Little Women Celebration

Introduction

Events

The Show

History

Resources

Media

Welcome to Little Women Spring, the decennial collaboration between The Concord Players and Orchard House that culminates in a presentation of a dramatic interpreation of Little Women, based on the novel of the same name. Orchard House, as the home of the Alcott family, is where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set her iconic novel, Little Women, in which the March sisters write and perform theatricals – just as the Alcott sisters did when growing up. In fact, Louisa and her sister Anna helped found The Concord Dramatic Union here in town, in 1856. The Union became the Concord Dramatic Club in 1872, which in turn became The Concord Players, in 1919.

That origin story is why the Players feel such kinship with Orchard House and why every ten years we perform a play based on the novel Little Women. It is our passion play, first performed in 1932 to commemorate the 100th birthday of Ms. Alcott. It has been performed every ten years since (with the exception of 1942), until Covid pushed the 2022 performance to 2023.

This year, for the first time, we present the 2005 Broadway musical telling of the beloved story of the March sisters. And before this crowning event of the season, we've presented four special events celebrating this classic novel and its author, and her life and times.

To learn more about our celebration, select one of the categories in the menu above.

We kicked off the season with a party to celebrate the author's 190th birthday, with hors d'oeuvres, special guests, and apple-inspired treats and cake.

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We offered the opportunity for younger members of our audiences to connect with Louisa May Alcott on a new level — with an essay contest for middle school and high school students.

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We invited the community to enjoy the unique experience of intimate screenings of four different movie adaptations, filmed in four different eras, of the beloved novel Little Women, in Bronson Alcott’s School of Philosophy, at historic Orchard House in Concord, MA.

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We invited the community to enjoy the experience of a full afternoon tea, accompanied by period appropriate entertainment and a sneak peek of our show.

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As "The Home of Little Women" ... and so much more, Orchard House is in its second century of education, inspiration, and preservation.

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Among the many services offered by the Concord Visitors' Center are a variety of guided walking tours in historic Concord, including the "Little Women Walking Tour".

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Among the major subject collections maintained by the Concord Free Public Library are the Alcott Holdings in the Special Collections and the Concord Authors Collection.

In honor of the Concord Free Public Library’s 150th Anniversary, the Concord Museum, the Concord Free Public Library, and the Concord Free Public Library Corporation’s William Munroe Special Collections have collaborated on a special exhibition featuring the Library’s art collection. Featured objects will include paintings by May Alcott Nieriker (and many other artists), as well as sculptures depicting noted Concord authors, including Louisa May Alcott.

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