The Little Women Collection by Louisa May Alcott presented by The Online Stage.

This collection includes the remastered Online Stage productions of Little Women, Little Men, Jo’s Boys as well as Comic Tragedies by Jo & Meg.

Little Women is the story of four sisters growing up against the background of the American Civil War. Alcott wrote the book at the urging of the publisher, Thomas Niles, who was seeking a story about girls that would have popular appeal. Although it was commenced essentially as a children’s book, it developed into something of a bildungsroman, which touches on more serious issues such as the difficulties faced by single-parent families, the death of a sibling, and fractured relationships.

Little Men tells the continuing story of Jo March, who has married Professor Bhaer, with whom she now runs a small school.

In Jo’s Boys, we revisit the Plumfield clan 10 years later, all grown up and finding their way through life’s adventures and misadventures. Simmering romances blossom for some while the bravery and strength of others are tested. Through it all, Jo and Professor Bhaer desperately hope they have done their duty in raising up good citizens of the world with dreams, passions, empathy, and intelligence. Alcott shines once again with her ability to write human emotion through real-world scenarios that are still relevant today.

Comic Tragedies by Jo & Meg is a collection of plays written by Jo and Meg March, often discussed and performed in the March family attic by the beloved Little Women as the Pickwick Players. Our cast returns as Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth to perform every role with dramatic flair from damsels in distress to evil villains, and no shortage of mistaken identities and sword fights.

Cast:

Narrators—Lee Ann Howlett and Erin Grassie

Jo—Amanda Friday

Meg—P. J. Morgan

Beth—Tiffany Halla Colonna

Amy—Becca Maggie and Anna Grace

Laurie—Andy Harrington

Professor Bhaer—Ben Lindsey-Clark

Various other roles performed by Elizabeth Klett, Ron Altman, Ben Stevens, Nancy German, Maureen Boutilier, Jeff Moon, Jennifer Fournier, Miranda Hodges, Izzy Lindsey-Clark, Rebecca Thomas, Brett Downey, Sarah Pignatello, Chris Marcellus, Leanne Yau, Cate Barratt, Libby Stephenson, Marty Krz, David Prickett, Arielle Lipshaw, Ted Wenskus, Tomas Peter, Anastasia Durning, Josh Innerst, Tim Sailer, Sydnee Fullmer, Lance Rasmussen, Tyler Hyrchuk, Max Gallo, Anna Grace, Jennie VanderLugt, and Trisha Rose.

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

The Online Stage presents The Professor by Charlotte Brontë.

The first novel written by Charlotte Bronte, The Professor follows a young man named William Crimsworth on his teaching career in Brussels as well as the relationships he forms while residing there. At the behest of the headmistress, Zoraide Reuter, William tutors fellow teacher Frances Henri in English and finds himself falling in love with her. Jealousy drives Zoraide to dismiss Frances from the school as well as refusing to assist William in discovering her whereabouts.

Cast:

• William Crimsworth – Lance Rasmussen
• Mademoiselle Zoraide Reuter – P. J. Morgan
• Mademoiselle Frances Henri – Sydnee Fullmer
• Mr. Hunsden – Andy Harrington
• Monsieur Francois Pelet – Rob Goll
• Madame Reuter – Elizabeth Klett
• Madame Pelet – Sara Morsey
• Sylvie – Tiffany Halla Colonna
• Hortense – Libby Stephenson
• Eulalie – Anna Grace

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

The Younger Sister, by Catherine Anne Hubback and Jane Austen. Presented by The Online Stage.    

In Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, young Emma Watson returns to her father’s house after being raised by her wealthy and refined uncle.  

As she gets to know her family, she finds that her father is reclusive and sickly, her sisters are crude and shallow, and her eldest brother has a petulance that is matched only by his wife’s.  

When Emma’s social graces draw the attention of the aristocratic Osborne family, she must navigate the complex and judgmental world of class dynamics in Regency England.    

Austen began work on The Watsons in 1803 but abandoned it in 1805 after the death of her father.  

This audiobook is a completion of the novel, written by Austen’s niece, Catherine Hubback, in 1850.     

Narrator: Anna Grace  

Emma Watson: Grace Keller Scotch  

Elizabeth Watson/Miss Morgan/Miss Hall: Elizabeth Klett  

Mary Edwards/Margaret Watson/young lady: Leanne Yau  

Mrs. Edwards/Mrs. Turner/Gipsy/Lady Gordon’s maid: Linda Barrans  

Tom Musgrove/Captain Tomlins: Mark Crowle-Groves  

Mr. Edwards/man in the farmyard/Mr. Morgan: David Prickett  

Miss Osbourne/Miss Jenkins/Mrs. Harding Russell: Jennie VanderLugt  

Mrs. Willis/Jane Watson/Mrs. Browning: Elizabeth Chambers  

Charles Willis/Sir William/Sam Watson: Andy Harrington  

Lord Osbourne/Alfred Freemantle: David Shears  

Jenny/Lady Osbourne/Miss Bridge: Sarah Mitchell  

Mr. Watson/Mr. Bridge: Noel Badrian  

Robert Watson/Mr. Corbet: Jeff Moon  

Mr. Howard/George Millar: Tom Saer  

Miss Carr/Penelope Watson/Janetta Watson/Annie Millar: Libby Stephenson    

Audio edited by Libby Stephenson and Denis Daly

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

In January 1817, Jane Austen began work on Sanditon, but died a few months later, leaving it unfinished. The surviving fragment begins the story of Charlotte Heywood, a sheltered young woman who is invited to the up-and-coming resort town of Sanditon.  

While there, she meets a host of memorable characters, drawn with Austen’s classic wit and insight, including a fortune-hunting fop, a domineering dowager, and a hoard of hypochondriacs.  

This full-cast production features Austen’s original text.    

Cast: 

Narrator: PJ Morgan 

Mr. Parker: Rob Goll  

Mr. Heywood: Peter Tucker  

Charlotte Heywood/Mary Parker: Leanne Yau  

Mrs. Parker: Sarah Mitchell  

Diana Parker: Libby Stephenson  

Lady Denham: Linda Barrans  

Sir Edward: Andy Harrington  

Arthur Parker: Russell Gold    

Audio edited by Libby Stevenson

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Anatol – A Sequence of Dialogues
By Arthur Schnitzler
Adapted by Harley Granville-Barker

Arthur Schnitzler (1862 – 1931) was an Austrian dramatist, whose works, like those of his contemporaries Sigmund Freud and Frank Wedekind, explored the controversial subject of human sexuality.

Anatol, one of Schnitzler’s earliest works, concerns the life of a shallow and immature playboy, who has multiple dalliances with various women but suffers from a crippling fear of commitment underneath his womanising facade. The play offers sharp social commentary on the themes of toxic masculinity and fidelity, and has been adapted in English to two different musicals: The Game of Love and The Gay Life.

Cast

Anatol – David Shears
Max – Mark Crowle-Groves
Hilda / Emily – P J Morgan
Bianca / Elsa – Leanne Yau
Gabrielle – Libby Stephenson
Mimi – Amanda Friday
Lona – Anna Grace
Franz/Waiter – Tom Saer
Stage directions read by Andy Harrington
Audio edited by Leanne Yau.

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Little Men 
By Louisa May Alcott 
Presented by The Online Stage  

Published in 1871, Little Men is a sequel to the novel, Little Women. It tells the continuing story of Jo March, who has married Professor Bhaer, with whom she now runs a small school.    

Cast 

Narrator: Lee Ann Howlett 

Ragged Boy/Nat/Uncle Teddy: Andy Harrington 

John/Emil/Comodore/Silas/Peter: Jeff Moon 

Servant maid/Mary Ann/Nan: Leanne Yau  

Tommy Bangs/Dick/Nursey/Asia/Meg: P J Morgan 

Demi/Kitty Mouse: Arielle Lipshaw 

Daisy/Sally/Adolphus/Dolly: Tiffany Halla Colonna 

Jo/Rob: Amanda Friday 

Mr Bhaer: Ben Lindsey-Clark 

Franz/Jack: Ted Wenskus 

Stuffy/George: Tomas Peter 

Ned: Anastasia Durning 

Teddy/Amy: Becca Maggie 

Dan/Billy: Maureen Boutilier 

Little Bess: Miranda Hodges 

Dr Firth/Mr Roberts/Grandpa/Mr Hyde: Ben Stevens  

Audio edited by Libby Stephenson

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Mansfield Park is the third published and perhaps most subtle of Jane Austen’s novels. It tells the story of Fanny Price, who, at the age of 10, is sent from her impoverished household to live with her wealthy aunt and uncle and be raised alongside her cousins. Fanny grows up as a misfit, not truly a member of the Bertram family, but too genteel to feel comfortable with her parents.

In this production, The Online Stage presents a fully dramatized version of Mansfield Park.

Cast:
Narrator: PJ Morgan
Lady Bertram: Sarah Mitchell
Mrs Norris: Linda Barrans
Sir Thomas Bertram: Andrew Coleman
Fanny Price: Becca Maggie
Maria Bertram/Susan Price: Amanda Friday
Julia Bertram/Sam Price: Grace Keller Scotch
Edmund Bertram: Russell Gold
Mary Crawford: Libby Stephenson
Mrs Grant/Rebecca: Elizabeth Klett
Henry Crawford: Mark Crowle-Groves
Tom Bertram: Phil Benson
Mr Rushworth: Craig Franklin
Dr Grant/Baddeley: Jeff Moon
Mr Price/Coachman: David Prickett
Mrs Rushworth/Mrs Price: Sara Morsey
William Price/John Yates: Andy Harrington

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Presented by The Online Stage.

Lovers’ Vows is Elizabeth Inchbald’s controversial adaptation of the German play Das Kind der Liebe (The Love Child) by August von Kotzebue. Though it met with great success both on stage and in print, some were concerned discussion of premarital sex and the leveling of social rank. Today, it is best known as the play that the Mansfield Theatricals rehearse in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.

Cast:
Narrator: PJ Morgan
Baron Wildenhaim/Prologue: Andy Harrington
Agatha Firburg: Amanda Friday
Frederick: Mark Crowle-Groves
Amelia Wildenhaim/Country Girl: Libby Stephenson
Count Cassel/Landlord: Craig Franklin
Cottager/Verdun, the Butler/Epilogue: Phil Benson
Cottager’s Wife: K G Cross
Anhalt: Russell Gold
Famer/Gentleman: Alan Weyman
Countryman/Servant: David Prickett
Audio edited by Libby Stephenson.

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Northanger Abbey is one of Jane Austen’s first novels, though it was not published until after her death, and contains some of her most biting satire. Catherine Morland, the novel’s naive and provincial heroine, has formed her idea of the world from Gothic novels, full of gloomy Italian castles, long-kept secrets, and dastardly villains. However, when she travels to the city of Bath and encounters a wider society, she will discover that all her reading has ill-prepared her for the real world.

Full cast:

Narrator: Noel Badrian
Catherine Morland: Grace Keller Scotch
Mrs Morland/Mrs Hughes: Sarah Mitchell
Mrs Allen: Sara Morsey
Mr Allen: Alan Weyman
Henry Tilney: Andy Harrington
Isabella Thorpe: Elizabeth Chambers
Mrs Thorpe: Elizabeth Klett
Anne Thorpe: Becca Maggie
John Thorpe: Phil Benson
James Morland/Captain Tilney: Craig Franklin
Eleanor Tilney: P.J. Morgan
General Tilney: Denis Daly
Emily/Sarah Morland: Libby Stephenson
Audio edited by Libby Stephenson

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

Amazon/Audible • iTunes

In Oedipus at Colonus, the banished king, after years of wandering, accompanied by his faithful daughter Antigone, finds himself in Athens. Receiving a warm if guarded welcome from Theseus, King of Athens, he prepares to settle himself to spend his last days in peace. However, unwelcome visitors from his tortured past continue to haunt him until the very end.

Before his passing, Oedipus makes a baleful prediction of the continuing family strife which will be played out in Antigone, the final play in the series.

Cast:

Denis Daly as Oedipus, formerly King of Thebes; Libby Stephenson as Antigone, daughter to Oedipus; Elizabeth Klett as A Stranger, an inhabitant of Colonus; Marty Krzywonos as First Citizen/Citizens; Amanda Friday as Ismene, daughter to Oedipus; Alan Weyman as Creon, brother to Jocasta the Queen; Peter Tucker as Theseus, king of Athens; Jennifer Fournier as Polynices, son to Oedipus; Ed Humpal as a Messenger, an Athenian attending on Theseus

Chorus of Theban Senators performed by Brett Downey, K G Cross, Cate Barratt, and John Burlinson

Stage directions read by John Burlinson

Amazon/Audible • iTunes