The audience kept coming until no seats were left in McCoy Theatre for Rhodes Theatre Guild’s (RTG) production of Little Women: The Musical April 1-3.
“I am so proud of this cast and crew for working so diligently,” says RTG President Annalee McConnell ’22. “Thanks to everyone’s dedication to the project, we were able to put this show together after only three and a half weeks of rehearsals! It was an honor to perform on the McCoy Theatre mainstage for three sold-out performances, and I think the success of the show is really a testament to the talent of this group of artists and the love of theater that persists on campus. Individuals of all different backgrounds and skillsets came together to make more than just a performance. Together, we cultivated a community.”
In addition to McConnell, the cast was made up of Carley Jo Goggans ’22, Georgia Winkler ’23, Kathryn Dressel ’25, Lily Spencer ’25, Nolita Palomar ’25, Abby Kurszewski ’25, JD Willis ’25, Jakob Greer ’23, and guest actors Jimbo Lattimore and Javier Peña.
RTG performed a musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women that is about the four sisters of the March family. Jason Gerhard, who is director of theatre education at Playhouse on the Square, directed the production. Professional musicians Thomas Bergstig and Nathan McHenry provided musical direction.
“Working with Jason Gerhard as well as our guest designers and actors allowed us to build a bridge between our Rhodes community and the Memphis theatrical community,” says McConnell. “For me, forming these relationships was one of the biggest highlights. The other was providing Rhodes students with an opportunity to make and watch theater on stage for the first time since the start of the pandemic! Based on the reactions of our audience members, cast, and production team, it’s evident live theater was sorely missed during the past two years. I’m ecstatic that RTG brought it back with full force!”
The production team for RTG’s Little Women was made up of Laura Perkins, Zack Beanblossom, Teresa Lowry, Abbie Seale, Melissa Andrews, Zack Beanblossom, Morgan Nydam, Max Dixon, Frankie Moutier, Samuel Barden, Courtney Oliver, Vivi Sharp, and Gemma Shanahan.
RTG was established in 2016 as a space for students to spearhead their own projects with the support of the college’s resources and facilities. It is open to anyone wanting to hone their skills in acting, singing, dancing, improv, or technical work.
To learn more about RTG, visit their Instagram page.