Little Women" ("The Fire Within Me"). On the day of Laurie and Amy's wedding, Professor Bhaer comes to Concord to see Jo and she is surprised to see him. He tells Jo of his feelings for her ("Small Umbrella In The Rain"). He proposes to her and Jo accepts his proposal. He tells Jo that he sent the manuscript of her novel to Henry Dashwood, the editor of The Weekly Volcano Press. He tells Jo that the publisher agreed to publish it, and Jo proclaims her happiness. As Marmee comes outside and brings Professor Bhaer in, Jo takes a moment to reflect on her life ("Volcano (Reprise)"). Professor Bhaer then comes back out and tells Jo they're all waiting for her inside. Jo goes to Bhaer, takes his hand, and goes inside the house.