Franklin Regional Thespian Club prepares for 'Little Women' production

Franklin Regional Thespian Club adviser Richard Sunny didn’t need to give most of his cast much background on “Little Women,” the club’s spring production.

“Most of them have been asking me to do this since they were freshmen,” he said with a laugh.

Louisa May Alcott’s classic story of the joys, challenges, trials and tribulations that Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March face as they grow up has been adapted numerous times for both stage and screen.

FR senior Samantha Hollerman, 18, who will portray Amy, has seen the most recent film adaption, by director Greta Gerwig, but has been steeped in the story’s lore for a while.

“My grandmother is really big on historical books, so I read it when I was 10 years old and fell in love with it,” Hollerman said. “My freshman year, all the upper-class girls were saying, ‘We’re going to do ‘Little Women’ our senior year,’ but it didn’t end up happening until this year.”

Senior Emily Hicks, who will play Meg March, wasn’t as familiar with the story, and watched the movie for the first time after the play was announced.

“There’s a balance of silly and serious,” said Hicks, 18. “There are silly things and reunions, but there’s also a death scene. There are big moments, even though a lot of the scenes feel like they could be happening in just about any house. But each scene has a significant impact on all the characters.”

Sunny said working with the 14-member cast — all seniors — has been a breeze.

“There really hasn’t been a major challenge,” he said. “Most of this cast has been with the club for years, so working with this group of seniors has been really amazing.”

Co-director Shelby Hostetler agreed.

“Normally you’d be a little nervous around this time,” she said. “But every day when Richard and I look at one another and ask how we feel about it, the answer has always been, ‘Really good.’”

Hicks and Hollerman said one challenge has been their inability to use the stage for about three weeks, because of preparation and practice for upcoming band and choral concerts.

“We’re a lot closer to the directors than we’d normally be, so we’re probably going to work on projecting our voices a little more when we’re back on the stage,” Hicks said.

“Little Women” will take place at 7:30 p.m. May 2-3, with a 2 p.m. matinee May 4. It will be at FR Senior High School, 3200 School Road in Murrysville.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. No advance tickets will be sold.