If you haven’t seen “The Secret Garden”, then now’s your best chance to see what everyone’s talking about. Time Magazine calls “The Secret Garden” Elegant and entrancing, while the musical has earned a Tony Award for ‘Best Book of a Musical’. It’s a classic tale that blossoms once again with a bold vision for a new generation by the original creators. Which means you could see what happens when Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman and Grammy Award-winning composer Lucy Simon team up once again.
“The Secret Garden” is a captivating tale that follows young orphaned Mary Lennox as she is sent away from her home in India to live with a reclusive uncle at his haunted English estate. You will watch this youth grow into herself with the help of newfound companions, a thrilling quest, and her unapologetic curiosity. It’s a story of history and discovery that has captivated audiences for from around the world.
And now it’s your chance to see this play at the famous Ahmanson Theatre. But this show has a limited run, so make sure you order your tickets today!
A Brief History Of The Secret Garden
“The Secret Garden” is a Broadway musical that was adapted from a 1911 novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical’s script and lyrics were written by Marsha Norman who worked closely with composer Lucy Simon. The premiere hit the Wells Theatre stage in Norfolk, Virginia for a run that went from November 28 1989 to December 17, 1989. But it’s New York premiere came, two years later, at the St. James Theatre on April 25, 1991 and went on until 1993 for an incredible 709 performances.
As you can imagine, this was the performance that arguably placed the production on the map. It went on to win the 1991 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Daisy Eagan), and Best Scenic Design. Eagen became the youngest female recipient of a Tony Award at age 11. And many fans praised the set design that resembled an enormous Victorian toy theatre with pop-out figures, large paper dolls, and elements that resembled Joseph Cornell collages.
The wardrobe for this production is even on display at the Costume World Broadway Collection in Pompano Beach, Florida.
The latest run, at the Ahmanson Theatre, is an exciting one for Broadway musical fans. Since it is a telling of the original work designed for modern day audiences, while still capturing the classic feel.
About The Ahmanson Theatre
The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that comprises the Los Angeles Music Center. It was named after Howard F. Ahmanson Sr’s second wife, Caroline Leonetti Ahmanson. This was due to a donation from Howard Ahmanson Sr which led to the theater’s completion.
Construction on the theater began on March 9, 1962. Construction took about five years, after which it opened to the public for an inaugural event on April 12, 1967 with a sponsored production of Man of La Mancha, starring Richard Kiley and Joan Diener. The theatre was also the U.S. premiere of More Stately Mansions starring Ingrid Bergman.
Since then, it has hosted an incredible variety of productions including dramas, musicals, comedies, and classical revivals that included six world premieres of Neil Simon plays and works by Wendy Wasserstein. The venue has also served as co-producer for numerous Broadway productions including Amadeus, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and The Drowsy Chaperone, to name a few. In addition, the theater was home to a famous LA production of The Phantom of the Opera that ran from 1989 to 1993 that featured the original London and Broadway Phantom Michael Crawford until he was replaced by Robert Guillaume and later Davis Gaines.
To date, The Ahmanson has the largest theatrical season-ticket subscription base on the West Coast, with a year-round season beginning in early fall and lasting through late summer after the 1990s renovation. With the fame and prestige the Ahmanson enjoys, it’s easy to guess that many productions want to host their premieres at this stage.