‘Little Women’ performances scheduled at Prairie Arts Center

Actors Rebecca Tracy (from left), Rachel Gorenz, Kevin Alleman and James Younger practice for the Prairie Arts Center’s upcoming production of “Little Women: the Broadway Musical”. The group is performing a scene from “An Operatic Tragedy,” a show within a show written by Jo March to entertain her family one bleak Christmas. (Photo contributed)

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PRINCETON — The Prairie Arts Center is once again gearing up for a theatrical venture with “Little Women - The Broadway Musical,” which will be performed at Thursday through Sunday at the arts center, 24 Park Ave. East in Princeton. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday.

The show, with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and book by Allen Knee, is an adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa Mae Alcott.

Based on Alcott’s own family experiences, “Little Women — The Broadway Musical” follows the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America. The beloved story of the March sisters is timeless and deals with issues as relevant today as when it was written.

Cast members include Pete Hamilton of DePue as Professor Bhaer, Rachel Gorenz of Princeton as Jo March, Rebecca Tracey of DePue as Meg March/Clarissa, James Younger of LaMoille as John Brooke/Braxton, Kevin Alleman of Granville as Rodrigo, LeeAnna Browne of Princeton as Amy March/Troll, Allison Lampe of LaMoille as Beth March/Rodrigo 2, Shelley Gorenz of Princeton as Marmee March/Hag, David Gorenz of Princeton as Mr. Laurence/Knight, Tom Bailey of Peru as Laurie Laurence/Monk, and Jennifer Rexius of Peru as Aunt March/Mrs. Kirk.

Dave Roden of Princeton is directing the show. His career has included an Off-Broadway premiere (A Glimpse of the Light, David’s Harp Theatre), regional work in South Florida (The Learning Stage, Theatre Club of the Palm Beaches, Florida Repertory Theatre, The Jupiter Theatre, Mental Floss Comedy Theatre) and Illinois (Eastlight Theatre, Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse), producing and performing comedy improv (As Seen on TV), and the direction of several local productions (Marvin’s Room: Act IV Dinner Theatre, Lend Me a Tenor, Mister Roberts, Proof, Our Town: Stage 212, Eleemosynary: PAC). He has appeared onstage in numerous Stage 212 productions including Cinderella, 1776, Run for Your Wife, I Hate Hamlet, I Do! I Do!, and Death of a Salesman. He has also worked with Summer Stage Playhouse in Annie and Take Me Along and Princeton’s Festival 56 in The Scarlet Letter, City of Angels, Once Upon a Mattress, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and Hamlet. Recently, he was proud to join the board of the Illinois Theatre Conservatory. Look for him this summer in The Laramie Project. Daylighting these days as a school social worker, he currently resides in Princeton with his wife, Tracy Boylan, and daughters, Emma and Brennan.

Jeannie Pedersen-Smith is the musical director/accompanist. Born in the Midwest, she has pursued an eclectic musical life. Graduating with a degree in music education from Walla Walla College in Washington state, she then headed to Alaska where she spent the next 10 years. During this time, she taught in elementary classrooms in the Anchorage area, as well as in the Alaskan Bush. While living in the Eskimo village of Gambell, on St. Lawrence Island, she was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the purpose of working as an ethnomusicologist. Reflecting her interdisciplinary interests, she was active in the Arts in the Schools Program with the Anchorage Arts Council. She performed as a soloist with the Anchorage Symphony and the Anchorage Civic Opera.

A move to Washington D.C. brought with it numerous singing opportunities. As a member of the Washington Singers, the professional core of The Paul Hill Chorale, Pedersen-Smith enjoyed choral and solo singing in a number of prestigious Capital locations, among them the French and German Embassies. She has been frequently featured as a recitalist and soprano soloist with such organizations as the Charlottesville Oratorio Society performing Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and most notably in Poulenc’s Gloria, with The Paul Hill Chorale at The Kennedy Center.

In addition to singing, choral music has also been an integral part of her music career. She studied Choral Conducting and Voice at Andrews University with Stephen Zork, earning a Master of Music in 2002. As a student at Andrews, Pedersen-Smith conducted Bel Canto Women’s Chorus, Canta Bella freshman women’s chorus, as well as assisting with the University Chorale and Andrews University Singers. Her passion for choral music often finds her in southwest Michigan area churches as a guest conductor.

Pedersen-Smith is currently concluding a DMA in Vocal Performance at Michigan State University where she was featured in the Opera Theatre production of La Boheme in the role of “Musetta.” Pedersen-Smith’s culminating document and lecture recital studies are focused on Samuel Barber’s Hermit Songs: From Concept to Concert Hall. She can be found during the week teaching music for the Depute Schools.

When asked about her experience working in community theater in Bureau County, Pedersen-Smith said, “This as been, I don’t know, glorious, enriching – the level of artistic contribution from the actors to the director to the set crew is astonishing – and don’t miss it!”

LeeAnna Browne, who portrays Amy March, is no stranger to the PAC stage, having performed in Children’s Christmas Musicals and Summer Drama Camp productions. She said, “Working at PAC helps me because I learn much more than I would on my own, and I feel comfortable at the Prairie Arts Center.”

Rachel Gorenz, who portrays Jo March, has served as the artistic force behind PAC theater for several years, serving as Summer Drama Camp director and writing and co-directing Children’s Christmas Musicals. She was last seen on the PAC stage as Rose in last summer’s Youth Production of “Bye Bye Birdie.”She said, “It’s really great to be back on stage at PAC. I was actually going through stage-time withdrawal. There are a lot of great things about this show. The story is classic, the characters are unique and interesting, and the music is catchy, but also meaningful, which is unusual. The greatest part is the people I’m working with right now, both the directors and the cast. I’m learning so much, and it’s almost like we’ve become this little family, which is fun, because the show centers around a family, and by the end of the show, every character becomes part of the March family in some way.”

Tickets are $8 and can be ordered by calling PAC at (815) 875-2787.