JO
(Spoken)
'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-'

Now she stops!
Now she runs!
Will she escape?
Will she be caught?

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

There's no escape.
She's but a child.
And yet she turns to fight
With eyes ablaze!
This noble girl meets his gaze,
Unafraid.
She will not be defiled!

CLARISSA / JO
(Spoken)
Keep away from me you wretch!

BRAXTON / JO
(Spoken)
I cannot keep away. Your beauty draws me. Your passion ignites me.

I've got to hold you.

CLARISSA
I defy you!

BRAXTON
Got to have you.

CLARISSA
Let me by you!

BRAXTON
Come close-

CLARISSA
Don't come too close-

BRAXTON
Come close-

CLARISSA
Don't come too close-

BRAXTON / CLARISSA
So close, so close to me.

BRAXTON
(Spoken)
I'll have her. And the mother too.

JO
(Spoken)
And at that moment, Rodrigo appears in magnificent splendor!

RODRIGO / JO
(Spoken)
Unhand that woman, villain!

BRAXTON
(Spoken)
Who are you?

RODRIGO / JO
I am your destiny,
Your bitterest foe.
You stole what was rightly mine
Ten long years ago.
You left me cold, alone and forgotten,
Now I'm back to settlet he score-!

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Miss March!

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PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Miss March, I spoke my mind, as you spoke yours. Obviously, it was not appreciated on either side.

JO
(Spoken)
Obvioulsy! My stories were a great success in Concord.

Better?
Better than what?
Better than this dazzling plot?
Better?
This story will be my 'King Lear.'

Each phrase is better.
Better than him.
Better! Even my smallest whim
Is better!
How can he miss what's so clear?
How can I do better than what's
Already here?

How can what he said to me be true?
If I don't succeed, what will I do?
Turn around, go back to Concord?
Leave New York behind
Unconquered? No!
How dare he make me doubt
The way I feel?
DoUbt that each thrilling page
Is who i am?

Aren't these words alive
With passion,
Vivid as my attic where it all began?

AMY
(Spoken)
Jo! Jo, the girls at school were horrible to me! Charlotte Fenton said my dress is ragged and my nose is flat!

MEG
(Spoken)
Jo, I hate being a governess. I should be meeting eligible young men.

AMY
(Spoken)
It's going to be a dismal Christmas: what with Father away and no money for presents.

BETH
(Spoken)
Meg, Amy- Jo has a surprise for us.

JO
Or was I better, better when
I was home?

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JO
(Spoken)
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
(Spoken)
All of Concord!

MEG, BETH
(Spoken)
Oh, Jo, no!

JO
(Spoken)
Filled with blood and guts! Two massacres, a masked ball and several heart wrenching scenes.

We'll dim the lights,
The crowd will hush.
We'll start the overture
And Beth will surely blush.
And when Clarissa starts to plead,
Christmas will exceed our finest dreams.

MEG
(Spoken)
Jo, do I die again in this one?

JO
(Spoken)
Yes!

Meg you will die
Like none before.
The world will shudder
When your body hits the floor!
For when Rodrigo makes you bleed,
Christmas will exceed our finest dreams!

Now Amy: as Clarissa
Only passion is permissible.
This tragedy depends upon
The fire in your eyes.
And Beth: when you're the mother,
You'll be noble, you'll be pure.
All hearts will melt the moment mother cries.

(Spoken)
Let us begin!

MEG
(Spoken)
AHA!

BETH

(cries)

AMY
(Spoken)
Mother, dear mother, do not cry.

JO
(Spoken)
No, no, no. Amy. Expression! From the heart. Mother! Oh no, dear Mother! Do not cry!

AMY
(Spoken)
Mother. Oh no, dear - Jo, I am teased and ridiculed at school and all that concerns you is your silly little tragedy.

JO
I know you're tired.
I know it's hard.
But we will triumph when Rodrigo yells 'en garde'!

MEG, BETH
Touche!

JO
Our success is guaranteed!
Christmas will be thrilling;
Christmas will be gory!
Christmas will exceed our finest dreams.

(Spoken)
I've 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.

BETH
(Spoken)
We love it, Jo!

JO
(Spoken)
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 will give you all everything you've ever dreamed of!

MEG, AMY
(Spoken)
Oh Jo!

BETH
(Spoken)
Jo can do anything!

JO
(Spoken)
But we must promise to remain just as we are. Solid like a fortress. No matter whatever happens, we must promise that it will always be the four March sisters - forever.

ALL
(Spoken)
Forever!

JO
(Spoken)
Come, let us rehearse!

(Spoken overlapping)

AMY
'Mother, dear mother, do not cry!'

BETH
'Not my daughter, you wretch!'

MEG
'You will have me or no one!'

AMY
'No one!'

JO

(Sung in counterpoint)

I've got my boots and hat,
My moustache is curled.
I'm making my entrance now,
With curtains unfurled!
I'll show them all
I'm no little woman
In a dress all buttoned
And pearled.
I'm ready to take a bow.
I've taken a solemn vow.
With all that I am
Somehow.

MEG, BETH, AMY

(Sung in counterpoint with Jo)

Before we're done,
The crowd will roar.
We'll make their
Spirits soar!
Our success is guaranteed!
Christmas will be thrilling!
Yes, Christmas will exceed
Our finest dreams:
When sweet Clarissa beams,
When brave Rodrigo screams,
When the evil villian's
Glassy eyeball gleams!

JO
(Spoken)
My dearest Mama, there will be Christmas after all!

AMY
Christmas!

BETH
Christmas!

MEG
Christmas!

JO
Christmas!

ALL
Will exceed our finest dreams!

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MARMEE
(Spoken)
My dear husband -

Write a letter, be inventive
Tell you everything is fine.
Be attentive to the distance
Send my love with every line
Every word should bring you closer and
Caress you with it's tone.
Nothing should remind you
That I am here alone

I can't tell you what I'm feeling.
I can't talk about the war
How the peeling of the church bells
Brings the battle to our door
I don't know which part is harder
What I know or what's unknown
Or raising little women
when I am here alone

Counting days,
Praying for news
Is this the life
We meant to choose?

Do you know how much I miss you
At this hour of the day?
How I wish you were the twilight
Come to take my fears away
Can I manage four young women?
I'm not certain I know how
Will I be there when they need me?
Or do I fail them here and now?
I wish that you were with me
Wish that I could bring you home
The nights seem so much longer
Now that I am here alone.

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AUNT MARCH
(Spoken)
We earn our dreams in this world Josephine. Ha. It's foolish of me to think you could ever change your ways.

JO
(Spoken)
I could try.

AUNT MARCH
You could never bend your will,
You could never follow through.
You could never bite your tongue,
Though your tongue may split in two.
If you want to live your dreams,
These are things you have to do!
How could you change? You can't. Not you.

JO
(Spoken)
I could change if I wanted to.

AUNT MARCH
Could you practice self control?
Could you possibly be shy?
Could you wear a corset tight
Tn the heat of mid-July?
These are rules you must obey,
Every one which you defy!
You'll never change! You won't. That's why.

Yet somewhere deep within my heart I do believe,
You could captivate the world.
If you could change there is so much you could achieve.
In time you could succeed and travel very far indeed.

You could be beguiling!

JO
Charming me?

AUNT MARCH
Someone well mannered, a model of grace. Learn the art of smiling!

JO
That could be hard.

AUNT MARCH
It isn't very hard!
For someone full of dreams like you,
If you work you'll find there's nothing you can't do!

JO
So if I change we'll go to Paris?

AUNT MARCH
Change completely or don't waste my time!

JO
If I change we'll stop in Antwerp?

AUNT MARCH
Gracious living will make you sublime.

JO
If I change you'll take me to Zurich?

AUNT MARCH
Every city from Dublin to Kahn!

JO
Surely with your guidance I can learn to use feminine wiles with alarm!
I could be beguiling.

AUNT MARCH
Ah ah ah

JO
Ah ah ah

AUNT MARCH
Ah ah ah ah

JO
I could learn to charm a donkey for a chance to see the world.
Learn the art of smiling!

AUNT MARCH
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah

BOTH
Ah ah ah ah ah!

JO
I could button up my mind and keep my thoughts perfumed and burned.
Yes I surely think I could.

AUNT MARCH
If you could that would be good.

JO
There's nothing that I wouldn't suffer to see the world!
I can do it if I try. I can do it by sheer will.

AUNT MARCH
All you have to do is work to acquire any skill.

BOTH
These are things a girl must do when she has dreams she must fulfill!

AUNT MARCH
Change how you walk and how you talk.
Change how you think and how you are.

JO
I'll hold my breath and hold my tongue, do what it takes to travel far!

AUNT MARCH
Could you?

JO
Ah ah ah ah ah

AUNT MARCH
Could you?

JO
Ah ah ah ah ah

AUNT MARCH
Could you?

JO
Ah ah ah ahaa ah ah ah ah ahhhhh! Yes I could!

AUNT MARCH
Good!

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MEG
What will I do when someone askes me to dance?

MARMEE
Just smile and say-

I'd be delighted

MEG
Delighted?

MARMEE
Then offer him your hand

MEG
Delighted?

MARMEE
Delighted.
Now let him take command.

MEG
I'm hardly delighted.

MARMEE
You're dancing like a candle!

MEG
No, I cannot dance tonight!

JO
I'd be delighted!

MEG
Then you go.

BETH
The music is entrancing

JO
Exotic.

BETH
Hypnotic

MARMEE
The sound of it romancing

MEG
Delighted?

MEG / BETH / JO
Delighted!

BETH
And some of them are glancing

JO
People everywhere

MARMEE / BETH
Elegance to spare

MEG
How can I be sure they'll like me when I'm there?

MARMEE / BETH / JO
I can see you dancing all night!

ALL
I'd be delighted
Delighted!

MEG
So glad we were invited!

ALL
Completely delighted!

JO
Who paid the coachman?

MEG
I did!

ALL
Delighted, provided
Success has been decided

JO
The gloves.

MARMEE / BETH
Delighted!

MEG
The shoes.

JO
Which ones?

MARMEE / BETH
Delighted!

MEG
you choose!

JO
No hat.

MARMEE / BETH
Delighted!

MEG
No time.

MEG / JO
Delighted!

MARMEE / BETH
You look sublime!

ALL
Delighted!

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LAURIE
I know I have no right.
But sometimes late at night.
I watch you in the attic.
Passing back and forth like a maniac.
I've never met a girl like you -
Anyone at all like you.
This is very nice.
Such a lovely party.
The music sounds so thrilling.
It makes a person feel like dancing...

(Spoken)
I'm very good! I won a medal for dancing at school.

JO
(Spoken)
I don't dance. Besides, I have a patch on the back of my dress.

LAURIE
(Spoken)
A patch? Let me see!

JO
(Spoken)
No! No!

LAURIE
(Spoken)
I like it. That patch could start a whole new fashion. Dance with me tonight and I guarantee by next spring, every girl in Concord will be wearing a patch on her dress!

We could do a hundred things,
Do anything you please.
We could fly on golden wings,
Across the seven seas.
I'll bet you'll get a camel through an needle,
If you'll take a chance on me...

JO
(Spoken)
You're a lunatic!

LAURIE
We could catch a thousand stars,
And stand them on a pin.
We could leave from here to Mars,
And make the planet spin.
If you want to do all the things you've ever dreamed of -
Come on! Take a chance on me...

We could be such friends,
Friends are never lonely.
All I know is books -
Books are solitary.
But I'd see you everyday,
How you live in your own way,
And you make me want to dare...
To take a chance on you!

JO
(Spoken)
All right. We could box if you like.

LAURIE
(Spoken)
You box?

JO
(Spoken)
You ready?

LAURIE
(Spoken)
I should warn you…I won a medal for boxing at school.

JO
(Spoken)
Hm.

[Musical interlude]

JO
(Spoken)
Is that how you win medals?

LAURIE
We could live a million dreams,
But only if we dare...
We could go to such extremes,
There's so much we could share!
We'll circle the world,
Doing all we ever dreamed of!
And we'll live in our own way,
And I'll see you every day!
We'll be the best of friends,
When you take a chance on me!

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BETH
If you say 'Come with me off to Massachusetts'
Then to Massachusetts we will go
We will buy dishes there
Maybe even two sets
Buy the finest china
Then we'll dine a while on crepe suzettes...

MR. LAURENCE
(Spoken)
Well? Go on!

BETH
We will build model boats off in Massachusetts
There in Massachusetts by the bay
Put them together and wait until the glue sets...

MR. LAURENCE
(Spoken)
What's the matter now?

BETH
(Spoken)
I dont remember the rest, sir.

MR. LAURENCE
(Spoken)
While we wait, we'll polka for the folk along the parapets!

BETH
Off

MR. LAURENCE
To Massachusetts

BETH
Yes, we're off

MR. LAURENCE
To where the shops are sweet

BETH & MR. LAURENCE
We will play minuets off in Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts, Beacon Street

BETH
If you say 'Come with me'
Then to Massachusetts we will go
We will buy dishes there

MR. LAURENCE
If you say come with me off to Massachusetts
Then to Massachusetts we will go
We will buy dishes there
Maybe even two sets

BETH & MR. LAURENCE
Buy the finest china then we'll dine a while on crepe suzettes

BETH
Off

MR. LAURENCE
Yes we're off

BETH & MR. LAURENCE
To Massachusetts
Yes we're off (Yes, we're off)
To where the shops are sweet
We will have no regrets off in Massachusetts

MR. LAURENCE
Boston, Massachusetts we

BETH
Boston, Massachusetts we

BETH & MR. LAURENCE
Boston, Massachusetts we repeat!

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JO
(Spoken)
I want to declare before everyone before the world - that on this day of forgiveness and joy - that you, Theodore Laurence the Third - who has valiantly lost all contest to me, I declare you our brother: the brother we never had.

Swear to us your greatest oath of loyalty.
An oath as dazzling as your charms.

LAURIE
I swear I'll follow you like royalty

AMY / MEG / BETH
Come wear our royal coat of arms.

JO
From now on we are joined
And we shall not be parted.
From this day on it's all for one
And one for all for life

LAURIE
We'll live like musketeers.

AMY / MEG / BETH
Together we'll prevail.

ALL
We'll be five for all forever from now on.

BETH
Now wach of us must wear for all eternity:
Our bond shall never be undone

ALL
Nothing shall sever this fraternity.
We'll always live and die as one.

GIRLS
From now on we are joined
And we shall not be parted.

JO
From this day on it's all for one.

ALL
And one for all for life.

JO
Together we will fight

LAURIE
Your battles will be mine.

ALL
We'll be five for all forever from now on.

(Spoken)
Speech! Speech!

LAURIE
On this wonderful day.
One I'll never forget.
I am honored to say I am yours.

GIRLS
On this wonderful day...
Never forget...
Ah!

ALL
From this day on we swear
That we shall not be parted
From this day on, no matter what,
We're five for all for life.
We'll conquer every foe

JO
With our brother by our side

MEG
(Spoken)
And if John Brooke were here, he'd be our brother too!

LAURIE
(Spoken)
Meg's in love

JO
We'll consider any friend.

LAURIE
We'll be loyal to the end!

GIRLS
We'll be five for all forever

LAURIE
We'll be five for all forever

ALL
We'll be five for all forever from now on
And on and on
From now on

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MR. BROOKE
(Spoken)
Meg...Margaret -

If you could find it in your heart
If you could love me as I love you
If only you'd care if we are apart
Then I would be rich
I would be wise
I would be worth more than I am

MEG
Wait for your return
Wait while you're at war

MR. BROOKE
If you will wait while I am gone
If you'll imagine me here with you
If only you'd care if I carry on
Then I could be strong

MEG
Why must you go?

MR. BROOKE
I could be brave

MEG
Don't be too brave

MR. BROOKE
I could more

MEG
Only come home

MR. BROOKE
More than I am
If you will say you love me enough to marry me
I will come home and love you

MEG
Swear you'll come home

MR. BROOKE
For all of my life
And I will be more
More than I am
Say yes, make me more than I am

MEG
I'll marry you tomorrow
I'll marry you today
Come home and I will love you for all of my life

BOTH
I swear to you now with all my heart
I swear I will love you as you love me
From this moment on
Though we'll be apart

MEG
I will be more

MR. BROOKE
I will be more

MEG
More than I am

MR. BROOKE
More than I am

BOTH
With you I will be more than I am

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JO
Who is he?
Who is he with his marry me?
With his ring and his marry me,
The nerve, the gull.

This is not,
Not what was meant to be.
How could he ruin it all
With those two words?

I thought I knew him
Thought that he knew me
When did it change?
What did I miss?

A kiss,
When I thought all along,
That we were meant to find frontiers,
How could I be so wrong?

And I need,
How I need my sisters here
If I can't share my dreams
What were they for?

I thought our promise
That we would never change and never part.
I thought together,
We'd amaze the world.
How can I live my dreams or even start when everything has come apart.

I thought home was all I'd ever want
My attic all I'd ever need.
Now nothing feels the way it was before
And I don't know how to proceed.
I only know I'm meant for something more
I've got to know if I can be
Astonishing

There's a life
That I am meant to lead
A life like nothing I have known
I can feel it
And it's far from here
I've got to find it on my own

Even now I feel it's heat upon my skin.
A life of passion that pulls me from within,
A life that I am making to begin.
There must be somewhere I can be
Astonishing
Astonishing

I'll find my way
I'll find it far away
I'll find it in the unexpected and unknown
I'll find my life in my own way
Today

Here I go
And there's no turning back
My great adventure has begun
I may be small
But I've got giant plans
To shine as brightly as the sun

I will blaze until I find my time and place
I will be fearless,
Surrendering modesty and grace
I will not disapear without a trace
I'll shout and start a riot
Be anything but quiet
Christopher Columbus
I'll be astonishing
Astonishing
Astonishing

At last

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JO
I came to New York on a dream
I knew it might take me a while
But all I've been hearing since I arrived
Is "Leave it right there on the pile"

So today I woke up
And decided it's time
Time to achieve
Time to thrive
Time to climb

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Miss March, tell us what happened.

JO
Sometimes when you dream
Your dream is just a guess
Sometimes when you work really hard
You don't know
If you'll ever find success

So I grabbed a story to sell
And got ready to raise hell
Then I marched out the door
And headed right for
The Weekly Volcano Press

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Henry Dashwood - now he's a man of taste.

JO
Dashwod was a fiend
He sneered at my distress
Tossed my story high on a stack
But I was determined I would progress

I said, "Sir, I'll wait while you read"
But, alas, he disagreed
So I jumped on a chair
And read it right there at
The Weekly Volcano Press

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
You did what?!

JO
(Spoken, as Clarissa)
Keep away from me you wretch!

(Spoken, as Braxton)
I cannot keep away. Your beauty draws me. Your passion ignites me!

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Oh, it's the one with all the horror in it. The blood bath.

JO
(Spoken)
That's the one, but I took to heart what you said, and I embellished. I made it better.

BRAXTON / JO
I've got to have you

CLARISSA / JO
I defy you!

BRAXTON
I will take you

CLARISSA
Let my by you!
Let go
Let go
Let go
Let go
Let go

JO
(Spoken)
Rodrigo appears in magnificent splendor!

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
Unhand that women, villain!

BRAXTON / CLARISSA
(Spoken)
Who are you!?

RODRIGO
I am your destiny
Your bitterest foe
I've come to avenge your plights
Of ten years ago

BRAXTON
Ahhh

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
Run to the forest
Run

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
I can’t! The forest is dangerous. My sister went in there and never returned!

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
You must risk it. You must take the dark path. Your fate awaits you there.

BRAXTON
(Spoken)
She will never escape me.

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
Hurry!

BRAXTON
(Spoken)
En Garde!

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
Go!
No!

CLARISSA
Ahhh!

JO
Dashwood was aghast
But I could not care less
Words I spoke ignited the air
I felt like a publishing lioness
That’s when Dashwood started to shout
And I thought he’d throw me out
But then I persevered and a forest appeared
At the weekly volcano press

(Spoken)
The forest is dark and scary. Clarissa enters, trembling, fearful of what fate awaits her. She comes to a fork in the road and stops.

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
Which way do I go?

JO
(Spoken)
A Hag appears.

HAG
I can help you choose
But you must make a sacrifice
Give me something dear
Those combs are nice

CLARISSA
Without these combs
What will I be?

HAG
Perhaps a hag as dull as me

CLARISSA
I can’t.

HAG
You’ll never know your destiny
Unless you give up vanity

CLARISSA
I’ve got to know
Please show me where to go

HAG
Your fate awaits you there!

JO
(Spoken)
The path is perioulous. She avoids swamps. She looses her footing. Her shoes tumble off. The sleeve of her dress gets caught on a twisted limb. She comes to wild rapids and can go no further.

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
How shall I get across?!

JO
(Spoken)
A troll appears

TROLL
If you want to cross
You must pay me
I’ve the only boat that can get you there alive
I see you wear a necklace
That holds a pretty jewel
My price to get across
Is what you’re wearing 'round your neck
Oh, how its glitter makes me drool

CLARISSA
I’ve nothing left but this
My prospects are so bleak

TROLL
You’ll never know what wisdom is
Until you give up all your riches

CLARISSA
Here – It’s yours
Now show me distant shores

TROLL
I’ll take you to your fate

JO
Sometimes when you dream
Your dreams come true
In extraordinary ways
Suddenly a day can be so amazing
And sometimes when you yearn
You burn the air
And someone else feels the flame
You always knew was there

KNIGHT
(Spoken)
Stop, please!

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
I cannot stop!

KNIGHT
(Spoken)
Can you not give a tired old knight some assistance?

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
I have nothing left to give!

KNIGHT
(Spoken)
Give me your time!

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
My fate awaits me!

KNIGHT
(Spoken)
Can you not care for me? It’s been years since I felt the touch of another hand.

CLARISSA
(Spoken)
Then take mine and take my shawl - ragged as it is.

KNIGHT
(Spoken)
You have now completed your journey. My sword is yours. It will protect you against your enemies. You may now return to the moors. Your fate is in your hands.

JO
(Spoken)
And clarissa raced from the forest, raced to the moors where she called, “I have returned Braxton. I will free the moors of your tyranny. Fight me!”

BRAXTON
(Spoken)
I’d always knew you’d come back to me. They always do.

CLARISSA
Ahhh!

JO
(Spoken)
Clarissa thrusts She parries, she backs up Braxton and pins him against a tree. She leaps up onto a craggy rock, her sword swishing and swooshing. Never had she been more determined. She is on fire! Pity she hadn’t taken dueling lessons. Out of no where, who should return but the long-forgotten Rodrigo!

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
This is your end villain. I’ve waited a life time to destroy you.

BRAXTON
(Spoken)
Who are you?

RODRIGO
(Spoken)
I am your worst nightmare, Braxton.

BETH (AS RODRIGO)
(Spoken)
I am - her sister!

CLARISSA / RODRIGO
Ahh!

BRAXTON
Whaaaaa!

JO
And then Dashwood got on his knees
Crying “Sell this to me please!”

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Miss March!

JO
Then he ordered four more
Now I’m writing for
The Weekly Volcano Press!

JO / CLARISSA / RODRIGO
I’m ready for destiny
My tresses are curled
I’ll take what is rightly mine
With curtains unfurled
I will not quit, I won’t be forgotten
I’ll shine, I’ll dazzle and more
I’m ready to take a bow
I’ve taken a solemn vow
My destiny here and now
I’ll astonish the world!

PROFESSOR BHAER / MRS. KIRK / HAG / TROLL / KNIGHT
(Simultaneously)
Sometimes when you dream
Your dreams come true
In extraordinary ways
Suddenly a day can be so amazing
And sometimes when you yearn
You burn the air
And someone else feels the flame
You always knew was there

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PROFESSOR BHAER
(reads from a letter)
'And how are you, sir?'

She asks how I am.
And so: how am I?
My days are the usual days.
I wake up, I go out.
Time goes by.
My days are exactly the days I have lived since arriving here.
In fact, how I am is amazed how this comforts me year by year.
I work and I eat.
Life is muffins and jam.
The house is nice and quiet now.
That is how I am.

Five years in these rooms reading Hegel and Kant.
My mind is devoted to thoughts on the meaning of life.
What more could I want?
So why is it lately I find I'm uneasy all through the night?
And why even now does my skin feel explosive as dynamite?
Why does my heart pound like a battering ram?
How can she ask me how I am?
How I am is fine!

(Begins to write a letter back)

'Dear Miss March, there is nothing dramatic or new to report.
This will be short.
Morning and evening I live in my usual way.
On the day you return you will see for yourself!
Tell me, Miss March, are you happy so far from the clang and the beat of our turbulent street?
Quite often I think of our days in New York.
Though of course since you went I have been quite content.'

(Rips the letter up)

ACH!
I wake up in the morning and all that I hear is the absence of sound.
Yes!
My peace is disturbed but the ruckus is me as my thoughts run aground.
I wanted a life by myself in these rooms.
But now all around me another life looms.
Who asked her to come and go and to leave me like that?
And now she expects me to send her a note?
With words, if I spoke, that would stick in my throat!
Who asked her to change how I live, how I think, how I am?

She asks how I am.
How can I reply?
I go through my daily routine.
I give lessons, I wait.
Time goes by.
Yet lately I find there is pleasure in humming a silly tune.
And some days I go to the park and I sit there all afternoon.
Some evenings I swear I can hear a door slam.
The house is far too quiet now.
That is how I am.

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JO
(Spoken)
When you were first born, not an hour old, I told Marmee...

BETH
(Spoken)
Beth is mine!

JO
(Spoken)
Everyone has someone special in the world, and I have you; my sweet Beth. Give me a task to do.

BETH
Let's pretend we're riding on a kite.
Let's imagine we're flying through the air!

JO
We'll ascend until we're out of sight.
Light as paper, we'll soar!

BETH
Let's be wild, up high above the sand,
Feel the wind, the world at our command.
Let's enjoy the view, and never land.

JO
Floating far from the shore.

BETH
Some things are meant to be, the clouds moving fast and free.

JO
The sun on a silver sea.

BOTH
A sky that's bright and blue.

BETH
And some things will never end.

JO
The thrill of our magic ride.

BETH
The love that I feel inside for you.

JO
We'll climb high beyond the break of day.

BETH
Sleep on stardust, and dine on bits of moon.

JO
You and I will find the Milky Way.

BOTH
We'll be mad, and explore.
We'll recline a loft upon the breeze.
Dart about sail on wit with ease.
Pass the days doing only as we please, that's what living is for.

BETH
Some things are meant to be, the tide turning endlessly,
The way it takes hold of me, no matter what I do,
And some things will never die,
The promise of who you are,
Your memories when I am far from you.
All my life, I've lived for loving you; let me go now.

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LAURIE
(Spoken)
Amy, did you tell Jo?

JO
(Spoken)
Tell me what?

AMY
The most amazing thing...

LAURIE
Really quite a thing...

AMY
(Spoken)
You tell her.

LAURIE
(Spoken)
No, you tell her.

AMY
(Spoken)
Alright...I’ll tell her.

We were under the Bridge of Sighs -

LAURIE
In a gondola -

AMY
Under Italian skies!

LAURIE
She was singing lullabies.

AMY
He said he liked the way I sing!

LAURIE
The day was ours.

AMY
We talked for hours.

LAURIE
It was amazing!

AMY
I said, “I love fireflies!”

LAURIE
I said, “So do I!”

AMY
I told him I hate goodbyes!

LAURIE
There was something in her eyes!

AMY
I swear that bells began to ring!

LAURIE
We found that we -

AMY
Were so alike -

BOTH
It was amazing!

JO
(Spoken)
So, tell me who proposed to whom?

AMY
(Spoken)
You know! Oh, we were trying to be so discreet about it!

LAURIE
Amazing! There we were in Venice,

AMY
In a gondola,

LAURIE
In Venice!

AMY
When he suddenly stood up

LAURIE
And shouted -

BOTH
“Will you marry me?”

AMY
It was so romantic!

LAURIE
Then I fell into the water!

AMY
And before we even knew it -

LAURIE
She dove in and rescued me!

AMY
It happened before we knew...

LAURIE
How could we have known?

AMY
Amazing what time can do!

LAURIE
From that moment my heart flew!

AMY
We’ll be married in the spring!

BOTH
Who ever thought in all the world we’d fall in love? And yet, we did!

AMY
It was amazing!

LAURIE
Amazing!

BOTH
Amazing!
The most amazing thing!

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MARMEE
(Spoken)
Don't make so much of me Jo...

I never dreamed of this sorrow,
I never thought I'd have reason to lament,
I hoped I'd never know heartbreak,
How I wish I could change the way things went!
I wanted nothing but goodness,
I wanted reason to prevail,
Not this bare emptiness.
I wanted days of plenty.

But I refused to feel tragic,
I am aching for more than pain and grief.
There has got to be meaning,
Most of all when a life has been so brief.
I have got to learn something,
How can I give her any less?
I want life to go on.
I want days of plenty.

You have to believe,
There is reason for Hope.
You have to believe
That the answers will come.
You can't let this defeat you.
I won't let this defeat you.
You must fight to keep her there,
Within you!

So believe that she matters!
And believe that she always will!
She will always be with you!
She'll be part of the days you've yet to feel!
She will live in your bounty!
She will live as you carry on your life!

So carry on,
Full of Hope,
She'll be there,

For all your days of plenty.

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JO
How do I go on?
Just an empty room
All I have are memories
I need a task to do
Someone give me a task to do
I need a...

I thought that somehow we would always have forever
I thought the promises we made would have a different end
I thought the love we shared would keep us as we were
It was the fire within me

We dreamed and plotted with abandon in this attic
When we were gathered here the room became our citadel
We were amazing then my sisters and I
They were the fire within me

In this room I knew we were alive
Nothing was too painful to survive
We faced the world together
The four of us forever side by side
Everything I promised was for them
I was theirs no matter where or when
How can that be lost forever
How when I gave everything with all my heart

(Spoken)
It was several days before Christmas...It was several days before Christmas. The sisters sat about the parlor and grumbled about their fate. Meg, the oldest and most romantic said, "It's not fair some girls have pretty things while we have nothing." "And it won't be Christmas without presents," said Amy with her usual pout. "And we haven't got father to read to us," said Jo who yearned to travel and write great books. Only Beth, sitting contented said, in a tone so sweet, even angels would have listened, "But we've got each other."

Everything I promised them is here
All of us we used to be
We will always have each other
They will always be the fire in my heart

Here I go, and there's no turning back
My great adventure has begun
I may be small
But I've got giant plans
To shine as brightly as the sun
Here in all the smallest details of the past
Here in this attic suddenly life is something vast
The four of us forever here at last
As unexpected as can be
Astonishing

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PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Jo. We are not at all alike. We have our differences. May I be blunt?

JO
(Spoken)
Be blunt. By all means.

PROFESSOR BHAER
I think perhaps it looks like rain

JO
The sky gets bluer by the hour

PROFESSOR BHAER
The water falls in little drops

JO
That’s why it’s called a sun shower

PROFESSOR BHAER
Ah, and now it stops

JO
(Spoken)
You were about to be blunt?

PROFESSOR BHAER
If I say rain, then you sun.
If I say yes, then you say no.
It seems before we start, we’re done.
We even argue at “hello”
If I say, share with me
This small umbrella

JO
I say who cares if I get wet?

PROFESSOR BHAER
We are as different as the morning and the night

JO
No, we’re as different as the winter and the spring

PROFESSOR BHAER
We always seem to fight

JO
We disagree on everything

PROFESSOR BHAER
And yet...
You make me smile,
You make me laugh,
You make me care.
How can I explain?
Inside my heart
I feel a pain
When you’re not there.
Though we are not at all alike,
You make me feel alive.
If we had that in common,
That one small thing in common,
Love could be like a small umbrella,
In the rain.

When people discover passion,
They’ve come upon something rare.
This fervor they have in common,
Will shelter them anywhere.
Though the rest may be rough,
With such passion to share,
I think we have more than enough -
Enough to make a marriage,
If we dare.

JO
(Spoken)
You are proposing?

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
No. Yes! Yes! I do not mean today. Or tomorrow, or even next month. In a year maybe, two years even. I am a patient man.

JO
I won’t be sweet, won’t be demure

PROFESSOR BHAER
This I prefer, this I adore

JO
I’ll speak my mind, you can be sure

PROFESSOR BHAER
I’ll be enchanted to the core.

JO
If I say, let me share your small umbrella.

PROFESSOR BHAER
I’ll say, who cares if we get wet?

JO
We’ll be as different as a husband and a wife

PROFESSOR BHAER
No, we’ll be as different as a woman and a man

JO
We’ll fight our way through life.

PROFESSOR BHAER
We’ll disagree the best we can.

JO
And yet...

BOTH
You make me smile,
You make me laugh,
You make me care.
How can I explain?
Inside my heart
I feel a pain
When you’re not there.
Though we are not at all alike,
You make me feel alive.

JO
Yes, we have that in common

PROFESSOR BHAER
That one small thing in common

BOTH
Our love is like a small umbrella
In the rain

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JO
Sometimes when you dream...
Your dreams come true.
In extraordinary ways...
Suddenly, a day can be so amazing...
And sometimes when you yearn, you burn the air.
And then you are not the same.
And the world is -

PROFESSOR BHAER
(Spoken)
Jo, we are all waiting for you.

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