"The Secret Garden," Concord, NH, October 6 & 7

The Children's Theatre Project of The Community Players of Concord, NH presents the play, The Secret Garden, as adapted for the stage by Tim Kelly, with additional material from the story's source - the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The play will be performed by a cast of 29 youth actors under the direction of Karen Braz, The Children's Theatre Project's leader since its inception 23 years ago. Performances are Friday, October 12 at 7 pm, and Saturday, October 13 at 2 pm, at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord, NH. General admission seating. Tickets are $15, and are available on-line at www.communityplayersofconcord.org, or at the Auditorium box office, open Oct. 10-12, 4:30-7:30 pm, and Oct. 13 noon-2:00 pm. There is a $2 per ticket discount for online purchases before Oct. 10th. For further ticket information, contact David Murdo at (603) 344-4747, or nhdm40@comcast.net.

Set in turn of the century Yorkshire, England, The Secret Garden follows 10-year old Mary Lennox, a spoiled, solitary child, orphaned by her parents' death in India's cholera epidemic, as she arrives to live in the isolated, sprawling manner home of an uncle she has never met, Archibald Craven. Her miserable uncle travels frequently to escape the memory of his deceased wife, Lilias, and so the unhappy and contrary Mary spends most of her time alone in the unwelcoming mansion. That is, until she allows herself to befriend the good natured maid, Martha, and her brother, Dickon, and comes to meet her hidden invalid cousin, Colin Craven. Through Martha's and Dickon's stories, Mary discovers the walled garden which has been closed and locked since Mrs. Craven's death ten years earlier. Unlocking this closed up garden allows Mary to unlock her own broken heart, make friends for the first time in her life, and help a broken family heal.

Though there is a well-known musical version of this story, this version of The Secret Garden is a dramatic play intended to be performed by young actors, and as such, is a challenge for actors and audiences alike. Director Braz reports that the actors have spent weeks analyzing character, delving into emotions, finding motivation, and developing proper accents in keeping with the backgrounds and "class" of their characters. "The story can be both emotionally exhausting and exuberantly joyous, and the actors have truly enjoyed the challenge of 'stretching their wings' to hone their acting skills, to make the story ring true and honest and real," Braz says. For audiences, the challenge is to allow themselves to slow down, and to become immersed, gently guided along in the orphaned Mary Lennox's journey of discovery of the world and her place in it. With careful listening and close attention to characters' relationships, the audience is transported to another place and time, and into a poignant telling of a beloved story. It is a meaningful and moving theatre experience for the whole family to enjoy.

Photos:

1) A group of cast members pose for a picture after a recent preview performance of a scene from The Secret Garden during the recent Gala at the Concord City Auditorium. Left to right: Malia Moffett (as Jane Sowerby), Ayva Mullins (as Martha Sowerby), Morgan Doherty (as Mary Lennox), Suzi Brand (as Betty Sowerby) and Ali Sargent (as Catherine Sowerby).

2) Morgan Doherty as the spoiled, contrary orphan, Mary Lennox and Ayva Mullins as the kind hearted maid, Martha Sowerby, perform a scene from The Secret Garden during the recent Gala at the Concord City Auditorium.