Actors and actresses perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
From left to right, Sue Robb playing Mrs. Shelley, Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox, and Rich Young playing Major Shelley, perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Matthew Michael, left, playing Dr. Neville Craven, and Rich Garrett, right, playing Archibald Craven, perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Rich Garrett, left, playing Archibald Craven, and Lucy Page, right, playing Lily dance on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox holds up a lantern on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Lucy Page, center-left, playing Lily, sings on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino, left, playing Mary Lennox, sits on a bed while Lucy Page, right, playing Lily sings on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Actors and actresses perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
From left to right, Michael Green playing Fakir, Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox, and Rich Young playing Ben Weatherstaff, perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Rich Garrett, center, playing Archibald Craven, and Lucy Page, left, playing Lily dance on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Rebekah Lund, left, playing Martha and Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Rich Garrett, left, playing Archibald Craven, and Lucy Page, right, playing Lily perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Nick Hall playing Dickon sings on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
From left to right, Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox, Theresa McKenzie-Sullivan playing Rose Lennox, Lucy Page playing Lily, and Rich Garrett playing Archibald Craven perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Rich Garrett playing Archibald Craven sings on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino, left, playing Mary Lennox lies on a bed, while Michael Green, right, playing Fakir, sings on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Actors and actresses perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
From left to right, Henry Wegener playing Lt. Wright, Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox, and Mark Pendleton playing Major Holmes, perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
From left to right, Theresa McKenzie-Sullivan playing Rose Lennox, Isaac McKenzie-Sullivan playing Captain Albert Lennox, Sue Robb playing Mrs. Shelley, Messina Occhino playing Mary Lennox, and Rich Young playing Major Shelley, perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Isaac McKenzie-Sullivan playing Captain Albert Lennox, holds out a rose on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino, left, playing Mary Lennox, and Rich Garrett, right, playing Archibald Craven perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino, center-left, playing Mary Lennox, and Katie Norbie, center-right, playing Mrs. Medlock perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino, left, playing Mary Lennox, yells out on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Messina Occhino, left, playing Mary Lennox, and Rich Garrett, right, playing Archibald Craven perform on stage during dress rehearsals for "The Secret Garden Musical" Monday evening at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
Director Danielle Rivers thinks she probably read “The Secret Garden” when she was 11 or 12 years old. But she said the piece of classic literature first came to life for her when she was in high school and saw it performed in a musical version.
“I just love the story and I fell in love with the harmonies and the way the music is done,” she said.
That musical version of “The Secret Garden” opens March 22 at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia. The classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett, reimagined in musical form by composer Lucy Simon and playwright Marsha Normal, tells the story Mary Lennox (portrayed by Messina Occhino), an ill-tempered child who is suddenly orphaned when her parents die during a cholera outbreak near their home in India. She comes to live with her reclusive Uncle Archibald Craven (portrayed by Rich Garrett), who wanders his home at Misselthwaite Manor overcome with grief for his dead wife. At first, the home seems lonely with confusing rules and mysterious noises and the boisterous and headstrong Mary seems ill fitted for it.
“The first time I read this, I though ‘this girl is such a brat,’” said Occhino, 10.
But like Misselthwaite manor and its inhabitants, there is more to this girl than it first appears, said Katie Norbie, who portrays the unyielding housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock, who clashes with Mary from the onset. Norbie said this classic tales has many universal themes and characters that audience members will find very relatable.
“We’re all a little bit lost and broken and cut off and if you say you want to nurture love and nurture life, you have to nurture the love we had and the love we have,” Norbie said.
And Rivers explained there is also a hope hidden in the newcomer.
“I kind of liken her arrival to the scene in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ where the servants say ‘is she the one who can break the spell?’” Rivers said. “The servants start asking each other, will she be the one to bring the garden back to life?”
Rivers explained that the musical version of “The Secret Garden” closely mirrors the book version, though one character receives a little more back story and is portrayed as a bit more of a villain in the musical. Also unique to the musical version is the characters of the Dreamers. These spirits of deceased loved ones from Mary’s past accompany her through the story and are part of several musical numbers. These characters include: her parents Rose Lennox (portrayed by Theresa McKenzieSullivan) and Captain Albert Lennox (portrayed by Isaac McKenzieSullivan); Rose’s friend Alice (portrayed by Izabella Hazlett); Lieutenant Wright (portrayed by Henry Wegener) and Lieutenant Shaw (portrayed by Evan Ponyah) from Albert’s unit; and even Archibald’s wife, Lily (portrayed by Lucy Page).
“We’ve got basically two casts, the people who are alive and the Dreamers,” Rivers explained. “I wanted there to be a very different feel from one to the other. The Dreamers are dressed in creams and whites and their dancing is very flowing while the people who are alive, except for Mary, are in dark, somber colors and their movements are very straight and stoic.”
Music director Paul Brassey explained that the original plan was to record music that would be played at every show, but then they learned that the show is required to be performed with live accompaniment. The music actually calls for a 20-piece orchestra but Brassey is accomplishing it with: himself and Bob McKenzieSullivan on keyboards; Euchari Majors on flutes; and cast member Nick Hall (who portrays Dickon) on clarinet.
“I think it’s coming together well,” Brassey said of taking on the monumental musical task.
As if creating two very different feels between the 19 cast members and live music wasn’t enough, the set itself is really considered a 20th cast member in this production. Built by Garrett (who will build the sets for all six productions at the playhouse this season), the set was built to move, change and even appear to dance with the characters. Garrett said one of the big themes Rivers emphasized with him in building the sets was the idea of mazes: how the house is like a maze; how the search for the garden is like wandering a maze; and even how the characters’ minds themselves are mazes that keep them stuck in one place. Garrett said one of his goals was to create set pieces that moved with the slightest touch and could be moved into many different configurations, giving the effect of a maze, which is further enhanced by special lighting and other effects created by Rivers for the show.
“In this story Misselthwaite Manor is alive. It’s living. They refer to it many times during the show. So, there’s almost a cinematic element to the way they can move these sets. I want to make sure our audiences don’t get bored with the same box set every time. I wanted them to see something they haven’t seen before.”
Rivers said the Evergreen Playhouse board will also be making a special announcement during performances of “The Secret Garden.” She said those who want to stay in the know about upcoming events should attend to find out more.
If You Go …
What: Tiki Tap House presents “The Secret Garden”
When: March 22-April 2 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Special “pay-what-you-will” artists benefit 7:30 p.m. Thursday March 28
Where: The Evergreen Playhouse, 226 West Center Street, Centralia
Tickets: $15 adults, $12 students/seniors. Online ticket purchase at www.theevergreenplayhouse.com is encouraged for the best seating
Info: www.theevergreenplayhouse.com or (360) 736-8628
