Magical ‘Garden’ blooms on stage
at the Willows Theatre

Spring comes early with the enchanting musical The Secret Garden, based on
the beloved children’s story by Frances Hodgson Burnett

tickets on sale now 

Concord, CA.  January 25, 2007 – The Willows Theatre Company is proud to kick off its 2007 season with the Tony Award-winning musical The Secret Garden.  Based on the beloved children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden opened on Broadway in 1991 and ran for over 700 performances.  A beautiful story about the healing power of love and the miracle of rebirth, this captivating musical has a gorgeous score written by Lucy Simon and a touching story adapted for the stage by Tony Award-winning Marsha Norman.

The Secret Garden is the story of Mary Lennox, a young and lonely English girl orphaned by a cholera epidemic in India.  She is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven, in Yorkshire, England.  Archibald is still grieving the loss of his wife, Lily, who died 10 years earlier in childbirth, and is distraught over the condition of his bedridden son, Colin.  The mood in the manor is dark until Mary discovers a secret garden that once belonged to Lily.  Aided by her young maid Martha, Martha’s mystical brother Dickon, and a crotchety old gardener named Ben, Mary unlocks the secrets of the hidden garden and releases the magic and adventures locked inside.  By nursing the garden back to life, Mary also restores life to her grieving uncle and his sick son.

Sure to appeal to both young and old, The Secret Garden contains such beautiful melodies as “Lily’s Eyes” and “How Could I Ever Know.”  The lyrical score by Lucy Simon creates a world where lost loves are found, lost lives are saved, spring comes again, and beauty reigns.  The original Broadway production garnered the 1991 Tony awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Daisy Eagan, the youngest actress ever to receive the Tony award), and Best Scenic Design (Heidi Landesman).

Willows Theatre Managing Director Andrew Holtz will direct the show, which opens February 23^rd and runs through March 25^th, 2007, at the Willows Theatre, 1975 Diamond Boulevard, Concord, CA.  Preview performances begin February 19^th.

THE CAST

Two young actresses will share the pivotal role of Mary Lennox:  Katy Corbus (Albany) returns to the Willows, having appeared in Annie, The Sound of Music, and John Muir’s Mountain Days.  Ms. Corbus has also performed at Kids Take the Stage and Berkeley Musical Theatre.  Hannah Rose Kornfeld (Mill Valley) is making her debut with the Willows Theatre.  She has appeared at Marin Shakespeare Company, Exit Theatre, Masquers Playhouse, and Ross Valley Players.

Two young actors will share the role of Mary’s cousin, Colin Craven:  Jacob Ben-Shmuel (Concord) has appeared in Merrily We Roll Along, Children of Eden, and Oliver! with the Willows Theatre.  Matthew Dragicevic (Martinez) played the title role in Oliver! at the Willows and has also performed with Cal Shakes and Center REP.

Russ Lorenson (Archibald Craven) – Mr. Lorenson (San Francisco) returns to the Willows stage, having recently appeared in 1776.  He has also performed locally with 42^nd Street Moon.  Mr. Lorenson is an accomplished nightclub entertainer whose current show, Benedetto/Blessed: A Tribute to the Life and Music of Tony Bennett, premiered in July 2006 as the opening act for the legendary Eartha Kitt and is currently enjoying sold-out runs across the country.

Mark Farrell* (Neville Craven) – Mr. Farrell (Oakland) has appeared at the Willows in Fiddler on the Roof, 1776, Look Homeward Angel, Merrily We Roll Along, and most recently Judgment at Nuremberg.  He has also performed locally with Center REP, Marin Theatre Company, San Jose Rep, A.C.T., S.F. Playhouse, and 42^nd Street Moon.

Lucinda Hitchcock Cone* (Mrs. Medlock) – Ms. Hitchcock Cone (Sacramento) has performed at the Willows in The Night of the Hunter, The Spitfire Grill, Nunsense Jamboree, Noises Off, and Jimmy Valentine.  Her Bay Area credits include American Musical Theater of San Jose, A.C.T., Marin Theatre Company, Mason St. Theater, TheatreWorks, San Jose Rep, and Berkeley Rep.

Kristin Stokes* (Martha) – Ms Stokes (Fremont) returns to the Willows after her debut last year as Sally Bowles in Cabaret.  She has also performed at TheatreWorks, S.F. Playhouse, Bus Barn Stage Company, and PCPA Theatrefest.

Jeff Bryant (Dickon) – Mr. Bryant (San Francisco) returns to the Willows after playing the Courier in 1776 last season.  Other Bay Area credits include Cal Shakes and 42^nd Street Moon.

Elizabeth Hunter (Lily) – Ms. Hunter (Danville) is making her debut with the Willows.  She is an accomplished soloist and has sung with orchestras in California, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, and New Jersey; as well as internationally with the Salzburg Prodigy Orchestra.

Rick Williams (Ben Weatherstaff) – Mr. Williams (San Francisco) returns to the Willows stage, having appeared with the Willows as John Adams in 1776 and the title role in Man of La Mancha.  Other Bay Area credits include Lamplighters Music Theatre, 42^nd Street Moon, West Bay Opera, Pocket Opera, and Piedmont Light Opera Theatre.

Rounding out the 23-member cast are Laura Benitez, Meghan Burke, Steven Durflinger, Gary Foley, Megan Gonzalez, Julie Holland, Michelle Mills, Laura Pedersen-Schulz, Ron Pickett, Sebastian Romeo, Blake Rosier, and Andrew Sa.

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

PRODUCTION TEAM

Andrew Holtz (director) has staged over 25 productions for the Willows Theatre since 1989, and musical directed many more.  He won Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle awards for his direction of the musical 1776 in 2001 and for his musical direction three years in a row for Brimstone, Dreamgirls, and In the Beginning at the Willows. A graduate of Stanford University, Mr. Holtz studied music theory and composition at the Juilliard School, is the Managing Director of the Willows Theatre Company, and serves on the Board of the San Francisco Business Arts Council. He received official recognition for “Outstanding Contribution to the Arts” from the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County (AC5) in October 2004.

The design team for The Secret Garden  includes Shaun Carroll (Properties and Set Dressing), Rob Anderson (Lighting), Peter Crompton (Scenery), Christine Crook (Costumes), and Sean McStravick (Sound).  Karen Szpaller* is Stage Manager, Becky Potter is Assistant Director, and Dan Uroff will provide the choreography.

Ticket and Schedule Information

Tickets are $33-$38 with discounts for students (6-18), seniors (65+), groups (10+), and Preview performances.  To purchase tickets call (925) 798-1300 or visit the Willows Theatre Company Web site at www.willowstheatre.org.  Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with matinees Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.

The Willows Theatre is located at 1975 Diamond Blvd. next to CompUSA and REI in the Willows Shopping Center in Concord, across the street from the Concord Hilton and one block east of the Willow Pass Road exit off Highway 680.

The Willows Theatre Company daytime box office is located at 1425 Gasoline Alley, Concord, at the corner of Bisso Lane, one block north of Concord Avenue.  The daytime box office hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday Noon-5 p.m.  The theatre box office and will-call window, located in the theater lobby, opens one hour prior to each performance. For more information call (925) 798-1300 or visit our Web site at www.willowstheatre.org.