The Secret Garden

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

The Secret Garden

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  10w, 12m, 1girl(s), 1boy(s) plus ensemble

Music and Lyrics by Marsha Norman
Music by Lucy Simon

Adapted from the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The enchanting, Tony Award-winning musical based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1911 novel is a compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

Image: 2023 Center Theatre Group Production (Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    10w, 12m, 1girl(s), 1boy(s) plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Theatre for Young Audiences, Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Three 1991 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical
    Nominee: Seven 1991 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score
    Winner! Three 1991 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Book and Orchestrations
    Nominee: Thirteen 1991 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, Music and Lyrics

Details

Summary

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 disabled 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, dramatizing The Secret Garden's compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

Also Available: Spring Version – Perfect for Young Performers!

History

The Secret Garden opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on April 25, 1991. Directed by Susan H. Schulman, the production featured Daisy Eagan, Alison Fraser, Rebecca Luker, John Cameron Mitchell, Mandy Patinkin and Robert Westenberg. The musical played for a total of 709 performances, closing on January 3, 1993.

LILY – Female, 28-38 (Range: Soprano, Bb3-D6) Mary’s aunt and Archibald Craven’s wife. Died of a tragic accident within her garden and metaphorically haunts the walls of Misselthwaite Manor.
MARY LENNOX – Female, 10 (Range: Young Voice, Ab3-D5) A ten-year-old girl sent to live with her uncle, Archibald, when her parents die from cholera in India. Quite the curious explorer, and often finding herself in trouble. Stubborn and always fighting for what she believes in.
MRS. MEDLOCK – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Archibald’s housekeeper. As cold as the Misselthwaite Manor.
DR. NEVILLE CRAVEN – Male, 35-45 (Range: Baritone, C3-F#4) Archibald’s brother. Trapped by the idea that he is responsible for the caretaking of Colin. Though Lily never loved him in return, he remains in love with her, and is unwilling to move on and leave Misselthwaite.
MARTHA – Female, 18-30 (Range: Mezzo-Soprano Belt, G3-D5) A faithful housemaid. Grew up near Yorkshire and has the accent to prove it. Although she is from a lower-class family, her wisdom is often far beyond her age.
ARCHIBALD CRAVEN – Male, 35-45 (Range: Baritone, C3-A4) Mary’s uncle and lord of Misselthwaite Manor. He has a hunchback. Haunted by the past and afraid of the future, he locks himself away both physically and mentally. Mary painfully reminds him too much of his wife, Lily, who died ten years ago.
BEN WEATHERSTAFF – Male, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible, E3-D#4) Head gardener. Secretly entrusted to take care of the garden after Lily’s death. Knows a great deal about the history of the garden and the grounds it sits on. He has worked for the family for many years. He calls himself “an old man.”
DICKON – Male, 16-25 (Range: Tenor, D3-G4) Martha’s younger brother. Looks after the sick plants and animals within the Misselthwaite grounds—including Mary. He is a young man who is between the world of child imagination and adult reasoning. Befriends Mary and convinces her to take care of the Garden.
COLIN CRAVEN – Male, 10 (Range: Young Voice, A3-E5) Archibald’s ten year-old son. Spent his life in bed due to a heart condition. He is very stubborn and throws temper tantrums to get what he wants. He believes his father hates him for causing Lily’s death.
MRS. WINTHROP – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Headmistress of a private school. Prides herself on nurturing girls with tempers. Mary seems to be more than she can handle.

The Following characters, referred to collectively as the Dreamers, are people from Mary’s life in India, who haunt her until she finds her new life in the course of the story. They are free to sing directly to us, appearing and disappearing at will.

ROSE LENNOX – Female, 28-38 (Range: Soprano, A3-D6) Mary’s mother. A “dreamer” from the past who doesn’t understand how her sister Lily could truly love Archibald. Very loyal to her husband and refuses to leave India during the cholera outbreak that takes her life.
CAPTAIN ALBERT LENNOX – Male, 30-40 (Range: Tenor, D3-A5) Mary’s father. Tries to send Rose out of India during the cholera outbreak.
ALICE – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Rose’s friend.
LIEUTENANT WRIGHT – Male, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Officer in Mary’s father’s unit.
LIEUTENANT SHAW – Male, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Fellow officer.
MAJOR SHELLEY – Male, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Officer.
MRS. SHELLEY – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Major Shelley’s wife.
MAJOR HOLMES – Male, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Officer.
CLAIRE HOLMES – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Major Holmes’ wife.
FAKIR – Male, Age Flexible (Range: Tenor, C3-B4) Itinerant Hindu ascetic.
AYAH – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Mary’s Indian nanny.

  • Time Period 1900-1910
  • Setting Colonial India and Misselthwaite Manor in North Yorkshire, England. 1906.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“Elegant, entrancing... The best American musical of the Broadway season.” – Time

“A splendid, intelligent musical... It's all you can hope for in children's theatre. But the best surprise is that this show is the most adult new musical of the season.” – USA Today

“A many-splendored children's fable that neither cloys or loses grip on its unique spell.” – Newsday

“Revels in theatrical imagination [and] achieves the irresistible appeal that moves audiences to standing ovations.” – Christian Science Monitor

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

27 Plays & Musicals for Book Lovers
by Annette Storckman
August 2, 2019

Videos

  • The Secret Garden Tony Awards 1991 youtube thumbnail

    The Secret Garden Tony Awards 1991

  • Where In The World/How Could I Ever Know youtube thumbnail

    Where In The World/How Could I Ever Know

  • Farmers Alley Theatre Production youtube thumbnail

    Farmers Alley Theatre Production

  • Theatre Calgary: The Secret Garden youtube thumbnail

    Theatre Calgary: The Secret Garden

Photos

  • The Secret Garden

    Image: 2023 Center Theatre Group Production (Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

  • The Secret Garden

    Image: 2023 Center Theatre Group Production (Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

  • The Secret Garden

    Image: 2015 Court Theatre Production (Michael Brosilow)

  • The Secret Garden

    Image: 2011 Theatreworks Silicon Valley Production (Mark Kitaoka)

Music

Music Samples

Act I

1. Prelude – Orchestra
2. “Opening Dream” – Lily, Mary, Fakir & Children’s Voices
3. “There’s a Girl I” – Shaw, Holmes, Wright, Claire & Alice
4. “The House Upon the Hill” – Dreamers
5. “There’s a Girl II” – Claire, Holmes, Alice, Shaw, Wright & Albert
6. “I Heard Someone Crying” – Lily, Mary, Archibald & Dreamers
6a. I Heard Someone Crying Playoff – Orchestra
6aa. “Martha’s Ditty” – Martha
6b. India Sting #1 – Orchestra
6c. Medlock Bell #2 – Orchestra
7. “If I Had a Fine White Horse” – Martha
7a. Medlock Bell #2 – Orchestra
7b. White Horse Playoff – Orchestra
8. “A Girl in the Valley” – Lily & Archibald
8a. Lily and Rose – Orchestra
9. “It’s a Maze” – Mary, Martha, Ben & Dickon
9a. India Sting #2 – Orchestra
9b. Big Dead Snake – Orchestra
10. “Winter’s on the Wing” – Dickon
10a. “Mary’s Maze” – Mary
10b. Robin Cues – Orchestra
11. “Show Me the Key” – Mary & Dickon
11a. “Skip, Skipped Transition” – Fakir & Ayah
12. “A Bit of Earth” – Archibald
13. “Storm I” – Dreamers
14. “Lily’s Eyes” – Dr. Neville Craven & Archibald
15. “Storm II” – Mary & Dreamers
15a. India Sting #3 – Orchestra
16. “Round-Shouldered Man” – Ayah, Colin & Mary
16a. Before Final Storm – Orchestra
17. “Final Storm” – Dreamers

Act II

18. Entr’acte – Orchestra
19. “The Girl I Mean to Be” – Mary
19a. House On The Hill Transition – Wright & Shaw
20. “Quartet” – Dr. Neville Craven, Archibald, Rose & Lily
20a. “There’s A Man Transition” – Albert, Holmes, Alice & Claire
21. “Race You to the Top of the Morning” – Archibald
21a. “Maze Transition” – Albert & Rose
22. “Wick” – Dickon & Mary
22a. “Race You/Transition” – Alice
22b. This is Nice – Orchestra
22c. Cholera Chords – Orchestra
23. “Come to My Garden” – Lily & Colin
23a. To The Night Garden Transition – Orchestra
24. “Come Spirit, Come Charm” – Mary, Martha, Dickon, Lily & Dreamers
24a. I Am Well – Orchestra
25. “A Bit of Earth (Reprise)” – Albert, Lily & Rose
26. Mary’s Tantrum – Orchestra
27. “Disappear Transition” – Dr. Neville Craven
28. “Hold On” – Martha
29. “Letter Song” – Mary, Archibald & Martha
30. “Where in the World” – Archibald
31. “How Could I Ever Know” – Lily & Archibald
32. “To the Day Garden” – Dickon, Mary & Colin
33. “Finale” – Lily & Dreamers
34. Bows – Orchestra
35. Exit Music – Orchestra

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Easy
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size X-Large
  • Chorus Size Small

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

    PLEASE BE ADVISED: There are multiple versions of this title. Before you proceed, please double-check to ensure that you are applying for the version you want. We will not be able to refund rental or shipping fees if you pay for the wrong version. If you’re not sure which version best suits your needs, you may purchase a perusal for each available version.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
20   Vocal Books
1   Piano-Conductor (rehearsal & stick conductor)

1   Woodwind 1 – Flute, Piccolo, Recorders, Clarinet & Pan Pipes
1   Woodwind 2 – Oboe & English Horn
1   Woodwind 3 – Clarinet & Bass Clarinet
1   Horn 1
1   Horn 2
1   Trumpet
1   Trombone
1   Keyboard 1
1   Keyboard 2
1   Percussion – KAT (various sounds), Bamboo Harp, Cholera Bell, Bell-Tree, Chimes, Crotales, Crash Cymbal, Finger Cymbal, Suspended Cymbals, Bass Drum, Frame Drum (or Tabor), Small Drum, Snare Drum, Tom Drum, Glockenspiel, High-Hat, Hindu Ankle Bells, Hindu Shaker, Indian Ankle Bell, Indian Bell Stick, Jingle Stick, Marimba, Mark Tree, Nipple Gong, Ship Bell, Tabla, Tam-Tam, Sm. Tambourine, Tambourine, Timpani, Toy Drum, Ratchet, Small Triangle, Medium Triangle, Large Triangle, Wood Block, Tom-Tom, Vibes & Xylophone
2   Violin 1 (2 players)
2   Violin 2 (2 players)
1   Viola (1 player)
1   Cello (1 player)
1   Bass
20   Vocal Books
1   Piano-Conductor (rehearsal & performance)

Add-Ons

Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

Authors

Marsha Norman

Marsha Norman, award-winning playwright, won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize, Blackburn Prize, Hull-Warriner and Drama Desk Awards for her play 'Night, Mother. In 1992 she won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for her book for the Broadway musical The Secret Garden. She also wrote ...

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Lucy Simon

When Lucy Simon was in grade school, a class assignment was to memorize a poem and recite it in class. The only way she could do it was to put it to a melody. The poem she chose was “Wynken Blynken and Nod” by Eugene Field. It is the first song she ever wrote. Several years ...

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Author

Frances Hodgson Burnett

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