Ep. 23 - The Real-Life Home of LITTLE WOMEN

Nov 8

Orchard House in the Spring. Photo credit: Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House

“People say they feel like they're walking through the book.”
Jan Turnquist, Executive Director, Orchard House

In episode 23 we talk with Jan Turnquist, executive director of Orchard House where visitors can go back in time to the world of the Alcott family as well as Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March. Recreations of Orchard House can be seen in recent adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women: the 1994 film directed by Gillian Armstrong, the 2017 BBC PBS MASTERPIECE limited series directed by Vanessa Caswill, and the 2019 film directed by Greta Gerwig.

Fans of Little Women and Louisa May Alcott know that the March family is inspired by Louisa’s own sisters and parents. Orchard House in Concord, MA, is most notable as the Alcott home where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set her iconic novel in 1868. The Alcotts were a famous yet flawed family who firmly believed in the power of unconditional love, personal agency, and social justice. This family made impacts in literature, education, philosophy, art, reforms of all kinds -- and each other.

Listen - Episode 23

Guest: JAN TURNQUIST
Orchard House Executive Director

**Jan Turnquist** is the Emmy-winning writer/director of the documentary ***Orchard House, Home of Little Women*** on PBS (available on Amazon Prime and for purchase from Orchard House).
Since 1999 she has been Executive Director of **Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House**, where *Little Women* was written and set. Jan has also shared the Alcott legacy in internationally acclaimed Alcott living history portrayals.

Recreations of Orchard House (1994 | 2017 | 2019)

Little Women (1994)

Orchard House was recreated in Vancouver Island, Canada for the film. View of the back of the house. Production designer Jan Roelfs.

Little Women (2017)

Orchard House is recreated in Wicklow, Ireland for the BBC MASTERPIECE series. Production design by Susie Cullen.

Little Women (2019)

Orchard House was recreated just down the road from the original house in Concord for Greta Gerwig’s film. The film was shot on location in Massachusetts. Production designer is Jess Gonchor.

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LITTLE WOMEN (2019)

Directed by Greta Gerwig

Cast: Saoirse Ronan (Jo March), Emma Watson (Meg March), Eliza Scanlen (Beth March), Florence Pugh (Amy March), Laura Dern (Marmee), Meryl Streep (Aunt March), Bob Odenkirk (Mr. March), Timothée Chalamet (Laurie), Chris Cooper (Mr. Laurence), James Norton (John Brooke), Louis Garrel (Friedrich Bhaer).

LITTLE WOMEN (2017)

Directed by Vanessa Caswill

Cast: Maya Hawke (Jo March), Willa Fitzgerald (Meg March), Annes Elwy (Beth March), Kathryn Newton (Amy March), Emily Watson (Marmee), Angela Lansbury (Aunt March), Dylan Baker (Mr. March), Jonah Hauer-King (Laurie), Michael Gambon (Mr. Laurence), Julian Morris (John Brooke), Mark Stanley (Friedrich Bhaer)

MASTERPIECE LITTLE WOMEN Website

LITTLE WOMEN (1994)

Directed by Gillian Armstrong

Cast: Winona Ryder (Jo March), Trini Alvarado (Meg March), Claire Danes (Beth March), Kirsten Dunst (Young Amy March), Samantha Matthis (Adult Amy March), Susan Sarandon (Marmee), Mary Wickes (Aunt March), Matthew Walker (Mr. March), Christian Bale (Laurie), John Neville (Mr. Laurence), Erik Stoltz (John Brooke), Gabriel Byrne (Friedrich Bhaer)