One of the best-loved children’s tales, adapted from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s turn-of-the-century classic, The Secret Garden tells the story of Mary Lennox who is orphaned in India when her parents die during a deadly cholera epidemic.  Mary is subsequently sent back to England to live with her widowed uncle, Archibald Craven (Jim Kuoni), in Misselthwait Manor, his bleak house on the moors.  While her uncle still mourns the loss of his wife who died 10 years before in childbirth, Mary is left to fend for herself in an unfriendly household made up of Mrs. Medlock (Kathryn Heater), the stern housekeeper, Dr. Neville Craven (Jake Engle), Archibald’s brother, and Martha (Alicia Utt), the cheerful upstairs maid.

Bored with nothing to do, Mary (Avery Heater) decides to go outside to play.  There she encounters Ben (Carl Miller), the family’s longtime kindly gardener and Dickon (Brandon Woodard), a free spirit who is the brother of the upstairs maid, Martha.  In her search for something to do, Mary learns of a hidden, locked garden and begins her search for the key to unlock the garden.  During one of the visits from the “ghosts” that appear as guides in many scenes, Lily (Diana Bettega), the ghost of Archibald’s wife, shows Mary the way into the garden.

Also, during her meanderings through the house and grounds of Misselthwait Manor, Mary discovers she has a cousin, Colin (Steven Fiske), who is quite sickly and has all but been abandoned by his grieving father.   Mary takes on her spoiled, bedridden cousin as her own special project and eventually shows him the abandoned garden.  Through the friendship of Mary, Dickon and Colin and the care they give to the hidden glade they bring it back to beautiful life.

Dan Buckout is the Director of The Porthole Players Production of "The Secret Garden" which is being presented weekends, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 11-27 at the Newport Performing Arts Center.  Under the musical direction of Mary Lee Scoville and choreographed by Vickie Steen, this musical production of "The Secret Garden" is sponsored in part by Coast Arts and the City of Newport.  Executive Producer for The Porthole Players is Joann Buckout.

Kudos, once again, to The Porthole Players and the entire production team for bringing us this delightful tale of blossoming friendships, fading illnesses and fleeing sorrows.  And for taking us to that special place where we can discover that a world of caring can make a world of difference.