Chatter - the music of Little Women and Johnny Reid

Little Women

For generations, girls have enjoyed and celebrated Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Multiple movie versions were filmed of the four sisters' adventures in Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War. Broadway appropriated the story in 2005 and now Foote in the Door Productions is mounting Little Women: The Broadway Musical. Created by the team of Jason Howland (music), Mindi Dickstein (lyrics) and Allan Knee (book), it starts as the Civil War is in full swing and the March patriarch is far from home fulfilling his patriotic duty. The March sisters range from Meg, the eldest and family romantic, to dear, sweet Beth and the hot-tempered, but playful Amy. The story is told from Jo's point of view, a lively, tomboyish aspiring writer. One one level, Little Women is popular as a coming of age story for girls. But on a deeper level, it reflects the struggles and hopes a country endures as part of its growing pains. Little Women plays at L'UniThéatre at La Cité Francophone, 8627 - 91 St. from Nov. 3 to 5 and Nov. 8 to 11. Tickets are $21 to $25. Call 780-420-1757 or at http://www.tixonthesquare.ca

Johnny Reid performance

Award-winning country singer Johnny Reid will perform and sign autographs at West Edmonton Mall on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Phase IV Stage. His ninth studio album, Revival, is coming out Nov. 3 and there's a great deal of anticipation in the marketplace. "Revival is all about new beginnings, finding a voice in the middle of all the noise and distraction," said Reid. "It's about looking in a mirror and then looking back at life and figuring out how to best move forward. It's about fixing and mending relationships broken by angry words so that we may speak again with a softer, more understanding voice." The first 250 people to purchase the new album will receive a wristband to meet him following the performance.