Jo March - Little Women

Miss March! Another letter has arrived for you! Miss March!

Mrs. Kirk, the mutton you ordered is on the kitchen table! Thank you, Professor! Christopher Columbus! Another publisher. Another rejection?

I have no idea. I do not read your letters. But they keep arriving and I keep bringing them to you.

And I keep hoping-

We all keep hoping for your success, Miss March. The entire boarding house keeps hoping. You have us all on edge.

My dear Miss March. I read your story. Well, he’s read it. Unfortunately… Unfortunately, I found your tale tasteless and vulgar. Not at all suitable for my readers. My advice to you-

My advice to you is to return home and have babies. This is what women are made for. Sincerely, F. Putnam.

Twenty two.

Twenty two?

Twenty two rejections since I’ve been in New York. They all say the same thing. Go home. Give up.

F Putnam is an idiot. His words are stupid.

F Putnam is one of the most powerful publishers in the city.

You cannot lose faith, Miss March. There will be someone who will like your story. I am certain of it.

Professor Bhaer? Is it possible I could read my story to you? I would so respect your opinion.

Yes. Of course.

Actually, it’s one of my best. It’s a mean and stormy night. The moors are bleak and bloody. Thunder claps! Lightning strikes! The fair Clarissa, her clothes in disarray, races across the wild coastal heath-

An Operactic Tragedy Will she escape, will she be caught?

With bold determination, the villainous aristocrat Braxton Prendergast, lurches for her-

Operatic Tragedy She will not be defiled!

Keep away from me, you wretch! I cannot keep away. Your beauty draws me. Your passion ignites me.

I’ll have her. And the mother too.

And at that moment, Rodrigo appears in magnificent splendor! Unhand that woman, villain! Who are you?

Miss March! Tell me, what is it you are writing here?

Blood and guts stuff. It’s all the rage. The magazines and periodicals are full of it.

Violence and seduction on every page?

Read Shakespeare. Read history. Read the newspapers.

It’s getting late. Perhaps it is best we pursue this some other time.

No. I want to know what you think, Professor.

Blood and guts stuff? What you think the world wants to hear? If I have noticed nothing else about you, Miss March, I have noticed you are unique. Something you should try not to forget. I think you could do better.

Better? And who are you anyway: an aging German professor, close to 50-?

I am 34.

34, really? Well you look a lot older.

I worry a lot.

And just what do you worry about?

How to avoid a conversation such as this! Now I will go to dinner. Miss March, since you have been here- six weeks now, is it? - you shout, you rant, you upset the whole order of this boarding house. I am a serene and peaceful man.

You’re aloof, you’re arrogant-

Arrogant? Miss March, I spoke my mind, as you spoke yours. Obviously, it was not appreciated on either side.

Obviously! My stories were a great success in Concord!

Meg, Amy- Jo have a surprise for us. After Better

Listen, everyone: I have risen to the occasion this year and written us an Operatic Tragedy!

Jo, do you really think we should? What wit hthis awful war-

When have we let anything defeat us? Years from now people will talk about us: One Christmas Eve, four penniless and ragged sisters put on an Operatic Tragedy for all of Concord!

Amy: All of Concord! Beth & Meg: Oh, Jo, no!

Filled with blood and guts! Two massacres, a masked ball, and several heart-wrenching scenes!

Jo, do I die again in this one?

Yes!

‘Mother! Dear Mother, do not cry!’

No, no! Expression, Amy! From the heart! ‘Mother! Dear Mother, do not cry!’

Finest Dreams “Our success is guaranteed! Christmas will exceed our finest dreams” Meg: Jo…

I made an important decision today: as you all know, I’ve been writing stories forever. With much satisfaction. And people seem to like what I write.

We love it, Jo.

Absolutely. So I’ve decided I’m going to become a world-renowned writer. I shall write great books and earn barrels of money. And I’ll give you all everything you’ve ever dreamed of!

Amy: Oh, Jo! Beth: Jo can do anything! Meg: Jo!

But we have to promise to remain just as we are. Solid like a fortress. No matter whatever happens, we must promise that it’ll always be the four March sisters- forever!

Forever! (*Finest Dreams*)

Come, let’s rehearse!

Finest Dreams I’ve taken a solemn vow with all that I am somehow

My dearest Mamah, there will be Christmas after all!

End of Finest Dreams

Christopher Columbus, I’m bursting with energy! Someone give me a task to do!

I want you- to bring father home.

I shall write President Lincoln tonight! Another!

I want you- to get Annie Moffat to invite me to her St. Valentine’s Day ball!

I’ll wring her bloody little neck if she doesn’t! Another!

I want you - to get us a Christmas tree

Rodrigo will go chop one down immediately!

Where?

There! Across the road!

You’ll go to prison for it!

Prison? What care I for prison?

I want to hear all the things you did today. ;Meg, Beth, and Amy all speak at once

Rodrigo has returned!

Jo!

Marmee!

Where did you get that tree?

I borrowed it from Mr. Laurence

Jo! You didn’t-

I took it for us, Marmee!

You’ll take it back immediately!

Take it back? That’s like bringing back a chicken after you’ve chopped off its head.

Yes, Mr. Laurence! You!

Me?

You chopped down my perfect Douglas fir. I should have you arrested!

I’ll make it up to you, sir.

With what?

I’ll plant six more.

Twelve!

And I’ll chop your firewood for a few days.

I think that was terrifically daring of you chopping down Grandfather’s tree. Well, goodbye.

Theodore Laurence the Third! Would you mind delivering this tree to the Hummels?

I don’t mind at all.

He doesn’t mind.

Just point me in the direction

They live half a mile down the road. The red house with the broken shingles.

Jo, you must think before you act on every whim.

I just want us all to have a wonderful Christmas.

A letter’s come from father.

Christopher Columbus!

Why are we looking so glum? Do we have an Operatic Tragedy to perform or not?

We do!

Meg: And will you perform something, Marmee? Beth: Do, Marmee.

I’ll write something thrilling for you, with passion and daring-

I’ll design the handbill.

I still don’t know why we couldn’t have kept the tree.

Josephine! Josephine, is that you? Josephine!!

Good morning, Aunt March.

Do you know the hour?

Almost ten, I believe.

Your workday begins with me at nine! You’ve missed reading to me. And still haven’t repaired the latch on the cellar door-

I got delayed finding you this beautiful flower.

Don’t trifle with me, Josephine. You were dawdling.

I wasn’t dawdling. I was writing a story.

You are what happens to a girl when she has no father.

I have a father.

Never here when you need him. And now my nephew has the audacity to be an army chaplain when he can’t even support his own family! Josephine, listen to me: you are on the verge of womanhood!

Christopher Columbus!

And just look at you! You go about writing senseless stories, constantly trying to save the world - and you can’t save yourself!

I don’t need saving.

There are many pitfalls a girl can fall into, and Josephine - you are heading towards all of them! I want to see you shine. Even if you’re not rich - you can at least marry well.

I’ll never marry.

You’ll marry! All girls marry!

I’m not all girls.

With a good marriage, you can have power. You can take your place in society.

I don’t give two figs about society!

Then there is no point in our having this conversation. It’s clear to me I could never take you to Europe.

Take me to Europe?

It was an idle thought of mine.

Do you know how important it is for a writer to travel? It’s been my dream, Aunt March.

We earn our dreams in this world. It’s foolish of me to think you could ever change your ways.

I could try!

I wore that very same dress to my first ball. And it didn’t look half so good on me. Margaret March, you’ve been dreaming about Annie Moffat’s St. Valentine’s Day Ball for months. You can’t walk away from it now.

I’m not built for gowns.

You look very alluring.

I think the word is alarming, Marmee. Meg’s the beauty. Look at her. She’ll be the most sought after girl at the ball.

She doesn’t want to go

Meg?

Marmee: Amy, what are you doing? Amy: I’m going to the ball.

You’re what?

I found this old dress and it almost fits.

It was mine.

I know. All it needs is a pretty sash. Besides, why shouldn’t I go?

Because you weren’t invited.

I can go in your place.

In my place?

You don’t care about good society and I do.

I don’t carea bout snobs. People who think they’re better than you just because they have grander houses-

But I want elegance and fine things, Marmee!

And I want passion! I want to be noticed because I’m unique. Not because of some silly sash.

Sashes aren’t silly. Aunt March says the right accessories could be the key to a girl’s success. Besides, I’d never go to a ball with scorch marks on the back of my dress.

What?

Amy: Jo hates balls. She should stay in her musty old attic and write her dreadful little stories- Marmee: Amy!

My stories aren’t dreadful!

Amy: Nobody reads them and nobody likes them! Marmee: Girls!

Well, I like them! I’m sending this one off to a very prominent New York publisher.

We’ve got to go.

Yes. And I’ll tell everyone how sweet you were to give me your beautiful fan! Goodnight, Marmee - Beth. If anyone calls for us, we’re at the ball!

At the ball

It was an accident!

Jo-!

I swear, Meg. Mrs. Parrot kept moving in on me - like a mountain lion. She had this gigantic ear trumpet. And she kept shouting at me, “What’s that you say, my dear?”

She’s deaf

She got so close I ended up spilling the entire glass of punch on her.

Oh, Jo.

And then Annie Moffat said to me, “Can I be of help, Sally?” Sally? Who is Sally?

I think it’s her dog.

I ought to box her ears.

Jo - don’t! We’ll take a few minutes - then we’ll go back in as if nothing had happened. Our heads held high.

Yes. You’re right. For a young lady who is soon to go abroad and do amazing things: I shall return poised and elegant, brimming with confidence. I shall sit grandly- Christopher Columbus!

Excuse me!

You?

Me!

What are you doing here?

I passed out. Too much dancing, I guess.

Too much punch, I’d say.

Mr. Brooke: You read Keats and Shelley? Meg: All the time

Christopher Columbus!

Would you like to dance, Miss March?

Meg, we were about to join the ladies in the salon-

I’d be delighted, Mr. Brooke. Excuse us, Jo.

Did you see that? He just- What is it with you and that smile?

You make me beam.

Well, you look ridiculous.

You’re looking very fetching tonight.

Fetching, really!

So tell me, when you’re not attending balls, what do you do?

I write blood and guts stories. I make extraordinary plans. I’m going to Europe. I’m going to meet famous writers and revolutionaries. So what about you? What do you do? Marmee said you’re all alone in the world. No mother or father. That must be awful for you.

It’s not awful. I’ve got a cranky old grandfather. And I’ve got a cat. And I’ve got-

What?

Well, I was hoping to say you.

Me? You don’t have me.

I’m very good. I won a medal for dancing at school.

I don’t dance. Besides I’ve got a patch on the back of my dress.

A patch? Let me see.

No, no-

Boxing part of take a chance on me

All right. We could box if you like.

You box?

Ready?

After winning boxing match

So that’s how you win medals?