An upcoming production of Little Women will feature an all-trans/nonbinary cast.
The producers say the show, like the novel it is based on, will explore what it means
to be feminine.
DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
Taffet@DallasVoice.com
Little Women is the 19th century novel about four teenage sisters coming of age and becoming women. It’s been adapted for the stage numerous times, and there have been seven movie versions and several television adaptations.
And what better theater piece than Louisa Mae Alcott’s story of four emerging young women to be staged by an all transgender and nonbinary cast and crew?
Dominic Pecikonis, co-producer and a cast member of the production that will be staged in Oak Cliff in January, said when they were working in New England a few years ago, “I learned a lot about the sisters and fell in love with the book.”
They said as an actor, they’ve gone to a number of auditions and “casting doesn’t know how to use us [transgender and gender-diverse actors],” But, they added, trans people can be in any story.
“Humanize us,” they said. “Tell a story — what it means to be feminine. Alcott’s character Jo talks about gender and how she wishes she was a man. It was rumored Alcott was at least a queer woman if not trans.”
Pecikonis said representation is important for younger people just coming out.
“I didn’t grow up with much representation to know who I was” they said. “So many people
I have opinions of trans people but have never met one.”
This production, they hope, will humanize trans people.
Matty Rafanelli, who is co-producing the show, said, “This specific play shows different experiences of different women. What it means to Meg to be a woman in society — from a trans-nonbinary lens, they’re figuring out what that means. The point of being non-binary is there is no box. In the play, they’re breaking through the box.”
Pecikonis came out during the pandemic as nonbinary transfemme.
“I figured out what was going on with me,” they said. “I lean much more feminine since then.
Gender is personal to each person. We see that in the play.”
They explained that the story is about becoming who they want to be or who they can be.
One proposal for the production suggested they’d have to change the entire play. But they found what they feel is the perfect version, written by Heather Chrisler, who, they said, is excited about the production and wants to be involved.
“This version talks about gender more than other versions and lends itself to what we were doing,” Pecikonis said. “We don’t need to change anything.”
“It’s such a beautiful story,” Rafanelli added. “It’s a way to humanize us going through heartbreak and love; growing up and learning what it is to be human; how people can be flawed and beautiful in all their flaws.”
That having been said, since they began posting casting calls and information about the upcoming production, “some of the comments have been horrible.”
Pecikonis said this was their first time producing, and “I wanted to cast actors I know.” they said.
The production will take place Jan. 22-24 at Arts Mission Oak Cliff on Windomere Street at Twelfth Street.
“They’ve been great,” Pecikonis noted. “It’s great to have a playwright and venue so supportive. And 100 percent of all ticket sales and any donations that don’t go to production costs will be going to House of Rebirth, which supports Black trans women as they come out.
“When this goes well, if we tackle another show, we might do a musical,” Pecikonis said, explaining all the extra work that would go into doing a musical including changing keys, “because we can’t hit the notes.”
The producing pair said they hope members of Dallas’ theater community come to see the production and are encouraged to hire more trans actors for their productions. To raise money for the production, they have a GoFundMe at GoFundMe.com/f/little-womxn-an-all-trans-nonbinary-production.