The Nordonia High School Drama Group has had an eventful weekend showcasing “Little
Women”. The drama production features NHS senior and costume designer Aubrey Spinetti as Jo March, whose imagination and storytelling cannot be contained. She stands up against societal norms expected of her and pushes forward to pursue dreams of becoming an author, while the Civil War takes many men off to war away from their families. Jo March’s storytelling helps the family cope during times of struggle, by adding adventurous play for her and her sisters. The family was financially stable but find themselves to be poor and struggling during the war.
The costumes are without a doubt take you back to simpler times with long skirts and buttoned up blouses, along with topcoats worn by gentleman. It’s easy to transcend back to the 1800s when horse drawn carriage rides were the primary means of travel, if not by foot.
Ezekiel Rayle, a junior at NHS put on a witty and gentlemanly performance as Theodore
“Laurie” Laurence who captures the attention of one of the March sisters; Amy March played by senior Gabrille Jethrow, but she is not the one his heart longs for. It is Jo he has held a connection to and one that his childhood friendship has evolved to a more romantic longing over the years.
A huge comical highlight was the scene where Liam Bolling played a parrot wearing an intricate yellow costume and feathered cap upon his head. While sitting atop a table repeating tidbits of a conversation the March ladies had with their Aunt, he bobbed his head and made parrot-like sounds, while eating seeds from his caretakers’ hands. Bolling also played Robert March.
The NHS Director of Drama Chris Simmons thanked everyone who helped put on the third
mainstage show this year. He also says he is proud of his Little Women (and men) and put an extra thank you out to Julia and Ryan in the playbills, created by Dale and Helen Kimpton, of Kimpton Printing.
As always, the NHS Drama group put on an amazing performance filled with great acting, witty theatrics, and the waltz was snuck into some scenes as well., albeit even deliberately clumsy at times. The students and their performance grab hold of the audience’s attention from beginning to end and finally let it go with a meaningful and thoughtful ending.
