Area teens set to bring The Secret Garden to life

July 19, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By MARNI WALSH

Twenty-four area teens will bring the classic children’s novel, The Secret Garden, to life next week in its award winning Broadway Musical adaptation at Theatre Orangeville. The Secret Garden is a beautiful and endearing story of rejuvenation, in which the nurturing power of love restores life to those lost and the longing. As the garden begins to bloom once more, so too, do the characters of this inspirational musical.

The Programs Manager for Theatre Orangeville, Sharyn Ayliffe told The Free Press, “As we always are with our Young Company, we are absolutely astonished with the intense level of commitment and talent of these 24 young performers, all of which is well beyond their years. The story is a classic that was written over 100 years ago and has withstood the test of time. This brilliant cast has brought it to life and their performance and delivery of this wonderful musical is sure to bring the audiences to their feet.”

Set in 1911 Yorkshire England, The Secret Garden, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett was adapted for Broadway in a 1991 musical by Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon. The story centres on the regeneration of a family, when a sullen 10 year old, Mary Lennox, arrives to her Uncle’s gloomy Misselthwaite Manor after the death of her parents in India. Mary finds, that much like herself, the manor is haunted by unresolved grieve and loss. Guided by benevolent spirits, Mary’s discovery of “a secret garden” slowly begins to restore the manor as she and the other children lovingly nurture the lost garden back to life.

An inspiration of Theatre Orangeville’s Artistic Director David Nairn, The Young Company is a month long theatre intensive that presents two youth productions every summer. The Secret Garden will be performed the last weekend in July on the Theatre Orangeville main stage, and Robin Hood will be performed at the Island Lake open air stage the last weekend in August.

The Secret Garden performers will be directed by Pam Demetriou and Daniel Reale, with choreography by Jenee Gowing, and accompaniment by 17 year old phenom – pianist Nicholas Mustapha. All of these artists were part of the team that brought audiences the Young Company’s outstanding, sold-out production of Les Miserables last summer.

The vocal and performance skills of the Young Company astounded even well versed theatre buffs last July, and promises to do so again this year with many of the same cast members returning in The Secret Garden. As always, the production values of the Young Company are fully professional with Theatre Orangeville’s main stage set designer Beckie Morris and costume designer Vandy Simpson at the helm.

The Secret Garden is a great family musical not to be missed. The show only runs one weekend: July 27th – 29th at Theatre Orangeville, 87 Broadway. Tickets are already selling fast: Adults $18, Students $15, Children (3-5 years) $8. Book on line at www.theatreorangeville.ca or call the Box Office at 519-942-3423.