Photo Flash: Stages St. Louis' SECRET GARDEN

Unlock the magic behind The Secret Garden,opening July 22 at STAGES ST. LOUIS.The Secret Garden continues through August 21 at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

Winner of 3 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical,The Secret Garden brings Frances Hodgson Burnett's treasured Victorian novel to wondrous life onstage. In the grand writing style of such literary masterpieces as "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights,"The Secret Garden spins a tale of three lonely children are forever changed as they learn to trust each other while finding refuge in the restoring glow of the nurturing garden. The touching operetta influenced score includes "A Bit of Earth," "Lily's Eyes," and "Come to My Garden." The Music is by Lucy Simon, with book and lyrics by Marsha Norman.

This timeless tale, where miracles abound and friendship holds a magic all its own, has captivated readers for generations. The musical production opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in April 1991, running for two successful years.

Direction and musical staging are by STAGES Artistic Director Michael Hamilton, with choreography by Dana Lewis and Musical Direction by Lisa Campbell-Albert. Completing the artistic team are Scenic Designer James Wolk, Costume Designer Dorothy Marshall Englis, Lighting Designer Matthew McCarthy and Orchestral Designer Stuart M. Elmore.

The cast includes STAGES favorite, St. Louis Actress Alexis Kinney as Mary Lennox, whose previous STAGES credits include Becky Thatcher and Joanne Wilkes in Big River, Alice in Disney's Alice in Wonderland, Fredrika in A Little Night Music,and Dinah in High Society. Broadway Actor Peter Lockyer as Archibald Craven, whose extensive Broadway credits include Chris in Miss Saigon, Marius in Les Miserables, Phantom, Raoul, and Piangi in The Phantom of the Opera, Rodolfo in La Boheme, and the recent Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific. New York Actress Kelly McCormick as Lily, who recently appeared Off-Broadway as Bev in The Extraordinary Ordinary. National tour credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Les Miserables. Broadway Actor Anthony Holds as Dr. Neville Craven, whose Broadway credits include Monty Python's Spamalot, and Dracula. Holds also starred as Sir Galahad in the 1st National Tour of Spamalot.Broadway Actor Joseph Medeiros as Dickon, whose Broadway credits include West Side Story, Guys and Dolls,and Wicked. New York Actress Julie Cardia who was last seen as Adelaide in the STAGES production of Guys and Dolls. Cardia also played Lily St. Regis on the National Tour of Annie.

Held at the Missouri Botanical Garden, this unique behind-the-scenes look at the production process of The Secret Garden will also include a tour of the Tower Grove House, the Kresko Victorian Gardens, and a celebration of Garden founder Henry Shaw's birthday. And in honor of STAGES' 25th Anniversary and The Secret Garden, the historic Museum Building will open to the public for one day only!

Single ticket prices range from $15 - $55. STAGES performs in the intimate, 384-seat Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center, 111 South Geyer Road in St. Louis, MO. For more information or to purchase tickets call 314-821-2407 or visit www.stagesstlouis.org

Photo Credit: Peter Wochniak