Date of Graduation

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (MFA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Theatre

Advisor/Mentor

Hicks, Morgan

Committee Member

Chow, Janine

Second Committee Member

Burrow, Jason

Keywords

Directing; Little Women; Musical Adaptation

Abstract

This thesis serves as the documentation of the director’s process in creating a production of Little Women: The Broadway Musical for the Main Stage season at the University of Arkansas in the fall semester of 2025. This thesis will serve as in-depth record from the initial reading of the script through the opening of the project using the metaphor of the building of a house. In Chapter 1 “Introduction,” the document will provide context for the thesis. It presents several of the materials used in the creation of the thesis, discusses the methodology of the study which is mostly historical research and describes the creative process. It also forwards the thesis statement: “By recording the process, obstacles, and successes in actualizing a production of Little Women: The Broadway Musical, a director can better understand their own artistic process and further their understanding of successful and inclusive directing practices.” Chapter 2, “Foundation,” discusses the process of script selection and the director’s process of finding inspiration and personal connection to the source material. It follows her exposure to the source material and finding her excitement for the project through her curiosity surrounding the author of the source material, Louisa May Alcott. There is an in-depth biography section as well as a discussion of the changes from the original story as they have been adapated to different mediums over the last 100 years. The presentation of research becomes the foundation of the directorial concept that is presented in “Drafting and Redrafting.” The director uses the research of Louisa May Alcott and the history of the Little Women adaptation to find a concept that will ensure the story, however old, would still be relevant to the audiences of Fayetteville, Arkansas 2025. She focused on the idea of authenticity and familial connection, and decided to root the characters more firmly in the real people that inspired them. Chapter 3 then discusses the trials and errors of collaborating with designers on a project of this magnitude. There were several challenges in the scenic design revolving around the Director’s desire to have the March House always represented on stage and the need to have multiple locations that could transition quickly. The costume design came with different challenges that were largely attributed to the Costume designer and the Director having different cultural backgrounds and trying to find a common vocabulary to ensure they were on the same page. “The Build” discusses the implementation of concept in the rehearsal room from the audition process through technical and dress rehearsals. There is discussion of the collaboration between the Director, actors, Music Director, Choreographer, Fight Director, and Intimacy Director; how the Director navigated equitable collaboration within the group of twenty-four voices within the room. It presents the challenges the Director faced when managing the rehearsal process and the design execution process at the same time. The Director discusses her struggles in learning what type and consistency of communication was effective for each department. She discusses her adaptability to ensure that all collaborators were on the same page. During technical and dress rehearsals she discusses how the communication errors effected the addition of the technical elements and the strategies she used to ensure the production’s success. Lastly, “Final Inspection” gives the Director the opportunity to reflect on her process and discuss her methodology. She discusses the importance of clear and consistent communication with the design team and notes the challenges that lack of clarity had caused and the strategies that she developed to overcome them. She discusses the important role communication will play in further projects in order to avoid the time lost in this process. She presents where she finds her greatest successes, the ultimate being her ability to create community and equitable collaboration, despite the challenges that such a large collaboration presented.

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