🎬 An Interview With “A Little Women’s Christmas” Creator And Co-Writer, Dione Sheehan

Photo courtesy of: Dione Sheehan
(from left to right: Charlize Hutch, Laura Osnes,
Jillian Murray, Jen Lilley,
Dione Sheehan, and Julia Reilly)

The new Great American Family Christmas movie “A Little Women’s Christmas” is a contemporary retelling of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 classic, Little Women, originally set in New England during the Civil War. The novel is a coming-of-age story of the four main characters, the March sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy, who grew up together and learned from their mistakes and achievements.

This all-new modernized holiday story, “A Little Women’s Christmas,” was filmed in Tennessee and follows author Jo March (Jillian Murray) as she returns home to celebrate Christmas with her adult sisters Meg (Jen Lilley), Beth (Laura Osnes), and Amy (Julia Grace Reilly). The film also stars Trevor Donovan, Jesse Hutch and his real-life daughter, Charlize, Kyle Kupecky, and legendary singer, Gladys Knight.

I am delighted to share with you all today my interview with Dione Sheehan, the creator and co-writer of “A Little Women’s Christmas.”


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INTERVIEW

Dione Sheehan

“A Little Women’s Christmas”

creator and co-writer

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Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Welcome, Dione, to It’s a Wonderful Movie, where we discuss family-friendly & faith-based movies on TV. It is so nice to chat with you today as I am most excited for your upcoming Christmas movie on Great American Family! Please briefly share with us the storyline behind “A Little Women’s Christmas.”

Dione Sheehan: “A Little Women’s Christmas” reimagines Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic story by taking the four March sisters and dropping them into a modern Christmas rom-com. Now grown up and scattered across the country, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy return to their Tennessee hometown to celebrate the holiday season, bringing with them secrets and surprises.


Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What initially inspired you to write this story?

Dione Sheehan: I began writing the script for “A Little Women’s Christmas” during my sophomore year of college at Stanford University. I was enrolled in a screenwriting class and all students were tasked with writing an entire script in one month – a very exciting but, at the time, daunting assignment. I immediately decided that I would write a holiday romcom because that was the type of content I consumed the most… and who doesn’t love a feel-good Christmas story?!

As I began planning out my script, I thought it would be fun to play with the idea of sisters coming home for the holidays as they each navigate their own romances. I sat down to watch the 1994 Little Women movie as inspiration (because, in my mind, it’s a Christmas movie) and, about halfway through, the lightbulb went off… What if my story wasn’t just about random sisters? What if it was about the actual March sisters? The concept gave me goosebumps. Like so many other women, I grew up alongside Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy, and these characters have felt like my very own sisters for as long as I can remember. The opportunity to once again dive back into the world of the March sisters and imagine new storylines for my beloved friends was everything I’d ever dreamed of. So I reconceptualized my story as “A Little Women’s Christmas.”





Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: This is the most frequently asked question I have received from my followers about “A Little Women’s Christmas.”…

Of course, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, is genuinely a beloved classic for readers, generation after generation. The novel is filled with many delightful stories of the March sisters; however, there are a few things I believe many readers would change if they could, but the main one is dear Beth.

Since you were essentially able, Dione, to recreate anything you like with these characters in your modernized story, does Beth suffer the same ill-fate as the novel, or will we see a brighter side of Beth, portrayed by Laura Osnes, in “A Little Women’s Christmas”?

Dione Sheehan: I love that fans care so much about our dear Beth, and I am delighted to assure everyone that the most kind-hearted March sister is alive and well in “A Little Women’s Christmas.” To be honest, I never once considered excluding Beth from my story or having her succumb to sickness and/or death. I wanted “A Little Women’s Christmas” to be inspirational and uplifting and, in some ways, idealized; it was never my intention to retell the original story but rather to re-imagine it in a lighthearted Christmas type of way.

I hope fans love the new journey I’ve created for Beth March. I promise she is happy, healthy, and perhaps even on the brink of finding love…


Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What was your reaction when you first learned Great American Family wanted to turn your story into a movie?

Dione Sheehan: I was overjoyed! The process of getting a script picked up is arduous and long. I wrote eight drafts of the script and pitched it to numerous producers over the course of five years before finally landing a deal with TrueBrand Entertainment and Great American Family.

I’m so excited to finally get to share my story with the world and I have no doubt in my mind that GAF is the perfect home for “A Little Women’s Christmas.”


Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What was it like visiting the set during filming and meeting the cast? (And, I must say, what an incredible all-star cast… you must still be pinching yourself to see if it is true!)

Dione Sheehan: It was surreal! I still remember the moment I saw Jillian Murray, Jen Lilley, Laura Osnes, and Julia Reilly walking down the hallway in costume for the first time… It was like my kindred spirits had arrived!

Also, fun fact, Jen Lilley was actually on my original vision board for the story back in college. I thought she would be the perfect “Meg” and she most certainly is!




Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Which of the March Sisters do you feel you are most like?

Jo (played by Jillian Murray) - smart, independent, passionate, creative

Meg (played by Jen Lilley) - well-mannered, mature, motherly

Beth (played by Laura Osnes) - sweet, soft-spoken, musically gifted

Amy (played by Julia Grace Reilly) – self-centered, spontaneous, artistic

Dione Sheehan: I love this question even though it’s so hard to answer! I’d say I am a mix of both Jo and Beth.

Like Jo, I am relentless in the pursuit of my dreams. I often know what I want and go after my goals with fierce passion and purpose because I believe we’re each here on earth for a unique reason. But like Beth, I can sometimes be introverted and quiet. I enjoy alone time and need moments of serenity to recenter myself. I also like cheering for others and don’t necessarily want to be the center of attention. Unfortunately though, I am not musically talented!

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Since you now have your own Christmas movie… I must ask, do you have any favorite Christmas Movies that you enjoy watching traditionally every year?

Dione Sheehan: Yes! I love all of these, even though the last few might not technically be considered Christmas movies…

Little Women (1994 version)
Home Alone
The 12 Dogs of Christmas
Love’s Christmas Journey
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Eight Below


Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: As viewers gather around the TV to watch your movie, what do you hope they will take away from watching “A Little Women’s Christmas” on Great American Family this Christmas Season?

Dione Sheehan: I hope that, first and foremost, people are reminded of why they love the original Little Women story. The brilliance of Louisa May Alcott transcends time and her ability to craft four dynamic female characters who simultaneously spotlight strengths and weaknesses in each other is truly remarkable.

I hope also that people realize kindred spirits live on. Our beloved imaginary characters are never lost or forgotten; they reside deep in our hearts and can be accessed at any moment.

Finally, I hope people experience true joy when they watch “A Little Women’s Christmas.” This story comes straight from my heart and is a precious gem in a broken world.

Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: What other creative projects will you be working on next?

Dione Sheehan: I’m thrilled to announce that I am currently writing and producing a brand new reality show called Flipping Farms. This series follows a father-daughter duo as they buy farms in an effort to renovate and flip the entire property. It’s been the adventure of a lifetime! This show will be releasing on major streaming platforms in early 2025, so stay tuned!

In addition to my film projects, I also have two novels in the works. One is a young adult romance and the other is a very special Christmas novella which I will be announcing soon.


Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: How can people get in touch with you and support you?

Dione Sheehan: Anyone can get in touch with me via my Instagram account @dione.sheehan. I love connecting with fans and fellow writers, so please do reach out!

The best way to support any writer is to watch their work! I am so grateful to everyone who plans on watching “A Little Women’s Christmas” and I hope people will tune into “Flipping Farms” in early 2025.


Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie: Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

Dione Sheehan: I want to invite everyone to approach “A Little Women’s Christmas” with an open mind. As I’ve already mentioned, this is not meant to be a literal retelling of the original story; rather, I specifically chose to re-imagine the story in a modern Christmas way. So I hope fans love this movie for what it is (independent of the novel) and create space for fresh storylines which reacquaint us with the beloved March sisters in a whole new way.

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A warm thank you to Dione for reaching out to do this interview with me for my It's a Wonderful Movie followers. Hearing and sharing her insights into the writing and filmmaking process was a joy. I appreciate Dione for taking the time to share with us behind-the-scenes details of “A Little Women’s Christmas” and the immense enjoyment she took in the creation process of this film.

Briefly, I must share... the two March sisters that Dione chose that she is most alike are precisely the two I would choose for myself. Like Jo, I love being creative, and like Beth, music has always been my passion! 

Many of us who read this book as young women or saw the movies, saw parts of ourselves in these sisters. I would love to hear from you ladies who visit here, too! Which March sister or sisters are you most like?

Likely, it goes without saying that I am always excited to share Great American Family's Christmas TV movies, romantic comedies, and various projects; however, “A Little Women’s Christmas” is one of the most anticipated Christmas movies for viewers this season on the network, so I was especially delighted to give everyone this extra look into this upcoming premiere.

“A Little Women’s Christmas” stars Trevor Donovan, Jillian Murray, Jen Lilley, Laura Osnes, Julia Reilly, Jesse Hutch, a special appearance by Gladys Knight, and more!

Watch the Premiere of

“A Little Women’s Christmas”

Saturday, November 23, 2024

on Great American Family

I hope many of you who visit here will enjoy this new Christmas movie premiere!

God's Blessings to you all,

Net

✍ Writers Guild of America Calls Strike

* Writers on Strike *

Talks of a potential writers' strike have been circulating for months. Could a deal that satisfied all parties involved come to an agreement as the looming deadline drew closer? Apparently, the answer is no since the Writers Guild of America strike became effective as of today (May 2, 2023) at midnight.

What does this mean for the entertainment industry? Well, the late-night TV talk shows will be forced to go on hiatus. Their writers usually write their scripts day-by-day to keep up with daily events, and since they are no longer permitted to work, there will not be any jokes or monologues for their hosts to give. To be honest, I'm not a fan of those shows, so I personally won't miss them.

How will television series and movies be affected...

The last writers' strike shook up the entertainment industry in November of 2007 and lasted until February 2008. According to the AP, "Scripted series and films will take longer to be affected. With a walkout long expected, writers have rushed to get scripts in and studios have sought to prepare their pipelines to keep churning out content for at least the short term."

It's also possible that some production companies could seek out work internationally from writers who are not WGA members. Therefore, it's highly probable they could skirt around the issue for a while, if terms are not agreed to within a reasonable time.

I'm sure Great American Media, Hallmark Media, UPtv, and other networks will make their own statements regarding this and how they plan to proceed with making movies.

Stay tuned!

Net

Winter Love Story - a Hallmark Channel "Winterfest" Movie starring Jen Lilley & Kevin McGarry

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: Winter Love Story

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: January 19, 2019

CAST:

Jen Lilley ... Cassie
Kevin McGarry ... Elliot
Mary-Margaret Humes ... Jeannine
Laura Miyata ... Piper
Joanna Douglas ... Becca
Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll ... Julian
Robinne Fanfair ... Gwendolyn
Nneka Elliot ... Samantha Wallace
Alexander Nunez ... Trevor
Carrie Schiffler ... Store Manager
Kristen Shepherd ... Master of Ceremonies
Kelsey Ruhl ... Assistant
Jim Calarco ... Concierge
Jane Luk ... Moderator
Chris Renaud ... Eric, Businessman
Kamilla Kowal ... Excitable Student
Kelsey Ruhl ... TV Floor Assistant
Jane Luk ... Moderator

PLOT:

Storyline via Hallmark: When first-time author Cassie Winslett is paired with successful author Elliot Somersby on a road trip to promote their books, she learns to believe in herself and her talent. She also finds truth in the old adage “you can’t judge a book by its cover” as she finds herself falling for the guy she thought to be pompous and full of himself when they first met.

Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...


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*images via: Hallmark Crown Media Family Networks
Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Shane Mahood

Interview: Get an Inside Look at "My Summer Prince" with Co-Producer Peter Sullivan

If you watch Hallmark, Lifetime, ABC Family, ION or UP Made-for-TV Movies, then most likely you have watched one or more of Peter Sullivan’s many films, from his extensive resume, including “12 Gifts of Christmas”, “A Prince for Christmas”, “Eve’s Christmas”, “The Flight Before Christmas”, and many more!!! (By the way, I asked Peter to share all of his movies in Question #1, so be sure to scroll down, look at the list and share in the comments below - which ones you have seen or which original TV movie is one of your favorites!)

In addition to all of these films, Peter Sullivan’s latest project is the upcoming Hallmark Channel *Summer Nights* Movie ‘My Summer Prince’. Many of you have expressed great interest in “Royal” Movies, so I hope you will enjoy my Q & A with Peter, on his upcoming Original Movie Premiere, and much more!!!

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INTERVIEW:

Writer, Producer, Director

Peter Sullivan
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Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Welcome to "It's a Wonderful Movie", Peter! It's my honor to interview you here today! First of all, please share with us a list of your television films and your role in the creation of them?


Peter Sullivan: I’ve been involved with producing, writing, and/or directing over 70 films at this point, so that would be quite a list. I can focus on the Christmas titles for now. In reverse chronological order:


HALLMARK FILMS

“My Summer Prince” (director, co-producer)

“Christmas Land” (co-producer)

“12 Gifts of Christmas” (writer, director, co-producer)

“I’m Not Ready for Christmas” (co-producer)

“Christmas Under Wraps” (director, co-producer)

“Christmas Wedding Tail” (writer, co-producer)

“Your Love Never Fails” aka “A Valentine Date” (writer, co-producer)



OTHER CHRISTMAS MOVIES

“The Flight Before Christmas” – Lifetime (writer, director, co-producer)

“A Prince for Christmas” – ION (writer, co-producer)

“A Christmas Reunion” – ION (writer, co-producer)

“A Perfect Christmas List” – ION (writer, co-producer)

“A Christmas Mystery” – ION (writer, director, co-producer)

“Christmas in Palm Springs” – UP (co-producer)

“All I Want for Christmas” – ION (writer, co-producer)

“Dear Secret Santa” – Lifetime (writer, director, co-producer)

“All About Christmas Eve” – Lifetime (director, co-producer)

“Christmas Twister” – ION (writer, director, co-producer)

“A Christmas Wedding Date” – ION (writer, co-producer)

“12 Wishes of Christmas” – ION (director, co-producer)

“The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation” – ABC Family (writer, co-producer)

“A Nanny for Christmas” – Lifetime (co-producer)

“The Dog Who Saved Christmas” – ABC Family (co-producer)

“A Christmas Proposal” – Lifetime (writer, co-producer)

“His & Her Christmas” – Lifetime (writer)

“Eve’s Christmas” – Lifetime (writer)

I’ve also done a number of films outside the holiday genre, including horror films such as “Summoned” starring Cuba Gooding Jr, Ashley Scott, and Bailey Chase; and “Ominous” starring Barry Watson and Esme Bianco. I also wrote a thriller called “Abandoned” that was, sadly, Brittany Murphy’s last film. My most recent thriller, “His Double Life,” recently premiered on Lifetime, starring Emmanuelle Vaugier, Brian Krause, and Cristine Prosperi.




Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: That is certainly an incredible list of Television movies! Please share with us what inspires you to create these stories! Should I, Dare I, ask… do you, perhaps, have a favorite?

Peter Sullivan: I love the themes behind Christmas: family, togetherness, love, etc. A lot of my holiday films are magical because I do find a very magical quality in the joy that the season brings. The first Christmas movie I ever wrote, “Eve’s Christmas,” uses a time travel structure to examine what makes the holiday so special and the impact that it can have on our various relationships, both with family and significant others.

My favorites among my titles are the ones that continue to resonate and endure over the years. “Eve’s Christmas,” “12 Wishes of Christmas,” “Dear Secret Santa,” and “Christmas Under Wraps” definitely fall into that category… and, coincidence or not, they all feature a magical element.




Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Since many of your Made-for-TV movies are Christmas Movies, what are some of your absolute all-time Favorite Christmas Movies?

Peter Sullivan: My all-time favorite is “A Christmas Story,” however, as a filmmaker, the two biggest influences have been “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street,” both of which use a fantastical element to help capture the wonder of Christmas. Among more recent films, I would have to say that “Elf,” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” are real stand outs. (Of course, since “Gremlins” and “Die Hard” are also technically Christmas movies, I suppose I should mention that I enjoy those as well.)

Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Now, let’s get to your latest project, ‘My Summer Prince’, which is premiering August 6, 2016 on the Hallmark Channel! Viewers have fallen in love time after time with this “Royal” genre of films, please share a summary of this story! Is it a Romantic Drama or a Romantic Comedy?

Peter Sullivan: I’ve seen a number of the “Royal” genre films, and I wanted to flip the story on its head, so instead of a girl being whisked off to a royal kingdom, “My Summer Prince” is about a prince’s experiences here in America.

The film tells the story of PR assistant Mandy Cooper (Taylor Cole) whose firm is hired by the Queen (Vanessa Angel) to rehabilitate the public image of a handsome but misbehaving prince (Jack Turner). When Mandy’s demanding, controlling boss (Lauren Holly) ends up falling ill, she decides to assume her boss’s identity and handle the account on her own. Naturally, the prince has a handler (Marina Sirtis) who starts to grow very suspicious of Mandy’s true identity. Things are further complicated when Mandy and the Prince start to develop feelings for each other and we find out that she’s not the only one with a secret!

There’s definitely a screwball comedy quality to the plot, and screenwriter Topher Payne is a wonderfully witty writer, but there are also some dramatic moments as well. So how about we call it a touching romantic comedy?

Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: We would also love to know a little behind-the-scenes of ‘My Summer Prince’… Please share who is starring in this movie, what it was like working with them, and any special “on the set” moments!

Peter Sullivan: I’ve been blessed to work with some wonderful actors and actresses over the course of my many films, but this was definitely a very special cast! The night before we started filming, my line producer Brian Nolan and I took everyone to dinner at the hotel and we all completely bonded.

First of all, I can’t say enough wonderful things about Taylor Cole. She’s not only stunning and a wonderful actress, she’s remarkably funny, which you’ll see in this film. When she’s on screen, you just can’t help but be captivated… she’s a true star in every way.

Jack Turner, who plays the Prince, is tremendously talented. There is nothing that man cannot do! There was a scene where his character plays REO Speedwagon’s “Keep On Lovin’ You” on the piano. I’d prepared the song for on-set playback but there was no need. He’d taught himself how to play it!

Lauren Holly is hilarious as Mandy’s tough boss, but she also remains somehow likeable throughout the whole process rather than just become a villain. I’d get so mesmerized in her performance, I’d almost forget to call cut when we were finished. She’s also such a sweet woman, and completely unlike the character she plays in the film. The crew was excited because a lot of them grew up with “Dumb and Dumber,” but for me, she’ll always be Betty from the TV movie “Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again,” which I must have watched 20 times as a kid.

I’ve been a Star Trek fan for a long time, and the first autograph I’d ever gotten from my very first Trek convention, was Marina Sirtis, who played Troi on “The Next Generation.” (I didn’t tell her that, by the way.) What a pleasure it was to have the opportunity to direct her in this film. I had written a film she was in for Syfy called “Finders Keepers”, but this was the first time we actually met. She has flawless comedic timing and always has such a wonderful sense of humor… even if her director is prone to quoting Star Trek movies on set now and then.

Vanessa Angel, our second Farrelly Brothers alum, is terrific as the Queen, and so different from some of the other roles I’ve seen her in. I also found out she’s a big Christmas movie fan so I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of her soon!

We also had a fantastic young actress from Australia, Kassandra Clementi, whom I’ve directed before in “Christmas Twister.” She took what could have been a simple nemesis for Mandy and made her sympathetic. Her big scene in the castle at the end is a must see.

Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: Every Prince needs a castle, of course! Where was ‘My Summer Prince’ was filmed?

Peter Sullivan: We filmed the movie in Utah, mostly Park City with a smidge in Salt Lake City. I love it because it’s a very versatile location, you can go from what looks like Manhattan to nature’s wonderland in twenty minutes. It was perfect for this story because it’s set at a mountain resort, so we were really able to take advantage of the gorgeous mountains. In fact, a lot of the locations were specifically chosen because of their views. A lot of the movie was shot at the Westgate Park City hotel.

One interesting tidbit is that Park City, which stands in for the fictional town of “Greenbriar, Idaho,” does not have a town fountain, which is a pivotal location in the story. So, the fountain you see prominently featured in the film was actually trucked in and assembled on location by my tremendous art team, led by production designer Vicky Chan. A lot of locals that stopped by were disappointed to find out that it was only temporary and one of the town reps thought it looked so good, they should get a fountain of their own.

Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: What’s next? Do you have any news of upcoming movies, premiering on Hallmark or elsewhere that you can share with us, yet?

Peter Sullivan: I’m going to be starting a new movie soon which I can’t talk about yet, but I have co-produced a holiday movie, “Vermont Christmas Vacation,” coming to ION this coming holiday season starring Chevy Chase, Abigail Hawk from “Blue Bloods” and our leading man from “Christmas Under Wraps,” David O’Donnell. Look for more information on that one soon.

I’ve also written a horror movie for Syfy that will be airing later this year, starring Michael Jai White, Amber Benson and Dina Meyer; and my company has a couple of thrillers awaiting release shortly.

Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: That's an interesting "scoop" on 'Vermont Christmas Vacation'! How fascinating that it has "Christmas Vacation" in the title and it stars Chevy Chase! I'm sure all Christmas Movie watchers, including myself, will look forward to hearing more news on that film.

In the meantime, as we end this interview, I must ask... What do you hope viewers will take away from watching ‘My Summer Prince’, or any of your stories? How special is it to you - that families watch your films together on Hallmark, and elsewhere?

Peter Sullivan: One of the best things about my job is when I tell people what movies I’ve done and I see their eyes light up because they’ve seen it. I love that these movies have a place in people’s hearts and that they continue to bring joy year after year. That’s the special thing about these movies, they’re suitable for the whole family and everyone can find something about them to like.

(And then there are some of my other films, where I enjoy making people jump out of their seats… but that’s a different type of story.)

Net, It's a Wonderful Movie: One more thing... in addition, where can my readers find out more about your upcoming projects or follow you on social media?

Peter Sullivan: I have a Twitter that I use to publicize my films: @Peter_LSullivan I’m trying to tweet more stills and behind the scenes photos than I used to, so bear with me. In the meantime, if you enjoy my movies, please feel free to reach out and let me know!


Thank you so much Peter for doing this interview with me for "It's a Wonderful Movie"! I know my readers have been talking about your movie "My Summer Prince" from the very moment we learned the title and knew it had something to do with royalty!

Let's all roll out the red carpet and watch the premiere of...

"My Summer Prince"

on the Hallmark Channel

August 6, 2016 at 9pm/8c.