PUP cultivates unique approach in 'Secret Garden'

Amid the frost and chill of the Princetonian winter, the Frist Campus Center harbors a warm, cozy secret.

No, I'm not talking about chai latte. I'm talking about the Princeton University Players' production of "The Secret Garden," directed by Natasha Badillo '03, appearing tonight through Sunday in the Frist Theatre.

PUP is performing the musical in conjunction with students at Westminster Choir College.

The musical, with book and lyrics by Marsha Norman, and music by Lucy Simon, is based on the classic Frances Hodgson Burnett book of the same title. The story is that of Mary (Ashleigh Graves), a dour girl in colonial India orphaned when everyone she knows — including her parents — dies of cholera. At the hesitant bidding of her English uncle, Archibald Craven (Nathan Freeman '03), Mary is sent to Yorkshire, England, to live with him in his gloomy mansion, Misselthwaite Manor.

However, instead of comfort, Mary finds a household, in which ghosts haunt all who live therein. Archibald, an ugly hunchback, lives in perpetual mourning for the premature death of his beautiful wife, Lily (Paula White). Archibald's brother, Dr. Neville Craven (Nathan Brewer), sees Lily's ghost as well — except only through a jealousy that makes him question why Lily chose his brother and not himself. Throw in a dozen more ghosts and the incessant crying of a household companion, who could also be a specter, and you have a family more dysfunctional than Mick Jagger's.

Only nature acts as a salvation for Mary. Martha (Sarah Donner), her maid, a feisty girl who speaks in a Yorkshire accent as thick as molasses, tells Mary of a garden that Archibald and Lily once shared in the days of their love but that Archibald has long since locked up and abandoned. Finally finding a spark of interest, Mary decides to find a way into the garden, in spite of the strong admonishments that the grumpy gardener, Ben Weatherstaff (Jeffrey Kitrosser '03), gives her. Martha's quirky brother Dickon (Matt Campbell), a conjuring Pan of sorts, helps Mary to find the garden and spruce it up, teaching her how to find the "wick" roots and start anew.

In addition to the garden, Mary more importantly must address the emotional tangle of the household, in which she finally discovers the source of the crying — her first cousin and Archibald's son, Colin (Michael Perl), a sickly, imperial boy whom Archibald can barely behold because of his resemblance to Lily. As the show progresses, Archibald must confront his fears and accept his wife's death, and the garden provides him and everyone else with a spiritual rejuvenation. Eventually, Mary learns that growth can occur both in nature and in spirit, as Colin grows healthier, the house sheds its emotional shackles, and Mary herself transforms into a happy child.

Although Norman, a Tony Award winner for her moving dialogue and lyrics, and Simon deal with an established literary classic, they take much artistic license in crafting their version. Whereas the novel is told in a third person voice focused on Mary's experiences, the musical has the responsibility of giving an omniscient view. Consequently, Norman and Simon embellish certain storylines and even create new ones. For example, the rather prominent love triangle between Archibald, Dr. Craven, and Lily becomes a focal point of the show, although the doctor remains only a faint auxiliary character in the book. This change in particular, Badillo notes, is one of the strongest points of the show.

"The adult plots are fleshed out a lot more in this show." Badillo said. There are several scenes that are all adults, and we get to see what Mary missed in the book."

Another big change is the focus on the many ghosts that haunt the main characters. Since the ghosts' presence remains so strong, they move just as freely as the living, and scenes from their past — including an arresting opening scene that shows the contagion of cholera – constantly intertwine with the present.

Perhaps the greatest challenge to the director is deciding how to interpret this group on stage. Mary's father and mother (the former a captain of the British army), the officers of the regiment, their wives, a fakir and an ayah all make up a Greek Chorus that Norman labels 'The Dreamers.' Most importantly, the Dreamers are much more integral to the story than a chorus usually is to a musical. Whereas many shows have a chorus ranging anywhere from 20 to 50 people, all nameless, "The Secret Garden" distinctly calls for eight specific secondary roles, each with its own name and characteristics.

Badillo said that although they make up a collective whole, the Dreamers' intrigue lies in their individual portrayals. "They each want something different, and they each have a different personality and background," she said.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"Also, they each importantly relate to Mary," she added. "They all act as Mary's memory to help her find a new life."

In addition to addressing their personalities, Badillo has chosen a unique approach to the visual aspects of the Dreamers (and, in fact, to those of all characters). In most productions — as done in the lavish original Broadway version — the Dreamers wear light-colored clothing that represents their spectral qualities. Along with set designer Sarah Rodriguez '03 and costume designer Caroline Barnard '02, Badillo hopes to create a new color scheme for the show. "We tried to get away from pastel colors and use more jewel tones and dark uniforms," she said. "This gives the show a much fuller presentation."

One of the most surprising elements of this production is that half the cast is made up of students from Westminster Choir College. Though unplanned, the situation works out very well since "The Secret Garden" is as close to an opera as musical theater gets. With almost two dozen songs in the show — many being vocal challenges that detail not only emotional changes but plot progression — the audience listens to a variety of musical styles, from the quasi-recitativo of Dickon and Mary's "Show Me The Key" to the Indian khatak beats of "Come Spirit, Come Charm" to the broad, sweeping melodies of "Lily's Eyes." Using strong voices from both Princeton and Westminster, Badillo and orchestra conductor Ryan Brandau '03 have a solid vocal foundation for their show.

The addition of the Westminster students not only adds artistically to the show; it also affords all in the cast with an opportunity to bond with students from another school. Together, both groups benefit from this exchange. "Socially, it's worked out great," Badillo said.

Matt Campbell, a senior at Westminster, who plays Dickon, concurs, also acknowledging the artistic benefits. "It's like having a playground in the backyard," he said. "We don't have much to offer in terms of theater at Westminster. Having a resource like Princeton is great."

And, of course, the roles of Mary and Colin, played by local youngsters, add just the right amount of childlike wonder to the production. When asked how she has enjoyed the experience, 12-year-old Ashleigh Graves, who plays Mary, sums things up shortly and sweetly: "It's cool."

Overall, the production promises to provide the audience with an inspiring night of theater that acts as a type of catharsis for all involved. "We [Princeton] like to do a lot of dark stuff – cynical, pessimistic – and we needed some kind of change," Badillo said. "This show is a big celebration of change. There are some definite dark points, but we move through that to come out bright and happy."

The Secret Garden plays this weekend only, tonight through Sunday at 8 p.m. with a matinée on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Frist Theatre. on the 300 level of the Frist Campus Center. For tickets, call (609) 258-2255 and dial "PLAYERS."