Harrison Burt
Reporter
On June 3 the NCHS drama department premiered the spring production of The Secret Garden. Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the play tells the story of an orphaned girl named Mary Lennox, who is sent to India to live with her widowed Uncle Archibald. This production was adapted for music by Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon. The cast also includes the sibling servant duo Martha and Dickens, Archibald’s lost love Lily and devious brother Neville, and various regal ghosts.
Senior Keri DeTullio, playing leading role Mary Lennox, has been acting in the drama department for the past four years. “I absolutely loved playing Mary. It was probably the biggest role I’ve ever had and I’ve learned a lot about constant concentration and attentiveness,” she said. “This wasn’t just one show; it was four years of dedicated performing to prepare me for three, two-hour productions.”
Sophomore Rebecca Mellinger, who played Uncle Archibald’s estranged son Colin, felt the cast had evolved into more of a family, “Our cast has become incredibly close. We spend so much time together that we have become a great team. We are all so supportive of each other and the process has been so enjoyable,” she said.
With rehearsal every day after school, reaching a point of four hours a day, it is no wonder the cast forged these bonds. “Every day we rehearsed while the entire cast and crew grew more confident and comfortable with the show,” Stage Manager sophomore Lizzy Emond said. “We all hoped the show pleased the audience as much as we attempted it to be.”
But Lizzy also felt the weight of handling such a technical show on her shoulders, “Being a stage manager really meant I had to be ready for anything. You have to be able to fix problems at the drop of the hat, things like a cast member being sick and having to step into the roll.”
An additional technicality were the extravagant outfits, partially engineered by costume mistress, freshman Delaney Davidson. “The costumes had a lot of detail and there were many quick changes playing a huge role in the story,” she said. “Our goal was to tell the story through the wardrobe and music, which would go beyond the text to convey our message.” Extreme costume changes included changing within seconds off-stage.
For many seniors, including Nick Zanca, Ryan Stiffleman, Ryan Timberlake, Keri DeTullio and Sara McCloskey, The Secret Garden would be their final curtain call at NCHS. Sara even decided to take an assistant Stage Manager title as opposed to a performing role. “It’s a completely different experience. A lot of what I did was working with the director and listening to what she told me she wanted. Then I would work with the cast members to create her vision,” she said.
But through all the bittersweet farewells and advanced production, orchestra member sophomore Alyssa Thompson still found the production simply fantastic. “I think it was a beautiful show; the material and content was musically gorgeous and executed so wonderfully,” she said. “There were so many people who had dedicated themselves and loved this show every day since April.”
