How to Prepare

Vocal Audition Piece:
Prepare 16 bars (no longer than one minute). Focus on the best vocal moments, not an entire song. An accompanist will not be provided; please bring a track. This is your time to show off!

Waltz:
Our team will teach you a basic waltz, and we will do it together simply to see if you can move. If you would like to prepare ahead of time, YouTube University has some great tutorials.

Reading from the Script:
If you are called back for a principal role, we will ask you to read from the script. Sides will be provided with the callback invitation.

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Rehearsals

Rehearsals will be primarily be Monday through Thursday. For more information, please see the audition packet.

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Performance Dates

May 28 - June 7, 2026

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows begin at 7:30 pm. Sunday shows begin at 2:30 pm.

 

​​​Synopsis

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved Victorian classic, The Secret Garden, blossoms anew in this enchanting musical by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon. When young Mary Lennox loses her parents to a cholera outbreak in India, she is sent to live with her uncle, hermit Archibald Craven, who lives in an imposing, secluded manor on the British heath. Inside the haunting house upon the hill, Mary finds a reclusive, long-suffering collection of souls. Since her aunt Lily’s death, Mary’s uncle has pushed away his surviving loved ones, leaving his bedridden son, Colin, alone. Sickly Colin, hidden
away in the depths of the manor, bears the guilt of his mother’s death on his crippled shoulders. When Mary discovers her Aunt Lily’s hidden garden, locked shut and overgrown with vines, stubborn Mary is determined to revive the beauty that it once was. Surrounded by spirits from the past, who both warn and welcome her, determined Mary begins to peel away the layers of sadness that cover the house and the garden, showing us the power that “one small girl” can have when she “wants things to grow.”

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Roles to be cast

Cast Breakdown
Seeking 5 women, 5 men; Dreamers: 10 women and men.
 

PLEASE NOTE: All characters require a standard proper British accent unless otherwise specified.

Mary Lennox: Female, age 10 (Range: Young Voice, Soprano)
A ten-year-old girl sent to live with her uncle, Archibald, when her parents die from cholera in India. A curious explorer who often finds herself in trouble. Stubborn and always fighting for what she believes in. Must be a strong actress capable of carrying the show.

Archibald Craven: Male, 30-45 (Range: Baritone)
Mary’s uncle and lord of Misselthwaite Manor. He has a hunchback. Haunted by the past and afraid of the future, he locks himself away both physically and mentally. Mary painfully reminds him too much of his wife, Lily, who died ten years ago.

Lily: Female, 28-38 (Range: Soprano)
Mary’s aunt and Archibald Craven’s wife. She died in a tragic accident in her garden and haunts Misselthwaite Manor. A passionate woman who followed her own instincts, she reaches from beyond the grave to ensure the happiness of those she cares for.

Dr. Neville Craven: Male, 35-45 (Range: Baritone)
Archibald’s younger brother. Trapped by the idea that he is responsible for the care of his brother and young Colin. His one-sided infatuation with Lily continues after her death, causing him to cling to Misselthwaite Manor.

Dickon: Male, 14-25 (Range: Tenor)
Martha’s younger brother. He looks after the plants and animals within the Misselthwaite grounds. A young man caught between childlike imagination and adult reasoning. Open, honest, and energetic, he befriends Mary and convinces her to take care of the garden.
Accent: Yorkshire accent and dialect.

Colin Craven: Male, age 10 (Range: Young Voice)
Archibald’s ten-year-old son. He has spent his life in bed due to a heart condition. Very stubborn, he throws temper tantrums to get what he wants. He believes his father hates him for causing Lily’s death. Strong falsetto appreciated.

Martha: Female, 18-30 (Range: Mezzo-Soprano Belt)
A young and spunky housemaid. She grew up near Yorkshire and has the accent to prove it. Although she is from a lower-class family, her wisdom is often far beyond her age.
Accent: Yorkshire accent and dialect.

Ben Weatherstaff: Male, age flexible (Range: Baritone)
Head gardener, secretly entrusted to take care of the garden after Lily’s death. He knows a great deal about the history of the garden and the grounds it sits on. He has worked for the family for many years and calls himself “an old man.”
Accent: Yorkshire accent and dialect.

Mrs. Medlock: Female, age flexible (Range: Flexible)
Archibald’s housekeeper, as cold as Misselthwaite Manor.

Mrs. Winthrop: Female, age flexible (Range: Flexible)
Headmistress of a private school who prides herself on nurturing girls with tempers. Mary seems to be more than she can handle.

Dreamers: 10 total
A ghostly chorus of spirits from Mary’s past in India (including her parents, Ayah [Indian accent], Fakir [Indian accent], and soldiers). They act as narrators, guide the living characters toward healing, and represent themes of memory, grief, and hope, woven together through haunting melodies and dramatic scenes. They are the memories and voices from Misselthwaite Manor’s past, appearing as echoes that help Mary, Colin, and Archibald find renewal.

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