The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden

January 19 – February 11, 1996

Production Staff

Producers Mary Henning, Joann Clark-Stein
Director Jeffrey M. Babey
Musical Director Richard Chrisman
Choreographer Linda Kay
Lighting Design Alan Levine
Set Design Gordon Danieli
Sound Design Jon Ballek
Costume Design Camille Cusimano
Stage Manger Joyce L. Brady
Set Concept Jeffrey M. Babey
Props Kristin Barber
Hair/Wig Design Nance
Accompanist Beth Moore
Assistant Stage Manager Scott C. Hill
Set Construction Gordon Danieli, Bill Jamieson
Lily’s Portrait Bill Jamieson
Seamstress Joan Tietjen
Sound Technician Vincent Giordano
Crew Chief/Rigging Rob Cleary
Riggers Bill Jamieson, Eric Bovie, Leo Gahona
Lighting Technicians Dot Steffen, Eric Bovie, Rosie Myres
Crew Ellen Cleary, Lori Kaplan, Ed Vawter, Roz Wroblewski
Box Office Bernice Woldman, Jackie McCausland
Sign Language Interpreters Lynn Baskin, Adele Sands-Berking, Donna Fitzmairice
Concessionaires/Ushers The Friends of the Villagers
Painters Michelle Green, Iris Green, Joanne Clark-Stein, Mary Henning, Terry Jamieson, Bill Jamieson, Leo Gahona, Roger Babey
Lobby Photography John-Eric Steiger
Program Haver Associates, Inc.

 

The Cast

Lily Kristine Mellina
Mary Lennox Renee Stocker
Archibald Craven Gerard Lebeda
Fakir Doug Otero
Ayah Kimberly Light
Rose Lennox (Mary’s Mother) Amanda Irwin
Captain Albert Lennox (Mary’s Father) Todd Fenstermaker
Lieutenant Peter Wright Christian Smith
Mrs. Katherine (his wife) Barbara Szabo
Lieutenant Ian Shaw Michael Monaco
Major Holmes Michael Monte
Clair Holmes (his wife) Patrice Swarbrick
Alice (Rose’s friend) Aimee Bingler
Major Shelly James Lopez
Mrs. Shelley (his wife) Barbara Fiolek
Dr. Neville Craven (Archibald’s brother) Paul Fiolek
Mrs. Medlock (the housekeeper) Pat Powers
Martha (a chambermaid) Karen Pierson
Dicken (her brother) Carlie Irwin
Ben Weatherstaff (the gardener) Alan Semok
Colin (Archibald & Lily’s son) Teddy Alvaro
Mrs. Winthrop (the headmistress) Aimee Bingler
William Scott C. Hill
Timothy Rob Cleary
Jane Barbara Szabo
Nurse Lori Kaplan

 

The Orchestra

Piano Elizabeth Moore
Synthesizer Richard Chrisman
Bass Robert Gargiullo
Reeds Lawrence Liggins
Percussion Sheryl A. Caswell

 

During the run of The Secret Garden, one of the largest Nor’easters to hit the East Coast landed squarely on the Villagers.  While working in the theater on Saturday morning, Ellen Cleary her what she describes as “a loud noise, like an explosion.”  A quick inspection of the building determined that a large section of the roof had blown off the building.     Ellen then made a number of frantic phone calls to Sandy Grey, Jeff Dworkin, and her husband Rob.  Water was literally pouring into costume loft and the orchestra pit on the second floor.  It was also falling into the men’s dressing room and the green room on the first floor.  Jeff Dworkin was the first board member on the scene.  He and Ellen first moved the orchestra’s instruments and music out of the water’s way.  Sandy Gray showed up next and started working downstairs to get the costumes to safety.

 

Jeff then headed up onto the roof to access the damage.  Ellen went off to help Sandy save the costumes.  Since they were not sure where the water was coming from, we decided to remove the ceiling tiles from the green room, the men’s dressing room and the hallway.  It was hoped that this would stop the water from “running” over the tiles.

 

Rob Cleary, Art Neill, and Alan Semok soon joined Jeff on the roof.  They brought with them every available tarp in the building to temporarily patch the whole in the roof.  Due to the high winds, the tarps could not be secured.  Having been up there for over an hour, the team of four huddled together under a tarp next to the air conditioner units.  The team elected to stay on the roof and work during the breaks in the wind to secure the tarps.  Over the next two hours, the tarps were secured, and the rain kept coming.  The team finally came down from the roof at 6:30 PM, just ninety minutes to curtain.  Because the rain was still falling, the wind still blowing and the instruments, costumes and props were in disarray, we considered canceling the show that night.  However, the cast and crew were now arriving.  They worked together to get everything back in order.  The curtain rose on The Secret Garden at 8:30 that night.