A timeless tale turned Broadway hit, The Secret Garden is set to make its highly anticipated return to the Poplar Pike Playhouse. This award winning musical, first seen on the Playhouse stage in 1995, recounts the sentimental tale of Mary Lennox, a young orphan girl sent to live on a mysterious English estate. The Secret Garden takes the Playhouse stage February 24 and runs through March 12.
Based on the famous novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden is a beautiful coming of age story filled with wonderment and surprise. Mary, an eleven-year-old living in British India, is forced from her home by tragedy. She finds herself in Yorkshire, England, on the estate of her reclusive uncle, Archibald Craven. What ensues is a compelling mixture of love, suspense and rebirth in which the raw power of nature gives way to miracle and magic. The stunning musical score and classic story combine to create one of the most powerful theatrical experiences of all time.
The Secret Garden opened on Broadway in 1991 and won over audiences, claiming three Tonys and three Drama Desk Awards. Much of its success is due to a star-studded creative team. The Secret Garden was penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and playwright Marsha Norman, whose dialogue and lyrics have been featured in musicals such as The Color Purple and The Red Shoes. Norman’s words are complimented by the intricate and beautiful score written by well-known composer Lucy Simon.
Tickets are on sale now. For more information, call the Poplar Pike Playhouse Box Office at (901) 755-7775 or visit www.ppp.org. Box office hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. To keep up with the latest news, follow the Playhouse on Facebook and Twitter.
The cast of The Secret Garden includes Madison Arthur, Justin Ayers, Andrew Baldock, Wade Bonds, Kristen Bell, Renee Blevins, Katie Brannon, Joe Carter, Melanie Culhane, Assiatou Diallo, Morgan Dobbins, Alexandria Exley, Avery Franklin, Lucy Fulliton, Ashley Grubb, Nigel Heard, Nick Henry, Paul Hoover, Mandy Hrach, Justin Lambert, Ali McElhaney, Tyler Miller, Drew Murley, Court Nixon, Olivia Parsels, Richard Player, Hunter Reid, Melissa Ruprecht, Tanishia Sims, Matt Sloan, Anna Smith, Anna Strong, Cooper Terle, Remy Terle, Justin Waldrip, Taylor Williams, Emily Wolfe, Elijah Zelonky, Zoe Zelonky and Marinela Zubovic.
The Secret Garden is directed by E. Frank Bluestein. Steve Danielson is the musical director. Lanny Byrd is the conductor.
The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the Germantown High School campus. The corporate sponsor for this production is Landmark Bank.