The play revolves around the domestic lives of four young girls, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March, during the Civil War era. Throughout the production, they grow to care for each other and overcome their personal flaws in spite of their varied personas.
The entire production is completely student run, with seniors Christina Benvegnu, Dennis Paulsen, and Jessica Releya as directors and senior Chelsea Oren and junior Marco Ruiz as stage managers. They receive assistance from secretary Mel Taylor in costuming and history/stagecraft teacher Bob Erbst in set and construction, but for English and theatre teacher Kathleen van Schaik, she is thrown into a completely different atmosphere.
"I'm a mess," van Schaik laughs sincerely. "Overseeing a main-stage production for the first time at Chino Hills High was very difficult. A lot more went into it than I expected. But I'm thankful for the help of Bob Erbst, Mel Taylor, Laura Rutherford [the choir teacher], Melanye Hallett [the previous theatre teacher], and the students that put so much time into this show, otherwise I would have been in trouble."
The students themselves cannot deny that the time and effort put into a main-stage production at their high school is overwhelming.
"Being a student director is very difficult because you're directing your peers," comments Releya. "It's hard to direct your peers, or even your friends, because sometimes they just don't want to hear [what you have to say]."
Nonetheless, the cast and crew of "Little Women" somehow manage to pull everything together under a common purpose: to entertain their audience, no matter how big or small. Their dedication is not only reflected in their performance, but in the quality of the lighting, sound effects, and setup from the beginning to the end.
Even before settling down to watch the production, audiences will feel like they have walked straight into the March residence themselves, as the lobby is set up as "Marmee's Kitchen" with ticket purchases and snacks and refreshments for any viewer's satisfaction.
Chino Hills High is also notorious for its excellence in set and construction, as the scene is set to take place inside the March household. The house interior is a dazzling bright pink, bringing joy into a home of hardships and ethical obstacles. The audience will feel at ease when they take note of the red drapes, antique cabinets, flower-print couch, and small rocking horse that portrays a warm, welcoming family home.
The students involved in Chino Hills High productions are well known for their creativity in capturing the imaginations of their audiences; the reason for their renowned reputation and success. A "snow" machine that spurts out soap behind the set brings Christmas back to the month of February, and the Union Army tent draped over the handicap lift to the stage resurrects the callous history of the Civil War once again.
"The entire backstage crew, our student directors, and our teacher mentors, and Mr. Erbst, and his stagecraft students all had a hand in making the set for Ltitle Women come to life," senior Krystopher Rosales humbly denied taking credit for the beautiful set as the production's backstage lead. "Originally, we had a picture of a set from a past production of 'Little Women.' However, not wanting to copy it from head to toe, we decided to create the set as we saw it in our own eyes. Everything you see on stage is our unique perspective of the house of 'Little Women.'"
The intricate costume designs add to the nineteenth-century decor by keeping every article of clothing from the jewelry and properties to the shoes hidden beneath ankle-length dresses appropriate to the time period. The makeup is also flawless, as the rosy cheeks, creased wrinkles, and elegant hairstyles help personify the true nature of the character's age, health, or class.
Seniors Cara Call (Josephine "Jo" March), Danielle Ramos (Margaret "Meg" March), Megan Daley (Amelia "Amy" March) and sophomore Jennifer Kingston (Elizabeth "Beth" March) deliver astounding quality as the leads of the show. Along with the support of seniors Stephanie Nill (Marmee March), Nathan Riordan (Robert March), Kyle Cox (Theodore "Laurie" Lawrence), Henry Rosales (Professor Friedrich "Fritz" Bhaer) and juniors Stephanie Bukowiecki (Aunt March) and Jonathan Thomas (John Brooke), Chino Hills High's "Little Women" is guaranteed to capture the hearts of audiences who find that life's true value lies within the loyalty of family.
Performances are held on February 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $10 at the door, and students can gain entry for $5 with their student ID.
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