© 2023 Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society Inc.

THE SECRET GARDEN

Music by Lucy Simon

Book & Lyrics by Marsha Norman

Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH ORiGiN™ THEATRICAL

ON BEHALF OF SAMUEL FRENCH INC.

OUR CAST

MARY LENNOX - ELSIE WILSON

ARCHIBALD CRAVEN, Mary’s uncle - ANTHONY MASON

DR NEVILLE CRAVEN, his brother - SAM HILE

MARTHA, a chambermaid - ANNEMARIE MURPHY

DICKON, Martha’s brother - DAVID CUMISKEY

LILY CRAVEN, Colin’s mother - RACHAEL FULLSTON

COLIN CRAVEN - JOSHUA WILSON

BEN, the gardener - ADAM WILSON

MRS MEDLOCK, the housekeeper - JENI SISTROM

CAPTAIN ALBERT LENNOX, Mary’s father - JAMES OGG

ROSE LENNOX, Mary’s mother - SARAH CONOLLY

ALICE - HANNAH LEARY

CLAIRE - AMELIA McCANN

AYAHS - RACHAEL FOREMAN, VERONIKA BRACEGIRDLE

MAJOR HOLMES - WARREN GRZIC

LIEUTENANT WRIGHT - JOSH WOODWARD

LIEUTENANT SHAW - BRUCE COITINHO-PAZ

MRS WINTHROP the headmistress - CATHY BULFIN

MRS HOLMES - LYNNE JAMES

JANE - MEGAN REDDEL

NURSE - LYNDAL WALKER

CHORUS - Daniella Brown, Lynne James, Angelica Lake-Brown, Megan Reddel, Lyndal Walker

About the Show

The Secret Garden is a family friendly musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, re-imagined in brilliant musical style by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman.

Orphaned in India, 11 year-old Mary Lennox is sent to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle and his invalid son, neither of whom she has ever met. The estate's many wonders include a magical garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the "Dreamers", spirits from Mary's past, who guide her through her new life, dramatising The Secret Garden's compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal. Mary's own personality blossoms as she and a young gardener bring new life to a neglected garden, as well as to her uncle and her sickly cousin.

Featured songs include “Winter's on the Wing”, “Race You to the Top of the Morning”, “Lily's Eyes”, “Wick”, “Come to My Garden”, “Hold On”, “Where in the World” and “How Could I Ever Know.”

 

• Elegant, entrancing...The best American musical of the Broadway season. - Time
• A splendid, intelligent musical...It's all you can hope for in children's theatre. But the best surprise is that this show is the most adult new musical of the season. - USA Today
• A many splendored children's fable that neither cloys or loses grip on its unique spell -  Newsday
• Revels in theatrical imagination [and] achieves the irresistible appeal that moves audiences to standing ovations - Christian Science Monitor Premiere Production

The Secret Garden opened at the St. James Theatre on April 25, 1991 after 23 previews. The show played for a total of 709 performances and closed on January 3, 1993.

General information about the show and characters can be found at the Origin Theatrical website here.

The original Broadway soundtrack and some video clips are available on YouTube here.

Key dates

Rehearsals start 21 July 2017 - Tuesday and Friday nights 7.30pm to 10.30pm.  The production runs from 27 October to 11 November 2017 on Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 1pm and 7pm.

Production Team

Director: Kath Sharpham

Music Director: Rebecca Hansen

Production Managers: Caroline Reddel and Megan Willis

The Secret Garden 2018