REVIEW: Stageworks Northwest Presents the Musical Version of "The Secret Garden"

I have long been aware of "The Secret Garden" as a novel, a play, a musical and a movie, but I have never seen nor read the work. I have attributed its popularity to children (as it is primarily a children's tale) and have been disinterested, believing it to be a syrupy tale akin to Heidi.

I was scheduled to review "Camelot" at Rising Star, but I assigned that task to Dennis J. Sparks (read his review here) after my wife showed interest in seeing "The Secret Garden" (Winner of 3 Tony® Awards, the "reimagined" musical adaption brought to life by composer Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Night Mother), presented by Stageworks Northwest. It is with some trepidation that I went into this viewing since it was probably, as they say, not my cup of tea. It wasn't.

The work, the company's first full-length production in their new space, by Brit  Frances Hodgson Burnett, was first serialized beginning in the fall of 1910 and novelized in 1911. The children's classic concerns the tale of a sassy eleven year-old orphan and her 'spiritual' transformation as well as the physical transformation of a crippled boy she befriends and, it seems, a bunch of other stuff. It is a far too complex and convoluted of a story for stage--especially as a musical.

The Garden Plot

The story is full of symbolism and ideology inspired by the works of Christian Science writer Mary Baker Eddy (for whom the work was originally named as Mistress Mary) and is somewhat involved; it jumps forward and back in time and involves several threads that could be simplified. It would be best to be familiar with the story before seeing the production as it is hard to follow. To read more about the work, its themes and story you may view the Wikipedia site. One thing that might be helpful is to understand right up front that anyone dressed in white is either a ghost or spirit.

While Pollyannish at times, it is still a dark tale of death and life. The 'spiritual' themes are twisted and unsatisfying on some levels. I don't see how this can be considered a children's tale. Most of the few adult themes in the work will pass over the younguns heads; there are no language issues or suggestive actions.

Cultivating the Show

Seth Burns and Eleanor Stalick in "The Secret Garden"

All performers were very good vocalists--some quite exceptional (especially the leads). The show features many great melodies and harmonies which the actors nailed. The work has more than twenty-four songs with only a smattering of dialogue between numbers making it almost an opera. Which was, for me, somewhat taxing.

The male leads (Phillip Kennedy, Seth Burns and Caleb Pierce especially) were excellent vocalists and quite good in their diction. The female leads (especially Lorraine Little, Teresa Jansen and Ashley Stevens) were also outstanding and enunciated fairly well. While Katherine Jansen had a wonderful operatic voice, she, unfortunately, failed to hit a lot of consonants, making it hard to understand her.

Fourth-grader Adam Burckhardt did wonderfully, but truly amazing was thirteen-year-old Eleanor Stalick in the lead role. A charmer, fine actress and great vocalist! Formerly a chorus performer, this being her first lead...well, hard to believe. She is superb! Many of the performers were a bit stiff while singing and could have used more animation. However, Seth Burns was excellent at all times and quite adept at acting through his songs.

Weeding out the Technical

While opening night was hampered with some audio difficulties (at two points the show was stopped to correct them) and the lighting only barely adequate (a problem they are aware of and working on improving for future productions when they have more money for instruments) the show was beautifully executed. The faux-painted set, designed by Adam Pithan and Janeene Niemi, was stunning (Melissa Gilbertson also deserves credit in the paint department), and the score (pre-recorded tracks) was quite lovely.

Costumes, by Lynn Jansen, were quite nice as well. A scrim and some textured lighting would have greatly enhanced the show's look and helped separate some of the foreground scenes (especially the garden). [In the future I hope they will put in a fly loft since there is room.] The choreography was simplistic and uninspiring.

Direction, by Bethany Pithan, was good, but could have been better had the actors been given more business (especially during their musical numbers). Dialects (several English accents as well as a Scottish brogue) were excellent and consistent--even during singing. Vocal direction and styling by Michelle Myre were tight and beautiful.

Stageworks Northwest's new space.

The play runs now through May 12 with showings 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (except for Sunday April 21 only when it shows at 1 p.m.) at the Historic Longview Theater (which is now home to Stageworks NW), 1433 Commerce Ave., Longview, Wash. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online.


Review by Gregory E. Zschomler.

COMING SOON: This Month's Theater Offerings Sure to Please

"Harvey" opens this weekend at the Love Street Playhouse. Our review, by Dennis Sparks, will appear by noon Saturday.

Next week we review both Stageworks Northwest's production of "The Secret Garden" (review by Gregory E. Zschomler) and the Rising Star production of "Camelot" will be reviewed by Dennis Sparks (both in Longview).

Our reviews will appear by noon the day following opening night.

The following week we are pleased to be able to review the Northwest debut of Disney's "TARZAN" at NHCC in Eugene (both Dennis
and Greg will review the show).

We will also review "Shadowlands" at Vancouver's Magenta Theater (reviewed by Dennis). The Magenta review will appear on the 21st and the NHCC review will appear on the 22nd.

See our preview of "TARZAN" here.

AND, coming up in June, both Dennis Sparks and I will review three shows playing at the Oregon Shakespearean Festival in Ashland, Ore.

COMING SOON for the SW Wash. Spring 2013 Theater Season

Here's a list of shows you might want to catch this season. Can't decide? Read our upcoming opening night reviews.

HARVEY, opens April 5 at Love Street Playhouse (Woodland), directed by Christopher Cleveland.

Elwood P. Dowd is an affable man who claims to have an unseen (and presumably imaginary) friend Harvey — whom Elwood describes as a six-foot, three-and-one-half-inch tall pooka resembling an anthropomorphic rabbit. Elwood introduces Harvey to everyone he meets. His social-climbing sister, Veta, increasingly finds his eccentric behavior embarrassing. She decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her and her daughter Myrtle Mae from future embarrassment. When they arrive at the sanitarium, a comedy of errors ensues.

CAMELOT, opens April 12, presented by Rising Star Productions (Longview) at their theater in Three Rivers Mall (Kelso).

This beloved musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe, which played on Broadway for over 800 performances. It is the story of King Arthur, his lovely wife, Guenevere, and his best friend, Lancelot. King Arthur is determined to create a kingdom where might is used for right and the knights are a force for good. This musical includes songs such as: If Ever I Would Leave You, What Would the Simple Folk Do, The Lusty Month of May, How to Handle a Woman and many more.

THE SECRET GARDEN, April 12 presented by Stageworks Northwest (Longview). 

Winner of three Tony® Awards, 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 invalid 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. "The Secret Garden" is a compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

SHADOWLANDS, opens April 19 at Magenta Theater (Vancouver).

This West End and Broadway hit is the love story of C.S. Lewis - Oxford don and author of The Chronicles of Narnia - and American poet Joy Davidman. Lewis is smug in his convictions about God and His plan for the world until Joy and her young son enter his life. This is a deep, meaty and dramatic play that will touch you.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, opens April 25 presented by Prairie-Ground Drama (Battle Ground).

"Once Upon a Mattress" features music by Mary Rodgers along with lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller. The musical original started life off-Broadway, before coming to the mainstream theater in 1959. The musical-comedy script is based on the classic fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea" and features a number of catchy songs. 

REASONS TO BE PRETTY, opens May 3 at the Clark Community College Decker Theater (Vancouver). Directed by Pat Rohrbach.

In "Reasons to Be Pretty," Greg’s tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker’s pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph’s lack thereof get back to Steph. But that’s just the beginning. Greg’s best buddy, Kent, and Kent’s wife, Carly, also enter into the picture, and the emotional equation becomes exponentially more complicated. As their relationships crumble, the four friends are forced to confront a sea of deceit, infidelity, and betrayed trust in their journey to answer that oh-so-American question: How much is pretty worth?

A MAGICAL MELODRAMA, opens May 3 at Love Street Playhouse (Woodland), presented by Golden Garter Family Theater. Written and directed by magician, ventriloquist and comedian Steve Taylor.

A comedy-spoof-magical adventure, fracturing for fun the conventions of the classic melodrama! The perfect family theater outing, “A Magical Melodrama” was a big hit in all of it’s previous presentations and now you can create a family-friendly event that will give you “memories that will last a lifetime!” Clean enough for kids, clever enough for adults, bring everyone to this hilarious spoof and “laugh ‘til your cheeks hurt!”

CLOUD 9, opens May 22 at the Rose Center for the Performing Arts, presented by Lower Columbia College (Longview). 

A time shifting British-African comedy by Caryl Churchill. Both parody and spoof of the 1880s Victorian Empire and its rigid attitudes towards sex. The play shifts twenty-five* years later to London in 1980 where all the characters' repressed sexual longings have evaporated along with the British Empire. (*Editor's Note: I know, I know, it's not a typo, it's a plot device.)

FUDDY MEERS, by David Lindsey-Abaire, opens May 31 at Serendipity Playhouse (Vancouver).

A woman with a rare form of amnesia wakes up every morning a blank slate. Her husband explains the situation, gives her breakfast and a book of essential information before taking his morning shower. As soon as he’s gone, a man claiming to be her brother arrives, telling her he’s there to rescue her. Like Alice through the looking glass, it’s there that her adventure truly begins.

Watch for our Reviews the day after opening night! If your play is not listed here and you would like it reviewed and advertised on our blog, contact us at swwastar@aol.com.