Center Theatre Group has found its Mary Lennox for its upcoming, Broadway-aimed production of Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman鈥檚 The Secret Garden: Sadie Brickman Reynolds.
The 11-year-old Los Angeles native and self-professed 鈥渢heatre nerd鈥� (her favorite musical is Hamilton, she quickly answered) has been preparing for the role for most of her life, taking voice and dance classes since she was 鈥渢hree or four, somewhere around then,鈥� Reynolds says.
But somehow The Secret Garden had evaded her until this casting, despite being a touchstone for many young musical theatre hopefuls鈥擠aisy Eagan won a Tony Award at age 11 for her performance in the 1991 original Broadway production and still holds the record as the youngest-ever female Tony winner. But once Reynolds listened to the cast album, she was hooked. 鈥淭he music is just so haunting and beautiful and moving. It鈥檚 some of the most beautiful music from any musical that I鈥檝e ever heard鈥攁nd that鈥檚 saying a lot, because I love a lot of musicals.鈥�
Of course, Mary鈥檚 story in The Secret Garden is a tragic one, at least at the beginning. We meet the character as a spoiled little girl in British-occupied India whose entire family and world has been wiped out by a cholera epidemic. Mary, her household鈥檚 sole survivor, is sent to her uncle鈥檚 spooky mansion on the moors of Yorkshire, where she finds yet another home and family haunted by grief. But Reynolds, a plucky middle schooler with a charming old-soul sense of humor, still says she has lots in common with the character.
鈥淪he鈥檚 trying to find her way, find her family, find people she loves. She鈥檚 trying to find herself and grow into herself鈥攏o pun intended. And, I鈥檓 in middle school now, and I鈥檓 finding my way and finding my people.鈥�
And, Reynolds is not worried about taking on the show鈥檚 themes of sadness鈥攕he鈥檚 prepared. Like the musical鈥檚 Mary, who chooses the secret garden as her 鈥減lace where [she] can go when [she] is lost,鈥� Reynolds has her own special refuge.
鈥淲e have our own garden in our backyard, and there鈥檚 this one area where I love to go. If I鈥檓 upset or I just need to think about things, I love to just sit in the pool of my own thoughts and have a peaceful moment.鈥�
Reynolds will be joined onstage by Sierra Boggess, starring as Mary鈥檚 late aunt, Lily. Warren Carlyle is directing and choreographing the reimagined revival, which will feature revisions to the show from co-creators Norman and Simon. Performances are scheduled to run February 19鈥揗arch 26, 2023, at the Ahmanson Theatre, with opening night set for February 26. Rob Berman will music direct.
The production has been in the works for Carlyle since at least 2018, when he was announced to helm a Broadway revival in the 2018-19 season that never materialized. A 2018 workshop of Carlyle鈥檚 staging streamed in April 2021 to benefit The Dramatists Guild Foundation and The Actors Fund, featuring Boggess as Lily. The stream was dedicated to the late Rebecca Luker, who played the role in the original Broadway company.
Based on the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, The Secret Garden features a book and lyrics by Tony and Pulitzer winner Norman and music by Grammy winner and Tony nominee Simon. The work was first produced on Broadway in 1991, receiving six Tony Award nominations and winning Best Book of a Musical for Norman, Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Heidi Ettinger, and Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Eagan.
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