Review: THE SECRET GARDEN at TAFE: Theatre Arts For Everyone

TAFE: Theatre Arts for Everyone is pleased to present “The Secret Garden” as their first show of the 2025 season from February 21st to 23rd under the direction of Diane Crews.  “The Secret Garden” was published in 1911 by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  Local York playwright, Paige Hoke, has creatively taken this classic children’s story and re-written it for the stage.

The well-known characters of Mary Lennox and Colin Craven were played by Braelyn Angell and Henry Gambrill.  I enjoyed their transformation from angry children in pain to those with hope and kindness.  Josiah Titus played their friend Dickon Sowerby with strength and confidence.  Not surprising since Jill Titus played his equally strong and confident mother onstage, Susan Sowerby.  My favorite characters were the two mice and robin played by Elsie Torres, Adalynn Richard, and Leah Miller.  They added humor and magic to the story.

The cast includes Braelyn Angell (Mary Lennox), Lola Banerjee (Ayah), Jason Collison (Officer,/Colin’s Doctor/Servant), Ben Damon (Rishi/Christopher Sowerby), Harold Frazier (Mr. Archibald Craven), Henry Gambrill (Colin Craven), Casper Ganong (Dev/Phil Sowerby), Lily Ganong (Indira/Iris Sowerby), Matt Ganong (Mr. Pitcher), Opal Lehigh (Chetana/Jane Sowerby), Hope Lowry (Lucy), Leah Miller (Robin), Jo Olewiler (Mrs. Loomis), Steve Olewiler (Ben Weatherstaff), Bailey Phinney (Martha Sowerby), Liz Reed (Mrs. Medlock), Adalynn Richard (Veda/Milly Mouse), Theresa Strange (Mother/ Lilias), Elsie Torres (Mala/Maggie Mouse), Jill Titus (Susan Sowerby), and Josiah Titus (Dickon Sowerby).