Rehearsal of 'Little Women' the musical

By Lisa Parent

‘Story of resiliency, a little bit of heartbreak’: ‘Little Women’ musical premieres January

Dec 8, 2023 | 4:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – From sword fighting to sisterly gossip, Medicine Hat Musical Theatre’s upcoming January production of ‘Little Women’ is promising it all.

“It’s a real story of resiliency, a little bit of heartbreak, but the crux of the story is really about that family bond and that beautiful love that sisters share,” explains director of the show, Colleen Whidden.

This production is based off Louisa May Alcott’s 1869 novel, ‘Little Women,’ set during the American civil war.

Shelby MacPhail plays the main character Jo, a passionate, fiery independent women and one of four sisters starring in the show.

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“I’ve loved this character for a long time,” says MacPhail. “I actually sang one of her pieces as a teenager and I think she’s very different from who I am as a person, so it’s a challenging role for me, which was kind of exciting and it’s been really rewarding getting to learn who Jo is and kind of bring her character to life.”

The musical spans across years, bringing transformative journeys for characters, especially sisters Joe and Amy.

“We have an interesting relationship. We have a few feuds throughout the story, we want very different things in life and we’re both passionate about those things,” says MacPhail. “And so in that sense, we kind of butt heads quite a bit.”

The two actresses have an intricate relationship outside of the spotlight, as well.

“Me and Shelby have known each other since, I mean, we were in middle school together,” says Jasmyn Bojakli, who plays Amy. “So, we’ve been in musicals at St. Mary’s together growing up.”

They also used to compete against each other at rotary festivals. Now, the two have been able to reconnect in a different setting.

“Theater always feels so much like family, so when you end up getting into a cast and you start to get really close and stuff like that, it feels really nice when it’s more so that kind of vibe than the competitive vibe. Nobody’s competing here, we’re all doing the same thing,” Bojakli says.

Director Whidden says that close family connection will shine through in the performance just as much.

“There’s something about the story that everyone can relate to and it really touches everyone,” says Whidden. “So I think no matter where you’re at in life, what your story is, I think you’ll find that resonant factor with the story as Little Women.”

Tickets for the show are available on the Medicine Hat Musical Theatre website. The show runs from January 12 to January 27.