With an original score, it tells the fictional story of DJ Huey Calhoun, a good ole’ local boy with a passion for R&B music and Felicia Farrell, an up-and-coming black singer that he meets one fateful night on Beale Street. (Note: Tori Mittelman is one of my fellow writers here at DCMetroTheaterArts and this did not influence my review).Memphis is set in the places where rock and roll was born in the 1950s: the seedy nightclubs, radio stations and recording studios of the musically-rich Tennessee city. For tickets, call the box office at (302) 475-2313, or purchase them online. The Secret Garden plays through Apat The Candlelight Theatre – 2208 Millers Road, in Wilmington, Delaware. Running Time: Two hours and twenty minutes, including an intermission. The Secret Garden at The Candlelight Theatre will charm theatregoers of all ages. I really missed hearing this gorgeous score performed by a live orchestra. Snyder, and the music operator was Michelle Mattera. There was a pre-recorded track used in this production. And the costumes by Dewey and Tony Oriente are never less than convincing. Jeff Reim’s two-tiered set makes the garden seem more spacious than it really is. Photo by Tisa Della Volpe.Īnd Tori Mittelman and Anthony Connell, as a spunky maid (Martha) and her benevolent brother (Dickon), sing superbly during “If I Had a Fine White Horse” and “Hold On” and “Winter’s on the Wing,” and they both give the show a burst of energy and good spirits. He contributed lovely vocals on “Lift Me Up” and he and Gallo displayed much chemistry together. Gallo’s emotional rendition of “The Girl I Meant to Be” opened the second act. Luke Plunkett played the frustrated and bratty Colin Craven. Katelyn Gallo makes a nicely determined Mary (alternating with Samantha Deutsch in the role). Mark Dixon shows off a fine tenor as Archibald, and he’s well-paired with the lilting soprano of Erin-Michelle Waldie as Lily ( in ‘Come to My Garden” and in her duet with Dixon – “How Could I Ever Know.” And Patrick Ruegsegger is equally fine as Neville, and delivers a powerful “Disappear.” Kelly receives wonderful performances from his talented cast, which is filled with fine singers. I wish some of the scenes were more dynamic as some of the best numbers, which are beautifully sung by Mark Dixon and Patrick Ruegsegge, like “A Bit of Earth” and the duet “Lily’s Eyes,” are staged with the actors seated for much of the time. During the early scenes the storyline was unclear, and it was sometimes hard to figure out what was happening on the stage because of the volume of the ensemble numbers. And Norman’s book fleshes out the original story a bit, notably with a clash between Archibald and his brother Neville that gives the characters some depth.ĭirector Bob Kelly’s production takes a while to get going. The score by Lucy Simon (music) and Marsha Norman (lyrics) is filled with wistful, dreamily melodic songs that give the characters a lot to reflect upon. The show mixes reality with dream sequences, as Mary’s Uncle Archibald finds refuge from his harsh life in memories of his late wife Lily, while Mary herself is visited by the spirits of her late parents and the people she knew in India as a very young child. It’s a tender story, and The Secret Garden is a gentle, often soothing, show. And Mary’s attitude becomes so upbeat that she brings some long-missing happiness to her gloomy uncle and her sick cousin. Things are difficult for Mary at first, but eventually she finds the entrance to a hidden garden that brings her contentment.
Photo by Tisa Della Volpe.īased on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 children’s novel, The Secret Garden tells the story of Mary Lennox, a young orphan who is sent to be raised at her hardhearted uncle’s English estate. Mark Dixon (Archibald Craven) and Erin-Michelle Waldie (Lily Craven). With its emphasis on soaring ballads rather than flashy dance numbers, and with a happy ending that takes a while to arrive, The Secret Garden is a lovely show, and its charms are evident in the production at Wilmington, Delaware’s The Candlelight Theatre. The show was a hit with families on Broadway in the early nineties, winning three Tony Awards and running for nearly two years. If there’s a show that fits the definition of a “cult musical,” it’s probably The Secret Garden.