JoAnn M. Hunter, who choreographed Broadway's Bad Cinderella, School of Rock, Disaster!, and the 2011 revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, has been named the director of the Broadway-aimed Jo–The Little Women Musical. 

Willette and Manny Klausner (WMK Productions) are producing the new musical, which features music by Dan Redfeld, lyrics by Christina Harding and John Gabriel Koladziej, and a book by Koladziej and Harding. Ken Davenport serves as producing consultant.

Hunter’s directorial work includes UNMASKED: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Paper Mill Playhouse, as well as the world premieres of August Rush, Beatsville, A Sign of the Times, and The Nutty Professor. 

“The creative team has written a piece about an iconic character in literature with a lovely freshness to it,” says Hunter in a statement. “Jo speaks to me because of the will and commitment of this family, even when it means, maybe not giving up on yourself and the selflessness of love. Whatever that love is for you."

A workshop of the musical, based on the famed Louisa May Alcott novel, is planned with casting and dates to be announced.

The production has also released a new single from the musical, "When Nighttime Falls," on all streaming platforms. Listen to the tune below, which features members of the Hollywood Studio Symphony and vocals by Jenna Lea Rosen (Jo) and Chris Mann (Professor Bhaer).

"'When Nighttime Falls' is my attempt to honor great ballads of Kern, Porter, Rodgers, and particularly Gershwin and Loesser," says composer Redfeld. "I feel that musically and lyrically the song instantly conveys to the audience that both characters are connected and on the same wavelength with one another. They are equals. And in a certain way Jo has found her ‘home’ with Professor Bhaer, something which Marmee (Jo’s mother) tries to convey in the song 'Little Women' in the first act."