Laura M. Hathaway, Elizabeth Last, Sarah Pierce (Photo courtesy of Chance Theater)
Reviewed by Madison Mellon
Chance Theater
Thru Dec. 23
RECOMMENDED
Chance Theater’s production of The Secret Garden, presented as part of their Holiday Literature Series, is a heartwarming tale with something to offer audiences of all ages. This production is beautifully sung by a uniformly talented cast. Chance Theater’s intimate space proves to be an ideal venue to tell this moving story of growing through grief, and the power of human connection.
The Secret Garden, based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, with book and lyrics by Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon, tells the story of 11-year old Mary Lennox. After Mary’s parents die in a cholera outbreak, she is sent to live with her hunchbacked, reclusive uncle Archibald. She befriends Archibald’s ill son, Colin, and also discovers a hidden garden on the manor’s grounds. As she rejuvenates the neglected garden, she simultaneously manages to heal herself and those around her.
Chance Theater has assembled a cast of excellent actors and singers to tell this story. The two young actors who play Mary and Colin (Catherine Last and Charlie Firlik at the performance I attended), shoulder much of the emotional weight of the show. They both balance their characters’ precociousness with genuine vulnerability. Another standout performer is Sarah Pierce as Mary’s maid, Martha. She brings a warmth and much-needed levity to an often somber story.
Credit must also be given to the production team. Music director Gabrielle Maldonado, who accompanies the entire show on piano, is truly impressive. I did not find myself missing the lusher orchestration of previous productions in the slightest. Instead, paring the score down to only piano allows the gorgeous, often haunting, choral harmonies in Lucy Simon’s score to shine. Production designers Masako Tobaru and KC Wilkerson also do excellent work. The set is polished and utilizes the entire space effectively, and the projections used to indicate various locations are simple but effective. I do wish there had been slightly more consideration put into the reveal of the garden itself, as I feel that moment could have had a greater impact.
All of this said, the material itself is not without its flaws. The first act leans a bit too heavily on exposition, while the second act rushes to tie up loose plot threads. The heavy focus on the adult characters also, at times, takes away from the two children at the heart of the story. The villain of the piece, Archibald’s brother Neville, is somewhat Dickensian and thinly drawn in an otherwise nuanced story. Despite these quibbles, this production shines under the confident direction of Casey Long and KC Wilkerson. It is well-paced, consistently engaging, and ultimately a touching story that should appeal to all audiences during the holiday season.
Chance Theater, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim. Wed & Thurs, 8 pm, Fri, 8 PM, Sat & Sun, 3 & 8 PM; thru Dec. 23. https:// ChanceTheater.com Running time 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission
