Elissa Beth Stebbins (kneeling), Emily Ota, Lauren Hart, and Sharon Shao Photo by Kevin Berne

Playwright Lauren Gunderson was already well entrenched in mining 19th century literature by adapting works of a female novelist with her theatrical trilogy based on Jane Austen's novels. She then received a commission to write a stage version of "Little Women," a novel which has never been out of print in the century and a half since its publication.

Co-commissioner (with City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, Northlight Theatre in Skokie, and People's Light in Malvern, Pennsylvania) TheatreWorks Silicon Valley offers its version of the new work, now enjoying a rolling premiere. The script stays generally true to the author's intentions, and the production is professional in all respects, resulting in a lively, poignant, and delightful rendering of Alcott's semi-autobiographical work. Since it takes place during the Civil War, a period of political division, and since there is a scarlet fever epidemic, parallels with current times are unavoidable.

First, some context that influenced her life and writings. Louisa May Alcott grew up largely in Concord, Massachusetts in a family of four girls, one of which, like Beth March, contracted scarlet fever (sound familiar yet?). As a child, Louisa's mentors included her parents' friends Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. In addition to these obvious literary influences, her persona was defined by the isms to which she subscribed: feminism, abolitionism, suffragism, and prohibitionism. Like Jo March, the sister in the novel who is her surrogate, Alcott sought independence of mind and action outside the home, having become a nurse in the Civil War. She eschewed marriage, or perhaps it eschewed her.

Since this is not the first stage adaptation of the novel, what would be Gunderson's point of differentiation? Her version uses two devices that elaborate on the action and make up for the condensation of a long novel into a short play. First is that Elissa Beth Stebbins, who plays Jo, also plays Alcott as a narrator who gives overall perspectives and a modern look at the story. One modernization that may be more in the direction than the writing is that Jo comes across as more masculine, even insisting to take the man's part when dancing with Laurie. He is correspondingly more effeminate than Alcott may have intended.

The other alteration is the extensive use of parenthetical commentary spoken directly to the audience. This occurs in several forms. Personas share their inner thoughts, reveal subtexts of the action, advance the plot, and even provide stage directions. Some viewers will find this annoying. I appreciate the conceit for taking the story deeper with efficiency, and I hope others do as well.

Little Women succeeds for many reasons, starting with the strong delineations among the sisters. From the eldest to the youngest, Meg (Emily Ota) is the prettiest but also a disciplinarian like a second mother. Jo (Stebbins) is the tomboy and free spirit, bound to set out on her own and succeed on her terms. Beth (Lauren Hart) is shy, loving, and musical. And finally, Amy (Sharon Shao) is ebullient, opinionated, and self-interested like Jo.

Jo is at the center of the narrative in her struggles to become her own person through her writing, which she hopes to publish. At a party, she stumbles upon another misfit, Laurie (Max Tachis), as they are both hiding to escape the social demands of the event. Unlike the Marches, whose financial condition is modest, Laurie's family is their rich neighbor. Jo becomes Laurie's romantic interest, but she will come to like him only as a friend.

While Father March is away at war, the family suffers financially but is held together spiritually by their nurturing and kindly mother (Cathleen Riddley). Indicative of her goodness is the insistence that the family donate their meager Christmas breakfast to the truly poor. While Riddley does a noteworthy job as the mother, she excels when she chews the scenery playing Aunt March, with her "my way or the highway" dealing with her poor relatives.

Although Little Women is told from a female point of view, Alcott is very kind in her depiction of male figures, not always the case in feminist perspectives. Laurie is a generous and loyal figure. In addition, George Psarras plays two different academics, both of whom develop romantic interest in a March sister. They are each seen not only as scholars, but as empathetic and helpful persons. Perhaps the author was channeling the mentors of her youth.

Reducing a novel with scores of characters to a play with a cast of seven actors is quite an accomplishment. Gunderson and director Giovanna Sardelli do a magnificent job in bringing narrative coherence to the stage. All of the actors shine, with Stebbins and Tachis in lead roles particularly stepping up. The other special performance is Sharon Shao, who brilliantly captures Amy's youthful exuberance as well as her clashes with Jo, who she is so much like.

Staging presents another challenge, and here, the decision was to go with one set which expressly represents a great room in the March home. A little imagination is required to fill in the blanks for other venues, but it's no big deal.

This play is an endearing portrayal of life from another time. Generally, it moves briskly, but there are occasional drags. As far as the topic matter, the sweet spot in the market will be for girls and women of all ages, but men with broad tastes will enjoy it as well.

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, runs through October 12, 2025, at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View CA. For tickets and information, please visit theatreworks.org.