Theater Review: "Little Women The Broadway Musical" at Center Stage Theatre

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member and Patch.com contributor Nancy Sasso Janis

Center Stage Theatre in Shelton is concluding their 20th season with “Little Women The Broadway Musical.” The production is well-directed by Justin Zenchuk, who for 20 years has been essential to the operation of this theater.

Zenchuk notes that this version of Louisa May Alcott classic work “is not simply a tale of family, love, and loss; but a celebration of resilience, imagination, and the courage to pursue one’s dream in a world that often tells us otherwise…I hope that you are transported into the March family’s world, where the warmth of home, the power of storytelling, and the pursuit of one’s truest self shine brighter than ever.”

What the director calls “Jo’s fiery spirit” is fiercely brought to life by Anna Giordano. This role was played on Broadway by Sutton Foster, so no pressure there. Giordano returns to Center Stage after a four year hiatus. She was last seen in “Godspell.”

“Meg’s quiet strength” comes into play in the performance of Katt Twohill. She has been performing at Center Stage since the age of 10, most recently playing Julia Sullivan in “The Wedding Singer” and Kira in “Xanadu.”

“Beth’s gentle heart” shines through the performance of Joelle Cote, who is a pediatric occupational therapist by day. Her gentle voice is perfect for "Some Things Are Meant to Be." Cote’s most recent appearances were in “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” “Rent,” and “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

“Amy’s determined ambition” (and I would add brattiness) is embodied by Quinlyn Kessler in her Center Stage debut. A recent graduate of Manhattanville University, where she played Natasha Rostova in “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812,” Kessler made her professional debut this summer with the Ohio Light Opera Company.

Kyle Attanasio brings a wonderfully accurate German accent to his performance as Professor Bhaer, who lives in the same boarding house in New York as Jo March. Attanasio has been involved in many productions since his first in 2008, and most recently appeared as Judas in “Godspell.”

A standout performance in this production is Casey Lynne Ortiz in the role of Marmee March. Ortiz has been involved with Center State since she was 16 years of age. Her most recent credits include Sister Mary Hubert in “Nuncrackers” and Melpomene in “Xanadu.” By day, she is a hairstylist in Westport.

Tenor J.R. Resto brings charm to the role of the March girl’s honorary brother Laurie Laurence. Resto previously performed as Pablo in “Sister Act” with Center Stage. Katelyn Botsford Tucker comes off as very imposing in the role of Aunt March, dressed head to toe in black. Tucker played Sister Mary Martin of Tours in “Sister Act.”

Scott Sheldon uses his wonderfully deep voice to age up to portray young Laurie’s stern grandfather Mr. Laurence. Sheldon is a long-time performer/contributor at Center Stage. He was a riot as Robert in “The Play That Goes Wrong” and played Jud in “Oklahoma.” Sheldon has designed and constructed the sets for all of the shows in the theater’s 2025 season.

Daniel Schwartzberg takes on the role of Laurie’s tutor, the handsome Mr. John Brooke. The actor joins the Center Stage community for the first time in this role.

In a production where all of the female roles are strongly performed, these male actors hold their own admirably.

Sarah Pero, who has worked as production manager and PSM at Legacy Theatre in Branford, is the stage manager/light board operator. Production Manager Perseis Grant gathered all of the props, including the requisite kite that has a flight track over the audience that brings them to the beach on Cape Cod.

The costumes, wigs and makeup designed by Katie Sedlock are true to the period, with colorful hoop skirts, suits for the men that evoke the Civil War era, and trousers for Jo. The wigs for Jo, while reflecting her haircut, really didn’t match the characters unfussy personality.

I loved Sheldon’s scenic design for this show. The airy set featured Jo’s attic space that doubled as the second floor of the March home. Scenic Artist Melanie Byron completed each scene with excellent projections. Austin Werner, a 2024 graduate of Wagner College, makes his debut with Center Stage as lighting designer. The lighting noticeably enhances all of the scenes, and is stunning before the lights come down before the intermission.

Music Director Katie Ciurleo made sure that all of the singers in the cast were prepared to sing the glorious music in this score with lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Jason Howland. The performers nailed the harmonies in the second act opener, "The Weekly Volcano Press." The book was written by Allan Knee. Jacob Marcus (Princeton in “Avenue Q”) worked on this production as assistant director/music director.

Remaining performances are Friday, Sept. 26 7:30pm, Saturday, Sept. 27 7:30pm and Sunday, Sept. 28 2pm. To purchase tickets, visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/29405/production/1226836

Coming up next will be Center Stage Education Center performances. “Avenue Q High School Edition” runs Oct. 24-26. “All Shook Up Kids” will be presented Nov. 1-2 and “All Shook Up Jr.” will run Nov. 6 - 9.

Managing Director Carla Supersano Sullivan announced from the stage the shows that will make up Center Stage’s season, which will be marked with a new logo. The season will begin with “Matilda” in February, followed by “Jerry’s Girls” in April, “Sponge Bob” in July, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and “Bye Bye Birdie” in November.

Center Stage invites patrons to spend the holidays with them. Jingle Bingo with Justin Zenchuk is scheduled for Dec. 3. Breakfast with Santa, featuring live entertainment, will run Dec. 6 and 7, followed by “A Christmas Carol” with Tom Simonetti (of Valley Shakespeare) on Dec. 11. This show includes one actor playing 25 characters. “The Best of Buble” with Melancon, featuring the singer’s most iconic hits and Christmas classics, will run Dec. 13 and 14. A holiday mini-camp for young performers is scheduled for Dec. 29 - 31. Tickets go on sale in October.

Center Stage is located at 54 Grove St. in Shelton.