The Secret Garden

actress1961@yahoo.com

With Ann Moulton as Music Director

Audition dates:

Dec. 7 & 9 from 7-9 pm and Dec 11 from 9-11 am
Adults will be seen as a group on Tues. the 7th,
at 7:00 pm. Please be prompt.

Children will be seen individually on Thur. the 9th (by appointment only)
Saturday morning the 11th is for callback purposes and is by appointment only

Performance dates:

March 4-26, 2011
Mondays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Saturday Matinees on March 12 & 19 at 2:00pm

Auditioners: Should be prepared to sing 16 bars of an upbeat song.  Please bring a co minus track with no background vocals or your sheet music and an accompanist.  An accompanist will be provided, if you need one.

Auditioners will be asked to read from the script. No previously prepared material will be seen.

Auditioners should provide the director with a wallet sized current photo and an extensive list of your evening conflicts from Jan. 1-March 26, 2011 and all Saturday conflicts within those dates.

Cast Members include:
2 Children: 1 boy and 1 girl.  Both aged 10.  There are no children in the ensemble.
10 Women of ages varying from approx. 17 -70 or people who can pass for those ages.
11 men of ages similar to the women.
All should have Solo quality voices, and be strong actors.  

The Cast is as follows:
Mary Lennox-aged 10, a strong willed girl, formerly from India.
Rose Lennox-Her mother.  A beautiful but vain and cold, woman of between 25 and 30. Ghost.
Captain Albert Lennox-Her Father. A kind loving man of between 30 and 40. Ghost.
Fakir-An Indian man of magical background, undetermined age. Ghost.
Ayah-Mary’s Indian nanny. Undetermined age. Ghost. Dance experience preferred.
Lilly Craven-Rose’s sister, Mary’s aunt.  A beautiful, warm & loving woman, aged 25-30. Ghost.
Archibald Craven-Lilly’s husband, Mary’s uncle.  A broody, angry, hunchback of 30-40 years.
Colin Craven-aged 10.  Lilly and Archie’s son.  Thin and sickly with a hot temper.
Dr. Neville Craven-Archie’s brother, Colin’s uncle.  Stern, jealous, misguided.-30-40.
Mrs. Medlock-Archibald Craven’s Housekeeper.  50-70. Dutiful, no nonsense.
Ben Weatherstaff-The gardener.  50-70.  A kindly man, who loves his work and Miss Lilly. 50-70.
Martha-A Chamber maid. 17-30.  A lively, happy, wise young woman.
Dicken-Martha’s brother. 17-30.  A thoughtful boy who can feel things from the earth and communicate with animals.
5 Women and  5 Men who make up the ensemble.  Various ages, mid 20’s to 70’s. They are ghosts. They are the dreamers-the officers and their wives that the Lennox family knew in India, they also died there of Cholera.  The tellers of the story.  They will also play other various small roles during the production.  All must be strong singers, know music parts and be able to learn their music at home. 

Synopsis
A young girl, Mary Lennox, is the sole survivor of a Cholera epidemic in India in 1904.  Her parents and the other British officers dead, she is sent to the home of her uncle, Archibald Craven. He is her only surviving relative, his wife Lilly having died in child-birth, ten years earlier.  Archibald Craven is a hunchback, grown bitter after the tragic death of his wife, he has closed off her beloved garden and his heart, not even seeing his own son.  When Mary comes to Mistlethwaite Manor, in Yorkshire, England, the ghosts of her Father and her aunt Lilly seem to haunt her and her uncle.  She turns to her maid, the gardener and a strange young man in the woods for companionship and guidance.  These friends, along with the spirits of those who have passed before her, lead her and her newfound cousin Colin to the Secret Garden and to, perhaps, one of the greatest secrets of life as well.

Director’s Note: This is an extremely difficult show requiring a great deal of talent, time, commitment, and energy.  But you’ll have more fun than you ever thought possible!  If you commit to my show, you’ll never regret it!