I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

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I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:12pm

I would love to see THE SECRET GARDEN return to Broadway.

Just dream casting but I would love to see the following actors do it:

Daniel Evans as Archibald Craven
Sierra Boggess or Jennifer Hope Wills as Lily
Matt Doyle as Dickon
Leah Michelle as Martha

Who would you like to see?

Updated On: 4/8/09 at 04:12 PM

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:16pm

Lea Michelle is TOTALLY wrong for Martha...

But I agree with you. There needs to be a revival The Secret Garden! And Daniel Evans would be great as Archibald. Or what about Raul Esparza?

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:22pm

I'd like to see Kerry Butler as Martha.

When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:24pm

Leah Michelle is the only young belter that I could think of when I was deciding who I would like to see. She could certainly sing it.

It's not like it would actually happen.

Kerry Butler could sing it as well. I think of Martha and Dickon as young....like early 20's at the most.

Who would you cast instead?

I don't care for Raul Esparza. I never got his appeal.

Daniel Evans is really the only person I would care to see take on Archibald. Perhaps Raul could be Neville.

Updated On: 4/8/09 at 04:24 PM

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:29pm

I would love to see one of three actresses as Lily:
Kelli O'Hara
Laura Benanti
Jill Paice

Lea Michelle age-wise would be right, as I think many people forget that Martha is supposed to be a very young woman still and tend to cast her too old, but I have to agree with TheatreFreak that I don't see her as being right, either physically or vocally. Martha is a working-class girl who grew up on the moor and is fairly brash and unrefined, none of which I have ever really seen in Lea Michelle.

Daniel Evans would be a good choice, though I wouldn't be afraid to go older with the role either. I always felt that there was a significant age difference between Lily and Archibald, and I feel like we should see that age difference even more so in the show. Lily has been dead ten years, and Archie certainly would be remembering her and seeing her ghost as the fresh and young wife who brought those few moments of happiness into his life.

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:32pm

Isn't Daniel Evans like 40-something? If that is the case, then Sierra Boggess would be perfect.

Updated On: 4/8/09 at 04:32 PM

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:39pm

I can't really think of anyone who could play Martha, because I can't picture anyone other than the fabulous Alison Fraser :)

I could definitely see Laura Benanti playing Lily! Would Hunter Foster be too old for Dicken? I know he's supposed to be younger, but I could totally see him in the role (maybe a couple a years ago though)

Maybe Michael Arden could play Dicken.. I'd love to hear him sing those songs!

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:43pm

I think Hunter Foster is too old for Dickon. He could have done it once upon a time but not today. It's certainly in his wheel house.

When I saw the 1st National Tour back in 1991 I saw a very young Roger Bart as Dickon.

Updated On: 4/8/09 at 04:43 PM

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:45pm

Yea, in theory Dicken is about 14-15, Martha is about 18-22. The London production cast a much older Dicken and it was...creepy.

I loved Celia Keenan-Bolger as Lily in the concert a few years back, with Michael Arden and Laura Benanti in the cast. Clips should be on YT.

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

#10

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:53pm

I think it'd actually be pretty cool (not to mention they both fit the parts) if celia keenan-bolger and andrew keenan-bolger were martha and dickon

#11

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 4:59pm

Celia K-B and Laura Benanti were both amazing in the concert. I'd like to see them reprise those roles in a full-scale production.

#12

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 5:05pm

That World Aids Day cast with Laura Benanti and Will Chase and Steven Pasquale was pretty amazing. I thought there was going to be a riot when "Lily's Eyes" finished.

The Secret Garden was the first show I was completely obsessed with when I was a kid so it holds a place in my heart - I wore out the tape and my mother took to leaving me in the theater lobby and letting me see the show alone because she didn't care for it - I was 11.

I'd love to see a revival but... I'd probably be picky about how it was done because I'm cantankerous like that.

Now what would you say if today I started over? Without a thing but this taped together four leaf clover And I'll pretend like everything is already alright And I'll run toward the sun till the castle's out of sight

#13

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 8:10pm

I'd love a revival too. I was obsessed with the cast recording of this show as a kid, though I never got to see it.

"Why do you care what people might say? Why try to fit into their design?" (Side Show)

#14

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 8:44pm

Ooh, I'd love a revival of this. It was the first Broadway show I saw (I was eight), and it's held a special place in my heart ever since. :)

#15

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/8/09 at 9:05pm

I didn't like Laura Benanti's Lily from what I've heard of her. The high notes sounded forced.

I would definitely love to see Kelli O'Hara in the role!

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

#16

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:06am

I am absoultely in LOVE with the idea of the Keenan-Bolgers as Dickon and Martha. That's INSPIRED!

Not fond of Evans as Archie. Needs a MUCH better singer than he is. But then, I'm a bit if a Mandy snob.

I used to sit in my room for HOURS playing Super Mario Brothers 2 and 3 with the sound off listening to the Cast Recording of SECRET GARDEN. I then had the pleasure of playing Dickon in community theater several years later. I hold this show in such a special place in my heart and would love to someday play Archie or maybe direct it.

And since I've never seen it, I say heck YES to a revival!

<-- Tevye, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, March 2018

#17

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:17am

I loved Celia Keenan-Bolger as Lily in the concert a few years back

Wasn't she Martha?

#18

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:27am

She was. Laura Benanti was Lily.

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

#19

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 4:12am

Actually, I am, too. This is one of those shows I wish I had seen...right up my alley.
Most probably, the originals (from the US 1992 Tour) would not reprise their roles. But wouldn't it be a blast from the past if they did!
I'm sure they are too busy with ongoing projects now to take on this. This show is in their past...the new projects are their future.
I'm talking about:
James Barbour
Audra McDonald
Douglas Sills
New members of the cast I would choose would be a reunion of some Tale cast members:
Katherine McGrath
Michael Hayward-Jones
Catherine Missal
Miles Cath

Anyways,...hope it is revived... :)

#20

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 11:30am

having seen the original and the concert version Id love Pasquale , Chase and Benanti as the leads. they were wonderful. the 2 men were MUCH better than Patinkin and Westerberg.

#21

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 11:32am

I completely agree that we need a revival. The show is so intensely beautiful.

"Truth is rarely pure and never simple."- Oscar Wilde

"If I could only do one thing before I died, it would be to swim with a middle-aged couple from Connecticut."- a dolphin

#22

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 12:26pm

I think Doug Sills and James Barbour would be perfect in the roles of the brothers. I kind of picture Archibald as a tall person. (perhaps that is because both times I saw it the person was tall-once I saw Mandy the other, then I saw Howard McGillin)

I think Kelli O'Hara or Jennifer Hope Wills would be inspired choices as Lily. (Jill Paice would also be good or perhaps Erin Davie?)

As for Dickon and Martha I don't know. I guess I saw Alison Fraser in the role and can't picture anyone else in that role. She was perfect. And I saw John Cameron Mitchell as Dickon and he was great. Those two are really hard to replace.

"A birdcage I plan to hang. I'll get to that someday. A birdcage for a bird who flew away...Around the world." "Life is a cabaret old chum, only a cabaret old chum, and I love a cabaret!"-RIP Natasha Richardson-I was honored to have witnessed her performance as Sally Bowles.

#23

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 12:31pm

It'd never happen, but if Linzi Hateley would cross the pond and reprise her brilliant performance as Martha, I'd be there.

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

#24

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 12:32pm

Diana DeGarmo as Martha?

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#25

re: I'm ready for a revival of THE SECRET GARDEN

Posted: 4/9/09 at 12:39pm

I love Diana, but no.

"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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