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By Louisa May Alcott
Adapted for duet acting by Christy Chavers Stutzman

"Laurie Laurence! What an odd name!" Thus Jo March reacts to her first official encounter with the neighbor boy. This duet acting follows the unusual and special friendship between Jo March and Laurie Laurence. It begins with their first encounter in a side room at a New Years ball, and follows them through their "growing up" years. Soon the friendship turns to something more, but only on Laurie's side. Jo never does fall in love with Laurie, but loves him only as a best friend or brother. Unable to stand by and watch Jo marry another, Laurie heads off for Europe, and lives a frivilous life, while Jo works in New York as a tutor, and suffers the death of her dearest sister Beth. In the end, Laurie returns, having realized how right Jo had been, for he falls in love with Amy, her younger sister, and returns a married man. As Laurie explains it in the end, "Somehow, over time, Amy and you changed places in my heart, that’s all. I think it was meant to be so and would have come about naturally if I had waited, as you tried to make me, but I never could be patient. At one time I didn’t know which I loved best, you or Amy, and tried to love both alike. But after I had mended my ways, and I saw Amy again in Switzerland, everything seemed to clear up all at once. You both got into your right places, and I felt I could honestly share my heart between sister Jo and wife Amy and love them both dearly." This duet acting has everything you want, from comedy, to heartbreak. It requires both actors to age throughout the piece, and has light as well as heavy moments. For one guy and one girl.

Approx. 12-14 min.