Brenna Silva, Katie Worrell, Leah Kennedy, and Aishy Panwar Photo by Dave Lepori

South Bay Musical Theatre is bringing their stories to the Saratoga Civic Theatre stage in a production of the musical that soars in every respect–musically, staging, directing, and acting–a production whose 1863-65 setting is period perfect but also present-day accessible and relatable for both young and old.

Jo March (the character clearly representing the novel's author) is a determined, driven young woman whose singular goal in life is to be a world-famous writer. Even after twenty-two rejections by New York publishing houses, she is as sure as ever that she will be so. When told by a German professor friend, "I think you can do better" than her "blood and guts" stories about a villain, a distressed heroine, and a shining hero coming to the rescue, Jo sings "Better" with exacting passion full of fire in her notes and eyes, "How can he miss what is so clear? How can I do better than what's already here?"

Brenna Silva is nothing short of brilliantly cast as the headstrong Jo, bringing spark, spunk, and sizzle to a girl who is not about to let anyone shortchange or alter her dream, be it a mother who wants her to marry and have a family, an aunt who wants her to be more lady-like, or a neighbor's adoring grandson whom she sees as a brother but who soon sees himself as her future husband. None of these are the routes Jo has charted for herself as she continues to write night after night in her family's attic in their humble Concord, Massachusetts home.

Time and again she returns to her beloved refuge in the attic yet to write again, later declaring with a face glowing with renewed excitement as she furiously puts ink to words, "I will never fall asleep again" ("Better Reprise"). As Jo makes bold and even heartbreaking decisions to pursue a career even when she is the only one who really believes she can someday be successful, Brenna Silva embeds in her Jo growing confidence as heard in her Act One finale, "Astonishing." Her vocals take flight in soprano-agile wings as she sings with singular, brilliant resolve, "I'll find my way, I'll find it far away ... in my own way, today."

For all her fury to ensure no one or nothing gets in her way to be an acclaimed author, in her heart of hearts Jo is also totally devoted to her Marmee (i.e., mother) and her three sisters–all awaiting the next letter from a husband and father who is a chaplain on the battlefields of the ongoing horrible war.

Mary Melnick sings with full, vibrant, and moving vocals as Marmee sits at her own writing desk to pen a letter to her absent husband ("Here Alone"). Later, as overwhelming sadness takes over due to a loss too often common for a mother in those times, her Marmee sings with powerful emotion, "I never dreamed of this sorrow ... I hoped I'd never know heartbreak" ("Days of Plenty"). Mary Melnick embodies so beautifully and convincingly a mother who cannot help but remind most of us of the unconditional love we too have felt from our own Marmee.

Aishy Panwar is Jo's older, quite proper and usually sweet sister, Meg. She brings rich, vibrating vocals as she duets with the romantically clear baritone intoned by Jai Kaushik, as Meg's betrothed, Mr. John Brooke, in "More than I Am" where their voices intertwine in mesmerizing harmonies just as they have decided to do so with their lives.

By contrast, the youngest sister, Amy, is much Meg's opposite. With abound and devilish impishness, Leah Kennedy plays the impulsive, often self-centered family brat whose arc of character development moves a bit toward more maturity over the two years but only slightly.

Katie Worrell is so easily likable as the shy, quieter Beth, whose personality and talent as an aspiring pianist move the otherwise cantankerous grouch and rich neighbor of the Marches, Mr. Laurence (Robin Melnick), to let her play his prized piano. Their two duets of the 1860s-appropriate "Off to Massachusetts" are delightful and establish a feeling for the era.

Beth's final number sung with Jo, "Some Things Are Meant to Be," provides Katie Worrell a chance to sing with transfixing, lyrical joy, probably the evening's most touching and in the end, sad number. Her final phrase,"Let me go now," is accompanied by a gorgeous setting sun on Cape Cod–just one of the evening's many artistic touches by projection designer Don Nguyen.

Surrounding the March family are other equally memorable characters, each played–like the aforementioned Robin Melnick as Mr. Laurence and Jai Kaushik as Mr. John Brooke–with appropriate nuance and skill by this talented cast. Barbara Heninger's program bio declares "her theatrical oeuvre remains mostly grouchy old ladies." To the likes of roles like Grandma Tzeitel and the Wicked Witch of the West, she can now with full confidence add a stellar appearance as the prim and proper, demanding, and unforgiving Aunt March.

Jackson Velez is German-born Professor Bhaer who, with directness and honesty tells Jo her stories "can be better," and secretly becomes her biggest supporter, with ambitions to be much more. Their duet, "Small Umbrella in the Rain," is a climactic highlight of the show, both actors gorgeously singing with a combination of newfound honesty, plentiful amounts of teasing, and finally, deeply expressed passion.

Among many fine voices, the one that will be most remembered by me is that of Sadat Hossain as the quite adorable in spirit and demeanor Laurie Laurence (grandson of Mr. Laurence). As he and Jo strike a special bond (each with a different definition of what that bond means and where it is leading), his half of their duet in "Take a Chance on Me" brings electrifying vocals along with striking, facial expressions that are exciting to hear and watch. Later, he will join in a wonderfully choreographed number (orchestrated by Janie Scott) as he and the four sisters parade about in their finale fling as children about to transition to young adults singing with aplomb, "Five Forever."

Janie Scott directs the many shifting scenes flawlessly while ensuring that the early scenes of sister silliness and natural rivalries never go over the top and that later scenes of life-changing emotions and events hit their targets credibly and with conviction. Along with Don Nguyen's beautiful projections and Michael Paul Hirsch's set design, Barbara Heninger's props design places the story in its mid-1860s, New England setting as do the colorful and eclectic period costumes, hair, and makeup designed by Y. Sharon Peng. Amanda Ku directs the off-stage, sixteen-piece orchestra whose combined abilities produce a fabulously rich interpretation of Jason Howland's score.

Particularly noteworthy and absolutely arresting is the lighting design by Noah Price. Along with dappled shadows, darkened corners, and mood-setting dimming and brightening, the shifts of lighting effects and colors often mid-song go a long way in conveying the transformations the characters are undergoing as well as uncovering additional meanings of the words being sung.

All in all, South Bay Musical Theatre's Little Women is a revisit to an American classic tale that should not be missed. There is much to be newly harvested from this magnificently sung and staged story that has already been told countless times in pages and/or on screen and stage.

South Bay Musical Theatre's Little Women runs through February 14, 2026, at Saratoga Civic Theatre, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga CA. For tickets and information, please visit southbaymt.com or the box office Monday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., or call 408-266-4734.