It was announced in November 2019 that Opera Australia and The Gordon Frost Organisation would be teaming up once again to manage another stage musical tour across the country. This time around they are touring The Secret Garden for the first time in twenty-five years. This follows previous collaborations between the two iconic Sydney-based performing arts organisations, including My Fair Lady directed by Julie Andrews herself and the classic comedy Anything Goes.
If you are on the lookout to catch yourself some good seats, then an additional week of seats for the Sydney Season at the Sydney Lyric Theatre will commence sales from Friday 7 February 2020 at 8.00am. These sales will cover eight additional performances from Tuesday 18 August 2020 until Sunday 23 August 2020. Ticketing information can be found on The Secret Garden’s official website, along with waitlist information for the November 2020 Melbourne Season.
Leading the cast will be the Australian star of stage Anthony Warlow, who will be revisiting his former role of Archibald Craven. Mr. Warlow has been entertaining ages since he first performed with the Australian Opera in 1981 in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since his original debut, he has taken on many leading roles including Dr Yurii Zhivago in the 2011 production of Doctor Zhivago, the titular character in Phantom of the Opera’s 1990 and 2007-2008 tours and The Wizard in GFO’s recent production of The Wizard of Oz. He last performed in The Secret Garden alongside Philip Quast and Marina Prior in 1995.
While other casting has yet to be confirmed and will likely be confirmed in the coming months, the original Broadway creative team will be reuniting for this production. Returning creative team members include director Susan H Schulman, choreographer Michael Lichtefeld and designer Heidi Ettinger.
About The Secret Garden
The famous Frances Hodgson Burnett novel has been known and loved by many. This heart-warming story comes to life on stage with the same magical qualities, and rewards audiences with its sophisticated take on this literary classic.
Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s home to find distant grieving relatives and an uncared-for garden. The story centres around the young, orphaned Mary as she and a young gardener breathe new life into the secret garden. Mary blossoms too, and through this she tends to all the hearts around her. The sumptuous score containing a raft of wonderful music, including A Bit of Earth, Show Me the Key, and the unforgettable Lily’s Eyes.