When St. Albert actor Hayley Moorhouse was 10 years old, she read Louisa May Alcott’s iconic Little Women.
Little did Moorhouse realize one day she would play the role of her favourite character, Jo March, in a production of Little Women playing at Citadel Theatre. As the second eldest of four sisters, Jo is the strong-willed outspoken young woman who dreams of being a writer and clashes with society’s expectations for women.
“I was very much a tomboy, and I wanted to write. We have a lot similarities. It was a lot of fun and rewarding reading it because the characters are so relatable. In this production, I’m leaning on my own experience as a tomboy about not feeling confident with what girls are supposed to be or what femininity is supposed to be and eventually finding my unique path,” said Moorhouse.
Moorhouse has performed at numerous theatres across Edmonton and is in demand in large part due to her commanding presence on stage and her willingness to dig deep into her character’s persona.
As the production’s main protagonist, Jo delivers an unbridled spirited energy while attempting to expand her identity beyond the limitations of 19th century society.
“There’s a lot of Louisa in the character of Jo. She’s very much an individual who did not go along with society’s expectations. She wanted to be a writer and pursue her own path. In writing Little Women, she encouraged young women to embrace individuality and be creative and travel. There was more to life than settling for domestic expectations. She encouraged girls to see different possibilities.”
Although this is story of a poor white family set against the backdrop of the Civil War, director Jenna Rodgers cast the production with diversity actors.
“Having cast different races enhances the show and helps audiences think about the play in a modern context and what it meant for people of colour living in Massachusetts at that time. People of colour lived there, and we made sure it reflected the reality of the times.”
In addition to Moorhouse, the cast includes Nadien Chu (Marmee), Patricia Darbasie (Aunt March), Donna Leny Hansen (Meg March), Erin Pettifor (Beth March), Christina Nguyen (Amy March), Steven Greenfield (Friedrich Bhaer), Paul-Ford Manguelle (John Brooke), Troy O’Donnell (Mr. Lawrence) and Gabriel Richardson (Laurie Lawrence).
Playwright Jordi Mand is completely faithful to Alcott’s original story and delivers on themes of family, connection, friendship, individuality, and personal identity.
The production offers a mix of emotions from joy, hope and laughter to grief, anger and sorrow. In one scene Beth, the second youngest sister and also the gentlest, dies of complications from scarlet fever.
“It’s very emotional. You can hear the audience’s sniffles. Part of it is because you meet this young character and you follow her through life. You get attached to her and when you lose her, you hear the sniffles.”
Every director develops different styles of working with actors. Jenna Rodgers works in collaboration with actors.
“She’s interested in what makes contemporary theatre unique and what makes characters unique. She allows so much room for creativity and room for actors to trust their instincts. She and the actors make offers in equal measure, and we play off each other.”
Little Women runs until May 25. For tickets call the box office at 780-425-1820 or online at citadeltheatre.com.
