The Secret Garden

The high school musical this spring was The Secret Garden, a story of hope and transformation, with the book and lyrics by Marsha Norman, music by Lucy Simon, and is based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Show times were February 27, 28 and March 1 at 7:30pm and March 2 at 3pm.

Overview

This enchanting classic of children's literature is reimagined in brilliant musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of 'Night Mother'. Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his disabled son Colin. The estate's many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the "Dreamers," spirits from Mary's past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden's compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

Recap

This winter, 48 high school students came together to bring the story of The Secret Garden to life. While learning music, choreography and blocking, developing characters, creating costumes, folding thousands of origami flowers, building sets, painting, finding props, creating a lighting and sound scape, and all the other many things that go into creating a project like this, we also took time to explore the themes of this story. Among those themes were natural and life seasons, the healing power of human connection with nature, the earth’s elements, transformation, colonization, memory, death, trauma, healing, grief, and resilience. The theme that became most central to our shared experience was finding home, and reclaiming home after home is broken. This production required emotional investment from the students, and they rose to the challenge with energy and maturity. 

The Secret Garden is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. Original Broadway Production Produced by: Heidi Landesman Rick Steiner, Frederic H. Mayerson, Elizabeth Williams Jujamcyn Theatres/TV ASAHI and Dodger Productions. Originally produced by the Virginia Stage Company, Charles Towers, Artistic Director.