Almost every seat was filled in the Stillwell Theater and the packed audience whispered with excitement at what was to come. “The Secret Garden” opened with a bang on April 13.
The musical is set in 20th century England. It stars a little girl who is quite stubborn and unpleasant named Mary Lennox. Mary is sent from India to live in England after the death of her parents Capt. Albert Lennox and Rose Lennox. She was sent to go live with her relatives and to be under the supervision of her uncles Archibald Craven and Dr. Neville Craven.
There, she transforms into a passionate little girl who develops love for an unkempt garden. The garden previously belonged to her deceased aunt who is also Archibald Craven’s beloved wife Lily Craven. The “secret garden” stirs up many emotions and spirits that have been swept aside for too long.
The show starts off with Chani Maisonet who plays Lilly Craven singing, “Clusters of crocus,Purple and gold, Blankets of pansies, out from the cold.”
Her pure melodic voice rang across the theater and captivated the audience’s attention instantly. It was mesmerizing and beautiful and it only got better as the company came into perform
with her.
The best part about the show had to be the vocal talent. Each cast member regardless of his or her role had a superb voice.
The main character Mary Lennox, played by Mary Stewart Sullivan, is an inspiring talent. She truly drove the play with her acting chops and vocal skills.
In her performance of the song “I Heard Someone Crying”, the last note she belted out rang across the theater. It was shocking and remarkable to hear. She is truly a star with a bright future ahead of her.
The biggest star of the night was Terry Pendleton who played Archibald Craven. His presence on stage was very intense, yet extremely captivating. His acting and singing were impeccable.
His character in the play had a slight defect and he played it very well. This along with his acting came across as effortless. He truly brought a sense of reality to his character.
KSU student and audience member Bess Winebarger was a big fan of Pendleton, she said “my favorite character was Archibald Craven because he was very believable and I liked the way he evoked his emotions towards his son.”
His singing was just as great as his acting. There were times when his voice could be very soft and pure and then there were times when his voice could be big and powerful sending the audience into loud cheers.
Other shining stars of the night were Sarah Peavy who played the quirky maid Martha, Patrick Schweigert who played the humorous gardener Dickon, Max River Roberts who played Colin Craven and Eric Lindsey who was another big voice of the night and played Dr. Neville Craven.
It’s easy to say that “The Secret Garden” is a celebration of many talented actors and actresses. But the show goes deeper, examining the life of a small girl who faces intense growth. Long after the last performance, the musical will leave an impression on you that describes the talent within the Theater Department.
