THEATER: "The Secret Garden" (11/5-11/8)

By Alysa Stryker on November 4, 2009

Frances Hodgson Burnett's children's book "The Secret Garden" has enthralled audiences for generations, and has been adapted successfully for film and stage. This weekend Eastman Opera Theatre will perform the 1991 Broadway musical version of the story, which won three Tonys and played for 700 performances on the Great White Way.

"The Secret Garden" tells the story of Mary Lennox, a sour young girl who is orphaned while living with her family in India, and who is returned to England to live with her estranged uncle on his sprawling, but dreary, estate. Mary becomes friends with her sickly cousin, Colin, and the two of them discover a beautiful garden on the property, one Colin's father has kept hidden for years. The story is ultimately about the importance of family, healing, and embracing life even with its many challenges.

Performances of "The Secret Garden" run Thursday, November 5, through Saturday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 8, at 2 p.m. in the Eastman School of Music's Kilbourn Hall (26 Gibbs St). The cast will include singers from the Eastman School of Music and four talented local children in the roles of Mary and Colin. Tickets cost $10-$20, and are available by phone at 454-2100. Check esm.rochester.edu for more information.