‘Astonishing!’ Remembering Sutton Foster in Broadway's Little Women 15 Years Ago

As Greta Gerwig’s big-screen adaptation of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 coming-of-age novel, connects with a new generation of audiences, it’s time to remember the Broadway musical version. Fifteen years ago today, the musical, which featured music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and a book by Allan Knee, opened at the Virginia Theatre. Directed by Susan H. Schulman, Little Women starred Sutton Foster as Jo, Jenny Powers as Meg, Megan McGinnis as Beth, Amy McAlexander as Amy and Maureen McGovern as Marmee. Was it a hit? Well, the show lasted for 55 previews and 137 performances, effectively five months. And yet memories of Foster’s soaring first-act closer “Astonishing” still have hearts swelling, and real-life besties Foster and McGinnis singing the duet “Some Things Are Meant to Be” gets us every time. In honor of the 15th anniversary of Little Women, here’s a little flashback from rehearsals and opening night.