By J. Michael Whalen
Times Staff
4/14/11
The Milton Players’ 78th season comes to a thrilling crescendo, both figuratively and literally, with the theater group’s production of “The Secret Garden.”

The Players put on a stellar opening-night performance of the musical April 8 at the Milton Woman’s Club.

The show, directed by Vickie Kirichok, is based on the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, with music by Lucy Simon, and book and lyrics by Marsha Norman. Set in 1906, it follows the story of 11-year-old Mary Lennox (played by Gabrielle La Flamme), a young English girl born and raised in India who is orphaned after a cholera outbreak. She is sent to live with her uncles Archibald Craven (David Michael Daly) and Dr. Neville Craven (Athan Mantalos) in a big, gloomy house in Yorkshire, England.

The plot has more than its fair share of darkness. Mary discovers that her guardian Archibald is a widower who has shut himself off emotionally since the death of his wife Lily (Claire Lukaczyn) a decade ago. She also learns that Archibald’s invalid son Colin (Matthew Krauss), who is being cared for by Neville, is gravely ill and expected to die.

But there is a lighter side to the tale, as Mary teams with gardener Ben Weatherstaff (Dan Moore), chambermaid Martha (Kelly Horan) and especially Martha’s brother Dickon (Mark Estano) to restore a long-dead garden once tended by Lily. She also endeavors to convince Colin that he will not only live but also walk again.

As compelling as the story is, the real beauty in this “Garden” comes from the great vocal and instrumental performances. And there are plenty.

It starts with La Flamme, an impressive sixth-grader whose voice is strong throughout, particularly when she leads the ensemble in the second-act opener “The Girl I Mean to Be.” (She is starring in three performances while Molly Cahill takes the Mary role for the other three.) Many of the other highlights come during Act 1, including Horan’s performance of “A Fine White Horse,” Daly’s strong work on “A Bit of Earth,” Estano’s interpretation of “Show Me the Key,” a shining moment for Krauss (also giving three performances; Nora Cahill gives the others) during “Round Shouldered Man,” and Daly and the operatic Mantalos’ powerful duet on “Lily’s Eyes,” which is a real show-stopper. They all display plenty of acting chops to go along with their lung power.

But one of the most emotional moments comes near the end of Act 2, when Daly and Lukaczyn team up for “How Could I Ever Know,” which focuses on Lily’s death while giving birth to Colin.

Musical director and Miltonian Marilyn Whipple, the show’s pianist/conductor, is joined by Ray Taranto on flute and Milton’s Elizabeth Mahon on cello. The music sounds terrific throughout, and if it occasionally borders on drowning out the vocals, the opening-night audience didn’t seem to mind.

The town is also well represented by Pat Brawley Morise, who plays the stern housekeeper Mrs. Medlock; Michael Maholchic, as Mary’s late father Capt. Albert Lennox; and ensemble member Martha Kempe.

“The Secret Garden” is a place, and a show, that should be revealed to music lovers of all ages.