The Secret Garden

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We are thrilled to once again join with the Monk Botanical Gardens for another summer of live theatre in the gardens.  It is because of outdoor shows like these & our collaborative relationship with Monk that Out of the Woods Theatre has been able to successfully survive & thrive despite the pandemic.  We started our productions at Monk Gardens four years ago with presentations of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Our garden plays have featured Shakespeare, Robin Hood, Alice & Peter Pan.  As a theatre company, our primary focus is two-fold:  breathe fresh air into classic literary works and provide women in our community with theatre opportunities & roles that feature strong female characters.  We feel The Secret Garden perfectly fits into our goals as well as the mission of the Monk Botanical Gardens.  We are pleased to present this Spring Version -- a condensed version of the classic musical -- to audiences in the gardens.  And we look forward to continuing to find new & innovative ways to bring you quality theater presentations while re-inventing & updating classic literary works as we have done with Peter Pan, Shakespeare & more. Thank you for supporting the gardens & local theatre.

The Secret Garden has been a long time coming for Out of the Woods Theatre.  We originally planned to present the full-length musical at Veninga Theatre in Spring 2020. Then Covid hit.  We postponed to that fall.  And then it became evident it just wasn't possible at that time to do indoor theatre.  We got creative.  We did streaming shows from our rehearsal hall.  We did outdoor theatre at Monk Gardens.  But we had to let go of The Secret Garden at that time and, honestly, we weren't sure we'd ever be able to circle back to it. 

When we began planning our Summer 2022 with Elise at Monk, The Secret Garden came up as a potential option.  Battling sunset is always a challenge for shows at the gardens so, when we discovered there was a condensed "Spring Version" of the show, we knew it would be well suited to outdoor performances and we jumped at the chance to perform the musical we so very much hated to let go of two years ago.

Crystal Hosler was our original director and Kristine Lato our original music director.  Catherine Harmon was also our original Mary Lennox.  Crystal very much wanted to direct this production but has just moved with her family to new adventures in Pennsylvania.  I knew I would never be able to do the show as Crystal would have but The Secret Garden has always held a special place in my heart so I was honoured to fill in for her.  I have been incredibly blessed to bring Kristine back onto the Creative Team and while we held completely new auditions and no one previously cast was guaranteed a role in this new production, Catherine proved herself during the audition process to still be our Mary.  I am also excited to have Beth W. help us with choreo and to bring in my dear friend of 27 years, Matt Bacewicz, all the way from Vermont to play the role of Archibald Craven.

Matt & I first met in high school in Ledyard, Connecticut.  Our drama teacher there, Paul Zotos, directed the full-length musical version of The Secret Garden.  I did hair & makeup for the production (uncredited) and Matt & our friends performed on the stage.  Before that, I had been captivated by the book as a child as well as the beautiful 1993 non-musical movie.  I've always been drawn to the elements of nature & magic in the story and the music is absolutely gorgeous. 

But The Secret Garden isn't just about flowers & charms.  It's also a powerful story about overcoming tragedy & loss and battling our own inner demons & trauma.  It's about opening yourself to new people & experiences and learning to love again when you thought you couldn't.  And, unfortunately, I think there is incredible relevance today between the cholera epidemic in India that killed everyone Mary Lennox knew & loved and the Covid pandemic that has swept through the world over the last two years and robbed many people of loved ones & so much more.

As both theatre company manager & director of this show, working on this production has been bittersweet.  I am incredibly happy that we finally get to bring this show to life but I am sorry it took two years to get here and that we couldn't have Crystal direct or our full original cast perform.  But I am excited that some of our original cast members were able to be cast in this new production.  And I am excited to have been able to work with new actors and Matt.  I am also appreciative to have had Ben Freyer helping me with creative team elements to bring this show to life.

When I direct shows, I like to keep sets simple and try to find period appropriate props.  I prefer to let the actors & music shine forth with limited distractions.  But if you know me at all and have seen some of our past shows, you'll know I am also passionate about costumes.  I love period pieces and always try to handmake at least one new piece for our costume collection with every show.  For this production, I made Rose's dress and you will notice a rose theme in the fabric and accents.  I was also inspired by six-time Emmy-winning costume designer, Michele Clapton, and the costumes she designed for the 2020 non-musical film.  I love nature-inspired themes and have been hoarding a hunk of floral-embroidered tulle for a couple of years now.  That piece of fabric is the catalyst for the finale dresses you will see on some of the ladies.

I hope you enjoy the show & all the little details.  Many thanks to all cast & crew as well as my family & friends for helping us bring The Secret Garden to the stage & get closure on this much loved project.

-- Nicole Stephens, Director

Song List

Prelude ..........................................................................  Lily & Mary

There's a Girl ............................................................  Rose, Albert, Reader, Ensemble

The House Upon The Hill ..............................  Rose, Albert, Reader, Ensemble

Magic Chant ...........................................................  Albert, Rose, Lily, Mary

Skipping Song - Martha ..............................  Martha

Skipping Song - Mary ....................................  Mary

It's a Maze ..................................................................  Ben, Reader

The Girl in the Valley .......................................  Archibald, Lily

Skipping Song - Mary II ................................  Mary

Show Me The Key ...............................................  Mary, Dickon

The Girl I Mean to Be .......................................  Mary

I Heard Someone Crying ...........................  Lily, Mary, Archibald, Martha, Reader, Ensemble

Act One Finale ......................................................  Lily

Lily's Eyes ....................................................................  Dr. Craven, Archibald

Wick ................................................................................  Dickon, Mary

Come to My Garden .....................................  Lily, Colin, Reader

Come Spirit Come Charm .....................  Mary, Dickon, Martha, Reader, Ben, Lily, Albert, Rose, Colin

Hold On .....................................................................  Martha, Reader

Letter Song ............................................................  Mary, Martha, Archibald

How Could I Ever Know .............................  Lily, Archibald

In The Garden ....................................................  Mary, Colin, Dickon

Finale Ultimo .......................................................  Company

Sponsors

Cast

Creative Team

Meet the Company

Catherine Harmon

Mary Lennox

Catherine Harmon is delighted to be playing Mary Lennox in Out of the Woods' production of THE SECRET GARDEN. Performing in musicals is a very important & frequent part of Catherine’s life. Past favorites roles include Lavender in MATILDA THE MUSICAL and Chenille in JUNIE B. JONES THE MUSICAL. She also enjoys playing indoor & sand volleyball and playing piano. Lastly, she is very excited to perform in THE SECRET GARDEN at Monk Gardens to end her summer!

Anna Jacobson

Colin

Anna Jacobson loves to participate with Out of the Woods Theatre. She recently finished PETER PAN IN THE GARDENS & can’t wait to bring the magic to THE SECRET GARDEN as well. Anna has also participated with Mosinee Community Theatre, Central Wisconsin Children's Theatre, CWETA and DCE Performing Arts. Additionally, she is a student at the Wausau Conservatory. Anna would like to thank her parents for supporting her in her theatrical journey. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Jerry Jones

Capt. Albert Lennox

Jerry Jones has been inspired to live outside of today’s norm by embracing life & living with no regrets. He is grateful for the entire crew for assisting him with this new adventure of life. Although new to the musical scene, Jerry has kept good on his word: never give up. This single father is taking strides on embracing his role & juggling everyday challenges, all while looking forward to a brighter future. He looks forward to entertaining each & every one that walks within his path.

Jaclene Newell

Rose Lennox, Lily's Understudy

Jaclene Newell is delighted to be performing & joining the cast in this production of THE SECRET GARDEN at Monk Botanical Gardens! She has appeared in many other shows in the Wausau area for Out of the Woods Theatre and Wausau Community Theatre since 2016. Some of her favorite credits were performing as an ensemble member in THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Flotsam in THE LITTLE MERMAID. She also had the honor of being cast as Esméralda in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and was Mrs. Kirke in our production of LITTLE WOMEN. Jaclene is grateful to have a large & varied supporting cast in her life (y'all know who you are). She would like to give a special thanks to the director, the music director, the set designer, her acting coach Colin Egglesfield, Miriam, and her variety of vocal coaches from Music Virtu Academy for the wonderful support & training they provide. In addition, she would like to thank her family for putting up with her being absent in the evenings for rehearsals and for taking great care of her dog, Takoda. She hopes you sit back, relax, and enjoy discovering the secrets of the garden.

Shelly Bovet

Lily

Shelly Bovet has enjoyed living in the beautiful greater Wausau area for the past 12 years. She is the mother of six children whom all love music & dance. As the co-founder of the Greater Wausau Children’s Museum, she enjoys volunteering as its Executive Director to give all children in our community the opportunity to learn through play. She is thankful to have returned to music theatre a few years ago and has enjoyed performing in recent shows such as CINDERELLA and PIPPIN with Wausau Community Theatre, in NEWSIES with the Central Wisconsin Children’s Theatre, and in ALL TOGETHER NOW, an area community theatre collaboration between those groups and Mosinee Community Theatre. She has loved music theatre from a very young age & fondly remembers singing lessons with her great-grandmother, who was an opera singer & sang on the radio with her great-grandfather. Shelly has been inspired from her musical theatre friends to try out new roles & is thankful for the support of her family. She is also very excited for this opportunity to play Lily in THE SECRET GARDEN and hopes you will enjoy this sweet story in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Monk Botanical Gardens.

Matt Bacewicz

Archibald Craven

Matt Bacewicz (Archibald Craven) is thrilled to be making his Wisconsin debut with OOTWT. Based in Burlington, VT (but clearly ready to travel!), his favorite roles include: Robert in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY for which he received a Broadway World Best Actor Nomination, Squip in BE MORE CHILL, Willy Wonka in WILLY WONKA, Jamie in THE LAST FIVE YEARS, Trevor Graydon in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, Elle's Dad in LEGALLY BLONDE, Peter in COMPANY, Charles Clarke in TITANIC, and French Officer at the Barricade in LES MISERABLES. Matt has also directed a production of HAIR & is the president of Stowe Theatre Guild in Stowe, Vermont. He is extremely grateful to Ashley, Nellie and Maho; as well as his family & friends (especially life-long friend, Nicole, and Robert) for their unending support.

Mike McKenna

Dr. Neville Craven

This is Mike McKenna’s first show with OOTWT but he has been onstage for several shows over the past nine years with WCT and CWCT. He has also been involved behind the scenes (photos, props, co- and assistant directing) for WCT shows. Mike has enjoyed being part of OOTWT & this cast, and he would like to thank Nicole, Kristine and Ben for their guidance and help through the rehearsal process. Special thanks to Michele, his leading lady in love & life.

River Johnson

Mrs. Medlock

Singing and acting on stage has been a dream of River Johnson's since childhood. Moving from her tiny hometown to Wausau last year, she was able to fulfill her dream by performing in the ensemble as a member of the Troupe of Players in PIPPIN with the Wausau Community Theatre. When not on stage, River enjoys creative writing & drawing. She spends many hours each day writing sci-fi & fantasy stories and drawing their characters. Before moving to Wausau, River traveled often. While she has enjoyed living in the greater Wausau area for the past year, she will travel once again at the completion of this production. River is very grateful for this opportunity to perform in THE SECRET GARDEN and hopes you enjoy its tale of family & growth.

Dale Burgess

Ben Weatherstaff

Dale Burgess is delighted to finally get a chance to work with Out of the Woods Theatre. He has often been seen on local stages as part of various performing groups. He is beginning his second decade as a member of the Centerstage Band & Show Choir which holds its annual free music revue (this year's title - ONLY THE BEST) for the public at Wausau's Grand Theater at the end of September (and is missing rehearsals to be here 😉). On stage he has most recently performed with Central Wisconsin Children's Theatre (CWCT) as Father in their 2019 production of CHILDREN OF EDEN. He is a current board member of CWCT and is excited for their season to open this Thanksgiving (and urges your attendance). Dale has also enjoyed several roles with Wausau Community Theatre (WCT), including doing 1776 twice -- once as Thomas Jefferson then as Richard Henry Lee. WCT is where Dale first started as a youngster, getting to be on stage as an ensemble member in their production of THE MUSIC MAN back in the 1970s. He has been singing, acting (and sometimes tap dancing) locally for almost 50 years and it never gets old. Dale thanks you for attending & being a patron of our local performing arts. "We couldn't do these things we love without you," he says.

Morgan Hoernke

Martha

Morgan Hoernke is going to be a junior at Mosinee High School this upcoming fall. She is excited to play the role Martha and take on a Yorkshire accent in her second Out Of The Woods Theatre production. Morgan started participating in theater at the age of four and has now been in over 30 productions! — most recently in the production of CATS as Electra through CWETA this past winter. She is looking forward to auditioning for her school’s upcoming production of THE MUSIC MAN this fall. In her free time, Morgan plays guitar and works as a lifeguard/swim instructor. Through school, she also involves herself in varsity swim and soccer — all while serving as a WI Deca LC Ambassador and Class President. This show has been a great experience for her as an actor & singer! She hopes you enjoy the show & all of the magic The Secret Garden has to offer!

Brendan Raboin

Dickon

Brendan Raboin is honored to play the role of Dickon in the Out of the Woods production of THE SECRET GARDEN. This is the first production in which Brendan has had to use an accent for a character. He has enjoyed the challenge of speaking Yorkshire. Other shows Brendan has performed in were Wausau Community Theatre's productions of THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Rolf), WEST SIDE STORY (Tony) and LEGALLY BLONDE(Aaron). Brendan wants to thank his family & friends for all their support and hopes you enjoy this haunting/heartwarming show.

Karie McAuliffe

Mrs. Winthrop

Karie McAluliffe is quite excited to have the role of Mrs. Winthrop in THE SECRET GARDEN. She also had the part of Grandma in OOTWT's THANKSGIVING: A PLAY. Karie has been involved in theater since 2011, mainly with WCT. One of her favorite past roles was Mrs. Pugh in ANNIE. She has also performed in FIDDLER ON THE ROOD, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and THE MUSIC MAN as well as SISTER ACT and THE SOUND OF MUSIC (in which she fulfilled her wish to play the part of a nun). She has had a reoccurring role as an old hag in A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Karie gives a special thank you to each of you for coming and supporting us. Karie also extends a special thanks to Nicole for her patience in directing and to Kristine for teaching Karie the difference between a sharp & a flat.

Paul Mathis

Officer, Male Understudy

Paul Mathis is thrilled to be playing the Officer and Major in his first ever production with Out of the Woods Theatre. Before this production, he’s been in CHILDREN OF EDEN as well as working on and off stage in NEWSIES with Central Wisconsin Children's Theatre. Outside of theatre, Paul sang in Handel's MESSIAH, a community choir concert at The Grand Theater. Paul would love to thank his wife, Christy, and his two daughters for all of their support. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Anastasiya Goetz

Reader

This is Anastasiya Goetz's second play with OOTWT. She has also been in theater productions with CWCT, Wausau West and the Penguin Project. Her favorite roles include Belle in DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, JR. and Tessa the orphan in ANNIE. Ana is a Wausau West graduate and looking forward to attending NTC this fall. She thanks you for attending this performance.

Nicole Stephens

Director, Costumer, Set Designer, Props Mistress, Hair Stylist, Theatre Manager

Nicole Stephens wears many hats in theatre. She has performed onstage as well as directed, costumed, choreographed & written plays. She's also Out of the Woods Theatre's manager and, when she's not doing production work, she's busy at her salon, Brush & Bashful, as a professional stylist & makeup artist. She's also used her cosmetology skills to design and create hair & makeup looks for a variety of shows from BEAUTY & THE BEAST to OLIVER! Favorite past onstage roles include Babette in BEAUTY & THE BEAST, Dinah in SOUTH PACIFIC, The Witch in INTO THE WOODS, Lady Shirley in MARIAN, OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBINHOOD, and Elle's Mom & the Judge in LEGALLY BLONDE. Her favorite past shows to have directed are THE HOLIDAY CHANNEL CHRISTMAS MOVIE WONDERTHON, THANKSGIVING: A PLAY and LITTLE WOMEN. She's won several OOTWT Woods Awards for Direction & Costuming. Nicole is incredibly thankful to her husband, Bob, and her daughter, Sidney, for all their love & support with her theatre endeavors.

Kristine Lato

Music Director, Pianist

Kristine Lato is the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Anne in Wausau. She is also the owner of Concepts in Music where she has taught private piano & voice lessons for 23 years. She directed the music for THE LITTLE MERMAID and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE for Mosinee Community Theatre. She has also served as Musical Director for Wittenberg High School since 2019. Kristine is very excited for her first production with Out of the Woods Theatre. THE SECRET GARDEN was supposed to happen in 2020 just as Covid was breaking, so she is very happy to help finally bring it to life. She lives with her husband & two boys in Wausau.

Benjamin Freyer

Assistant Director Student Intern

Benjamin Freyer is extremely passionate about theater & the arts and is majoring in Film at UW-Milwaukee in Fall 2022. This is Ben's third show with Out of the Woods Theatre. Some of Ben's favorite past roles have been Audrey II in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and Samuel Chase in 1776. Ben is thankful to Nicole for this amazing opportunity & he hopes you enjoy the show.

Beth Wawrzaszek

Choreographer

Beth Wawrzaszek has been dancing for 20 years and choreographing for four. She is excited to choreograph for Out of the Woods Theatre again! Previously she choreographed A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. She has also choreographed a variety of shows for University of Wisconsin-Marathon County and Mosinee Community Theatre!

Bob Stephens

Set Construction

Bob Stephens is Nicole's husband and frequently gets dragged into doing set construction for her productions despite her numerous promises that it's the last time. (She just can't trust anyone else to do it right and read her set design mind, translating her doodles into real life.) He always begrudgingly helps out, though, and is an important part of OOTWT's production & team. When not being coerced into theatre projects, Bob enjoys muskie fishing and expanding his ever-growing movie collection.

Allegra Coolidge

Hair Stylist

Allegra Coolidge is a stylist in the Wausau area. She was born & raised in Waukesha and I fell in love with the creativity & simplicity of Wausau over the years. When Allegra decided she wanted to be a stylist, she decided she wanted to make hair fun, approachable & easy. "When you join me in the salon, you will find that the way we consult about color, choose your cut & finish your style is completely different than anything you have ever experienced before," she explains. "Instead of having gorgeous hair only on the day you sit in my chair, I will set you up for eight weeks of success between visits with my styling trainings & coaching." On the weekends, you can find Allegra walking Rib Mountain with her beagle pup, Oscar, or kayaking on Lake Wausau. If you have any weekend event suggestions, bring them to your appointment because she's all ears and happy to share her top picks too! On weeknights, she loves to curl up with a glass of sangria & a juicy mystery novel.

Joseph Mielke

Stagehand

Donors

Artista! Entertainment

Central Wisconsin Children's Theatre

Wausau Community Theatre

Support for this project was provided through the Community Arts Grant Program of the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, with funds provided by the Wisconsin Arts Board, a state agency, the Community Foundation and the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation.

Sponsors