By Sheryl Flatow
14 Dec 2009

The material for the show is drawn from the later books, when the Ingalls become homesteaders in De Smet, South Dakota. The musical depicts the hardships faced by the family, and also follows Laura's maturation from wild child to responsible young woman. "I went back and read the books, and was surprised at how well they held up," says Sheinkin. "I had expected them to be very episodic, but one central through line leapt out at me: the story of Laura growing up alongside the changing land. The story of the 'taming' of the West is very much told in parallel with the struggles of the taming of this girl. There's a line in one of the books in which she says, 'Being free means that you have to make yourself be good.' Our story follows how she discovers that, how she reigns herself in a bit too much and learns that her wildness is part of what's good for her."

Much of the second act focuses on the romance between Laura and Almanzo Wilder. "It's not a conventional love story," says Zambello. "They are fiercely independent people who respect each other equally, and I think that's a wonderful thing to see onstage. Their relationship doesn't play into stereotypes."

One of the show's initial concepts was to let the audience see the characters build the physical world they inhabit. Lobel's set, together with the lighting design of Mark McCullough, suggests a wide open prairie, but uses very little conventional scenery. "The idea is that these people went out there with nothing, and had to build everything," says Sheinkin. "So we give the audience a sense of that. A few walls, a few boxes and fences become a house, a church. The creation of the physical world is one of the things that's very special about the show. It invites audiences to use their imagination."

Little House is certainly touring at an opportune time. It's a show about traditional American values that can be embraced by both sides of the country's gaping political divide. "There are a lot of things in the books that speak to me very much," says Zambello. "The independent spirit, respect for the land and the environment, the importance of family and building a community. They're very much part of our play, because they're part of the world of these people. When you say these things, the reaction is sometimes, 'Oh, no, it's a political agenda.' But I don't agree. To me, this is the truthfulness of American ideals. These are things to embrace and celebrate, not step away from. I think we've all got to get back to honest living and simplicity and respect for the land. We all need to be reinventing the meaning of family and community and volunteering. All of those things are in this show. I think that when people see this onstage, it spurs their conscience.

"Laura Ingalls Wilder didn't over-romanticize," Zambello continues. "She was very straightforward, and we try to tell our story the same way. And I think that's what makes audiences connect. It's been interesting watching audiences; they rally around this show so much. This is not a piece for cynics. It's a heartfelt work — not sappy, just truthful."