Weekend Showcase: Wayzata Theatre’s “The Secret Garden”
Wayzata High School Students bring an adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic book, “The Secret Garden” to life on stage November 9-17.
About “The Secret Garden”
“The main story follows Mary Lenox, who is a ten year old girl,” explains director Sonia Gerber. “In the opening scene, which is presented in the musical as kind of a dream sequence or maybe more of a nightmare sequence, loses everybody that she knows in 1906 colonized India, to cholera.”
Mary is sent from India to Yorkshire to live with her uncle, who himself is grieving the loss of his wife, Mary’s Aunt Lily.
“I like how she has this toughness in her,” says Stephanie Ye, who plays Mary. “She’s not like this usual little girly-girl interested in all the jewelry, dresses and all that. She has this toughness where she’s interested in growing a garden and it sprouts into this whole new world.”
Wayzata Theatre is having two actors alternate in performances playing Mary. Katy Manderfeld also plays Mary. She says the crew studied the time period in order to be more prepared for the production.
Our directors actually posted some resources for us about the time period,” says Manderfield. “Just so we could understand what is going on in these characters lives which ended up being really really helpful.”
The story begins tragically, but ends on a high note that resonated with the cast and crew.
“As tragic as the beginning of the story is and as hard as the circumstances for the two main characters at the beginning, I think its a story of hope and how we move past those things that we lose,” says Gerber, the director. “If it has a message about that, it’s really about the importance of human connection.”
Secret garden is onstage now at Wayzata High School through next Saturday.
Friday, November 9th: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 10th: 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 15th: 7:00 p.m.
Friday,November 16: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 17: 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
For more info go to Wayzata High School Theatre.
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