In the over 150 years since Louisa May Alcott’s novel “Little Women” was published, movie, stage and series adaptations have offered different readings of the book’s headstrong protagonist. 

In Drake Theatre Arts’ production of “Little Women: The Musical,” Savannah Fisher’s Jo March is “fighting for the right to exist as a woman.”

Fisher, a senior, was cast as Jo after season auditions in August. Fisher said she was in “shock” after seeing the cast list, as “Little Women” is her dream show and Jo is her dream role. 

She spent the months between auditions and the beginning of rehearsals talking with professors and performers to decide on the message she wanted to convey through her performance. 

“I want this to be my best work, but I can’t do that without help,” Fisher said.

Director Shayne Mims, a visiting assistant professor of theatre, performed in the second national tour of the show in 2008 as Professor Friedrich Bhaer.

Mims said his personal connection and the time he has spent with the show have shaped his directorial vision, but he also emphasized the collaboration that has gone into this production.

“I’m very fortunate to have a couple of assistants who grew up reading these books and just were in love with all the history behind “Little Women,” and so having their voice in the room has been one of the best things,” Mims said.

The cast had the opportunity to meet with original Broadway cast members and the creators behind the musical over Zoom. The guests included lyricist Mindi Dickstein, director Susan Schulman, conductor Rob Meffe, original Meg actress Jenny Powers and original Laurie actor Danny Gurwin.

Junior Camryn Caruso, who plays oldest sister Meg March, connected with Powers over email and Instagram after the call. The two have played many of the same roles, in addition to Meg.

“I felt really special to meet everyone, but also special because I got to meet Meg, and it was a great experience,” Caruso said. “I like connecting like that in our program and through shows.”

Jo’s ending — accepting Bhaer’s marriage proposal — has been interpreted in a variety of ways due to Jo’s previous opposition to marriage. The 2019 film adaptation leaves the ending ambiguous; is this Jo accepting Bhaer’s proposal, or the protagonist of Jo’s book that her publisher said must end up with a man?

During the Zoom call, Fisher asked Dickstein and Schulman how they interpreted this scene. Fisher said their responses added depth to Jo’s character.

“[Jo] doesn’t want to get married in the context of societal marriage,” Fisher said. “She negotiates her own terms on marriage. She’s not marrying somebody that you would expect.”

In addition to playing Laurie, senior Dakota Wayne also designed the show’s lighting. He wanted to show through his designs how someone’s life can change another’s, and contrasted warm and cool lighting to show the impact of loss.

“When we lose Beth in the show, the lights become a little more cold, and they take away the memory aspect of it,” Wayne said. “For most of the show, the lights are supposed to emulate a warm memory feeling — kind of nostalgia, but in a very happy way.”

Although Beth’s death and the grief that follows are crucial to the story, Fisher said the script also brings humor.

“You have the fun, you have the sad, and I feel like those fun moments earn the moments that are sad, and the sad moments earn the funny ones,” Fisher said.

Mims emphasized the show’s themes of family and independence.

“I hope that people leave [the theater] saying, I need to call somebody and let them know I love them. I need to go write that song I’ve always been wanting to write, or go pursue that passion I’ve always been thinking about, but I just never have,” Mims said.

Fisher hopes what audiences take away from the March sisters’ story is that there is no right way to be a woman.

“Whether you want to settle down and have kids and be a stay-at-home mom, or you want to go out and have your own career and do your own thing, it’s totally up to you, and whichever choice you make is beautiful,” Fisher said.

The show will start at 7:30 p.m. on April 2-4 with a 2 p.m. matinee on April 5 in the Performing Arts Hall. Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for non-students, and can be purchased from the Fine Arts Box Office online or in-person.