This show is one of my guilty pleasures :) While I realize that the show is dreadfully flawed, most of the music is fun and I love listening to Maureen McGovern on the cast recording.
(And Something's Are Meant to Be is a great song too!)
The tour blew my mind. I went in not expecting very much with the short run on Broadway, but I loved every second of it. I don't agree about the flaws. I thought the book was very strong and the score is exceptional. The sets and costumes were also breathtaking as displayed in the pictures. The attic scenes were particulalrly breathtaking with the lighting effects creating the illusion of the sun shining through the breaks in the wood. I came out feeling a million times better about the American musical. I understand that it's not for everyone, but I loved it. It deserved better.
I agree with TheatreFreak. The show both book and score-wise definitely has some problems but the moments that do work, especially in the score, are achingly beautiful. I most came away wanting to hear more from composer Jason Howland. What a promising talent!
There it is, I think the best word for Little Women as a whole: promising. The show really is something special.
I agree with TheatreFreak about the guilty pleasure. I have listened to my copy of the cast recording more than I ever thought I would! It really is a great score.
You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You gotta hope even more, and cover your ears and go 'bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla!
- Phillip J. Fry
I didn't care for the book (of the show; I've never read Alcott's story) or the pacing, but I loved the tour cast and a great deal of the score is gorgeous.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
On a side note, I saw Autumn Hulbert as Beth in the tour production. When I watched Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods I didn't even recognize her.
I saw the tour as well and I have to say, I've never heard a voice quite like Maureen McGovern's live. She has so much emotion and power. She was truly spectacular. Also, I thought it was cute that the understudy for Jo that I saw perform, was married to the guy who played Professor Bahr. It was special.
I actually took my mom, not a huge theatre fan, to see it, cause I thought it'd be a fun mother-daughter trip. She actually really liked it and asked me to get her the CD. She would listen to it in the car all the time and my nephew, who was 2 at the time, loved the song Massachusetts. He would bounce his legs and sing along. He also liked I'd Be Delighted.
Sidenote: My mom also saw Jersey Boys and had that CD and my nephew always had to point out when Frankie's wife says the f-word. My mom soon learned to turn it down right at that point each time.
When I saw the national tour it was there last performance I wasn't expecting but it truly nothing but magic for me. the cast delivered a powerful and heart warming performance and when maureen sang "Days of Plenty" she rocked the house. that night we had Jo's understudy on and she just Belted out astonishing it about gave me goose bumps but ever since then the show has been one of my favorites.
Count me among the fans of this show. I love the recording and the national tour. I'm hoping to mount a production of the show where I teach next spring.