The Secret Garden

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The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 12:40am

I was browsing around iTunes tonight, and came upon The Secret Garden. I have the cast recording that is completely left on a dusty shelf of CDs...until now.

I think The Secret Garden has one of the most beautiful scores I have ever heard.

Anyone else a Secret Garden fan like myself?

What the puck?!

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 12:41am

Yup. I love it. I have the Original Broadway Cast, Original London Cast, and the Australian Cast Recording.

I've got a bit of an obsession with "Winter's on the Wing" and "Race You to the Top of the Morning."

Not to mention, the concert of SG that was done this past December was just fantastic. I'd love to see that cast perform that show again.

And hang on, when did you win the discus?

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 1:36am

is there anyonw besides me that likes the london cast over the bway cast?

"Have a child for warmth and a baker for bread and a prince for... whatever!"

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 1:46am

I saw a community theatre production of it last year. A beautiful score and definetly haunting- I love it.

Am I cut out to spend my time this way?

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 1:47am

Hate it. I was in it and played Dickon, and though it was fun to do, I really just dislike the music. Granted, the score IS in fact beautifully written -- wonderful lyrics, amazing harmonies and orchestrations. I just don't like it. Something about it ticks me the wrong way. Regardless, though, whether I like it or not, I still acknowledge tht it's fantastically composed. :)

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 2:00am

i LOVE it and you REALLY haven't heard it until you've heard/seen Steven Pasquale as Archibald Craven. UNBREAL...AMAZING!

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 2:07am

volleyballer - that really is one of the more interesting posts I've ever read. Everything about it is wonderful, but you hate it? I can't quite wrap my head around what you're trying to impart.

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 2:29am

This is one of my favorite shows, and the first show I ever saw twice within a week. I saw an excellent regional production almost 10 years ago (and went back for student rush!) and I really wish more groups would produce it.

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

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 2:35am

Heh, let me explain. As a performer, I can definitely appreciate how great it is -- meaning, I look at the sheet music and see how complicated, intricate, and great the harmonies sound individually. However, overall, I just dislike the show. It's a horrible ensemble show, the accents of the OBC were really bad, the plot doesn't draw me in, the dialogue is very awkward at times, etc. Thus, my overall idea is that I dislike it, even though I find some songs in the score to be brilliant.

I hate to be one of those people who say "I hate it: hate this, hate that, hate those." And while you can hate everything, you can't ignore effort, and though I honestly dislike it, I appreciate the work of the composers, etc. I'm really a very bad person with my words (Hah!), so forgive my lack of cohesiveness.

#10

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 5:15am

I love this show except for the Dickon songs. I abhor Winter's On the Wing. But I love all the Archibald songs and the ones with Mary.

Jack Mitchell Jack's Retail
Broadway To Go Online

#11

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 6:21am

I played Neville, and find it to be one of the most hauntingly beautiful scores ever written. I wish there would be a revival of it just to see it fully mounted on the B'way stage once more.

"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!" Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!

#12

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 7:07am

While the Broadway cast is the most complete, I much prefer the Australian Cast Recording. The cast, overall, is much stronger. And plus Anthony Warlow is in it, so you know I have to give a shout out. haha. Seriously though, Anthony Warlow and Phillip Quest's version of "Lily's Eyes" in my opinion is the best version of that song. So much emotion and heartbreak that is portrayed by these two men is very moving.

Oh, and I LOVE this show by the way.

"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2

#13

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 10:00am

"Zhivago" may even be better, with the exception of "Lily's Eyes".

#14

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 11:46am

I agree on the Aussie recording. I actually had that before the OBC, and I rarely ever listen to the OBC compared to the Aussie.

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

#15

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 12:42pm

This was the first Broadway show I saw, and I've been hooked ever since.

Lily's Eyes is such a beautiful song. I also love Hold On.
I haven't heard the Aussie recording, so I guess I should check it out!

#16

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 1:43pm

The only version of Lily's Eyes that beats Quast and Warlow is Pasquale and Chase.

Its funny though, because to me Dickon's songs are the best ones.

As for the Broadway recording, its probably my least favorite of the three. I just can't warm to Mandy's Archie, and I don't particularly like his "Race You to the Top of the Morning" which, for me, is one of the biggest make or break you songs of the show.

And hang on, when did you win the discus?

#17

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 4:55pm

I love The Secret Garden. As a very short fifteen year old, I played Mary at many local theatres. I love that musical with all my heart, and it has basically changed my life. The casts were great, and I grew to love all of them.

I like Charlie Brown's hands... "It's like I'm being tied to the hood of a yellow rental truck, being packed in with fertilizer and fuel oil, pushed over a cliff by a suicidal Mickey Mouse."

#18

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 4:56pm

I like Charlie Brown's hands... "It's like I'm being tied to the hood of a yellow rental truck, being packed in with fertilizer and fuel oil, pushed over a cliff by a suicidal Mickey Mouse."

#19

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 5:14pm

bythesword84
i am so glad you love pasquale and chase too..i would love to hear warlow and quast on this..they are two of my favorite singers!
i have heard that when DOuglass Sills and CHarles Pistone sang it at the PCLO they brought he house down as well!!

#20

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 5:38pm

Anyone have any other versions of Lilys Eyes besides the Broadway one? I would love to hear them.

Jack Mitchell Jack's Retail
Broadway To Go Online

#21

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 7:26pm

This show is eaisly the best score ever on Broadway. This deserved score over Will Rogers Follies. Its a shame it isn't more recognized. I've done this show twice and I loved each time.

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. --Dave Berry

#22

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 7:29pm

i would love to play Martha in this show sometime...the score is so pretty and I love Lily's Eyes and Hold On. I havent heard the Aussie recording but I would love to sometime. As of right now I love the London version over the Bway one. I like the Dickon better on the London version especially and Martha as well.

"Have a child for warmth and a baker for bread and a prince for... whatever!"

#23

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 7:38pm

I'm utterly biased, but I have to say I think that The Secret Garden is what musical theatre could have become. It's blend of a legit sound and the standard musical theatre style is nothing short of brilliant.

The story is the perfect example of a musicalization of a classic novel and the storytelling through the score and book is some of the most compelling I've ever seen on a stage.

As for the original cast, they were fantastic...their accents were actually quite accurate. The dialect coach (AKA Mrs. Medlock), is one of the foremost dialect coaches in the country. And when she worked with us on the recent concert, the MD, Michael Kosarin spoke of how amazed he was after having a completely British cast do the show in London, hearing just how accurate the original accent work was.

Again, I'm completely biased, but I too have to go with Pasquale and Chase on the favorite Lily's Eyes question. :)

"There is nothing scary about life, if you are not attached to the results." - Conversations With God

#24

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 8:32pm

Ooooh I'd like to have heard Douglas Sills sing a part of that song. I doubt it could touch my love for the Pasquale/Chase performance though.

And hang on, when did you win the discus?

#25

re: The Secret Garden

Posted: 4/16/06 at 9:04pm

Count me in as a big "Secret Garden" fan. Love Dickon's character and his songs too. This is among my top 3 shows I wish they would bring back with a super fabulos cast and sets/scenery to die for.

As far as males singing " Lily's Eyes" besides those mentioned, I have seen the following guys sing it live together: Rob Evan/Norm Lewis(China Club,NY),Ron Raines/William Michals (Philly Pops), Craig Schulman/Cris Gronenendahl (3 Phantoms,NY) and Brad Little/ ??? ( sorry the tenor escapes me).

www.pbentertainmentinc.com BWW regional writer "Philadelphia/South Jersey"

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