Audition – The Secret Garden

Directed by Gary Landis 
Choreographed by Gary Ferguson
Musical Direction by Asa Stern

This enchanting classic of children’s literature is reimagined in brilliant musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of ‘Night Mother. Orphaned in India, Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his disabled son Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the “Dreamers,” spirits from Mary’s past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden‘s compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

Performance dates: Wednesday through Sunday, December 2 – December 23, 2022. Wednesday-Saturday performances start at 8pm. Sundays start at 3pm.

Audition date: Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 10am-1pm.

Where: Grant Park, 1575 Holt Ave, Los Altos

Callbacks: Saturday, June 25, 2022 from 10am-2pm.

Rehearsals: Weekly, Sunday through Thursday, from 6pm-9pm (Sundays) and 7pm-10pm (Monday-Thursday). Rehearsals begin Sunday, October 16, 2022. 

Actor Acknowledgement: All roles are volunteer and non-AEA. A $15 meal per diem will be provided for all rehearsal and performance days to which the actor is called.

Audition requirements: Please prepare a one-minute monologue & 24-32 bars in the style of the show (but not from the show) and character for which you are interested in auditioning. Please sign up for a slot on our sign-up genius and fill out our audition form. You will need both to audition. 

Audition Sign Up: Sign-up genius link (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49AAAB2CA1F4C61-thesecret) 

Online Audition Form: Google Form here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehQm4h4yz7mvA29KGX2FdxTlK0lP2AJyR0Sydgb2cl9BPtxQ/viewform?usp=sf_link) 

Please forward all questions to the production manager, Raissa Marchetti-Kozlov at raissa@losaltosstage.org.

Roles: We highly encourage people of all ethnicities, races, and gender identities to audition. There will be 8 principal characters and 8 ensemble members (each playing multiple roles) in this cast. The ensemble will be onstage with the live orchestra for the duration of the performance. 

• MARY LENNOX -(Range: Young Voice, Ab3-D5) A ten year-old girl sent to live with her uncle, Archibald, when her parents die from cholera in India. Quite the curious explorer, and often finding herself in trouble. Stubborn and always fighting for what she believes in.
• ARCHIBALD CRAVEN – 35-45 (Range: Baritone, C3-A4) Mary’s uncle and lord of Misselthwaite Manor. He has a hunch-back. 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.
• DR. NEVILLE CRAVEN – 35-45 (Range: Baritone, C3-F#4) Archibald’s brother. Trapped by the idea that he is responsible for the caretaking of Colin. Even though he was never loved back by Lily, he is still in love with her. This adds to his unwillingness to move on and leave Misselthwaite.
• COLIN CRAVEN – (Range: Young Voice, A3-E5) Archibald’s ten year-old son. Spent his life in bed due to a heart condition. He is very stubborn and throws temper tantrums to get what he wants. He believes his father hates him for causing Lily’s death.
• MARTHA – 18-30 (Range: Mezzo-Soprano Belt, G3-D5) A faithful housemaid. 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.
• LILY 28-38 (Range: Soprano, Bb3-D6) Mary’s aunt and Archibald Craven’s wife. Died of a tragic accident within her garden and metaphorically haunts the walls of Misselthwaite Manor
• MRS. MEDLOCK – Female, Age Flexible (Range: Ensemble/Part Flexible) Archibald’s housekeeper. As cold as the Misselthwaite Manor.
• DICKON – 16-25 (Range: Tenor, D3-G4) Martha’s younger brother. Looks after the sick plants and animals within the Misselthwaite grounds—including Mary. He is a young man who is between the world of child imagination and adult reasoning. Befriends Mary and convinces her to take care of the Garden.
• ENSEMBLE: All of the other roles will be divided between 8 ensemble members. The characters that will be handled by the ensemble are BEN WEATHERSTAFF, MRS. WINTHROP, ROSE LENNOX, CAPTAIN ALBERT LENNOX, ALICE, LIEUTENANT WRIGHT, LIEUTENANT SHAW, MAJOR SHELLEY, MRS. SHELLEY, MAJOR HOLMES, CLAIRE HOLMES, FAKIR, & AYAH