How About a Secret Garden Revival??

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How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 9:57pm

I was listening to the score today after having not visited it in a while. This show is beautiful and it's been 21 years since it first opened in NYC. Who would you like to see in this?
My dream cast would include Sierra Boggess as Lily and, though it may not be historically accurate, Lindsay Mendez as Martha. Her "Hold On" would be breathtaking.

www.christopherviolett.com www.twitter.com/ChristopherViVi

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 9:58pm

*Like.*

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 10:03pm

Yes! I LOVE this musical.

But they must revive the 1991 Broadway version and NOT the awful London revival of recent years.

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 10:06pm

My Oh My, were there significant changesin the recent London Revival? I've only known the OBC.

Cheers,

C.

www.christopherviolett.com www.twitter.com/ChristopherViVi

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 10:27pm

I haven't heard the UK recording yet (RSC did it, right?) but I believe they went back closer to the original novel. At any rate, the OBCR is one of my favorite recordings, and nothing I've heard about the London production feels like an improvement.

I saw the tour in my early teens and the stages images were so beautiful that I think I'd be critical of any new production, but it does deserve a revival. (I've always hoped for new material from Lucy Simon but it sounds like Zhivago, despite several attempts, hasn't really managed to work, nor have the brief music clips I've heard blown me over, though I'd still welcome a recording).

There used to be a great TV special from the LA engagement of the tour I think, with Daisy Eagen and others about the making of the musical with many clips, but it seems to be long gone from youtube. Wiki claims "In February 2010, Mirvish Productions announced that The Secret Garden will open in Toronto in March 2011" but I don't remember hearing about this happening.

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 10:28pm

Yes! Off the top of my head and from only hearing the CD of the London revival, it was completely reorchestrated featuring a very film-like, sweepy new sound that made it unrecognizable.

There was reportedly much choreography added performed by a bunch of I want to say gardeners but I think it was ghosts. Can't remember. All I could recall is people's horrified reactions to it.

A crapload of stuff is cut and some stuff added. The chorus of spirits in the original Broadway production are cut, as is "The House Upon the Hill."

Honestly, my memories are vague but I can say I recall being terribly disappointed that the original writers were involved in that retooling.

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

Updated On: 5/13/12 at 10:28 PM

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 10:35pm

Eric, I have that E! documentary which shows a neat behind the scenes look at the national tour's stop at L.A.'s Shubert Theatre. The cast isn't the original cast but one of the ensemble members is none other than Audra MacDonald. I think she plays the part of the Indian that was originally played by a male on the OBC recording. I had the doc up on YouTube and that caused my account to be closed. Anything from E! is risky to upload, in my experience. I had my 3rd account shut down after posting an E! doc on the Broadway production of Miss Saigon. Grr.

NO MORE E! CONTENT FROM ME.

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 10:53pm

All the ghosts (aka "The Dreamers") except Lily, Albert and Rose were cut for London. Their material was given to a chorus of maids and gardeners. Several songs were re-arranged, moved (The Girl I Mean to Be came before Winter's on the Wing, Lily's Eyes opened the second act) and the Quartet for Lily, Archie, Rose & Neville was cut. There were changes in the book as well to accommodate the musical changes and the deletion of the Dreamers.

Audra McDonald played Ayah on the tour and made her Broadway debut in that role for the last few months of the New York run.

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 11:01pm

I just saw the production at the Astoria Performing Arts Center and it sounds like they did the same cutting down that Theatreguy mentions (cast-wise, not material-wise). It wasn't amazing, but a good, solid production -- I love that score and Jennifer Evans was a fantastic Lily.

BTW, in the London revival, when it seemed like Archie was going to commit suicide by gunshot, the production in Astoria made it seem like he was about to jump off a building. Yet they opened the show with Archie way upstage, in silhouette, holding a gun. Hm.

ANYWAY. Regarding a Broadway revival: I'd love for this to happen!

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#10

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 11:05pm

Did the Astoria production cut "House Upon the Hill" and "Quartet"? Would you say they did the original Broadway version or something like the London revival?

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

#11

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 11:11pm

I don't have the London cast recording, but I heard parts of it over a few years when my then-roommate had it. The production in Astoria definitely resembled Broadway (and an excellent community theatre production I saw that was pre-London) more than anything else.

They did do both of those songs.

I actually think two of the doctors who carried out bodies in the beginning were Archie and Neville, but hidden under medical masks.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Updated On: 5/14/12 at 11:11 PM

#12

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 11:29pm

My Oh My it must have been your upload I saw then (I believe there was a similar E! special about the Spider Woman tour going to LA around the same time that used to be up, but no longer is).

And wow, I just pulled out my program of the tour and I did see Audra MacDonald! Wow, I admit I had no idea...

The London production, aside from toning down the Lily psycho-drama stuff and making it more in tone with the novel, in general tried to make things more 'realistic"--as others said, no major ghost chorus etc. I love the novel, but I feel that one thing that worked so well in the musical was that whole element. I have heard (somewhere...) that the standard licensed version, however, is the Broadway.

#13

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/13/12 at 11:43pm

Unless something has changed recently the licensed version is indeed the original version and does not reflect the changes made for the RSC/London production. It is licensed through Samuel French, which has also recently created what they call the "Spring" version, which condenses the show to a one act, I assume to be performed by younger groups in line with the Jr. program MTI started some years back.

#14

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 2:08am

A local theater company just did the show in my hometown last spring and the Broadway version was definitely the one licensed. Fell in love with the show, it was really beautiful.

"...and in a bed."

#15

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 3:27am

YES YES YES!!!!
but please let it be the magical original text and score...that production is in my top 5 all time theatre experiences. It was perfect.
Someone mentioned Lindsey Mendez as 'Martha'....that could work...she is crazy talented... but my fear would be that there would be a 'riffing' issue. A part of me might die inside if Martha let loose with some American Idol nonsense. Her EVERYDAY RAPTURE costar, Betsy Wolfe would be amazing.

#16

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 1:46pm

I saw the production that Mirvish brought in last year to Toronto. It was a pretty good Scottish production. Can't say if it was based on the London revival or not, but 'If I Had a Fine White Horse' was gone, and Neville had a very breif 2nd act solo that was new to me called 'Disappear'.

#17

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 2:12pm

I enjoy the London recording for its differences (It's a Maze is a very interesting listen), but I do prefer the Broadway version of the show. I really disliked the London rewrite of The Girl I Mean to Be.

I would absolutely LOVE a revival of the show and I'd be curious how they could stage it any better than the original, which was simply beautiful to watch.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#18

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 3:01pm

The second act Neville solo you're talking about Timmerbo was in the production I did two years ago and it was beautiful. How about Brian d'Arcy James as Neville? He'd hit it outta the park, I think.

Cheers,

C.

www.christopherviolett.com www.twitter.com/ChristopherViVi

#19

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 3:29pm

I've always wanted to see The Secret Garden! I'd be all for this!

#20

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 5:33pm

Heidi Ettinger's original sets were lovely.

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

#21

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 6:06pm

Great idea,,,

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” ``oscar wilde``

#22

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 6:23pm

The sets were glorious. And that's what I'd really want a revival to recapture: the set design. The original looked like a Victorian paper-doll theater with pop-out figures, really very stunning. Well deserved Tony award.

#23

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 6:49pm

One of my favorite scores of the nineties. And yes, that set was killer!

Whatever happened to Susan Schulman? She also did a great job directing VIOLET.

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

#24

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 7:06pm

Susan Schulman currently teaches directing at Penn State.

#25

How About a Secret Garden Revival??

Posted: 5/14/12 at 8:22pm

My mother took me to see the National Tour in Denver when I was 8.

No wonder I fell in love with the theatre.

Anyone who wants to produce a revival, I have a check waiting for you.

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

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