The Secret Garden Audition #2 (Adults)

Hendersonville Performing Arts Company is ecstatic to announce auditions for The Secret Garden!! 

Based on the beloved novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden is a sweeping and heartfelt musical about healing, hope, and the transformative power of love. When young Mary Lennox is sent to live with her reclusive uncle in a mysterious English manor, she discovers a hidden, neglected garden...and with it, the possibility of new life for herself and those around her. Guided by unforgettable music by Lucy Simon and lyrics by Marsha Norman, this enchanting story follows Mary as she uncovers long-buried secrets, forms unexpected friendships, and helps bring a broken family back to life. Lush, emotional, and inspiring, The Secret Garden is a timeless theatrical experience for all ages.

We look forward to meeting you all at auditions!

Production Team: 

Director: Grant Collins

Music Director: Trey Lundquist

Assistant Director: Lauren Proctor

Stage Manager: Katie Woytach

Choreographer: Cat Umano

Costumer: Kelly Phillips and Captain Sandella

Please see full details below:

Performance Dates:

15 shows over 3 weekends

Thursdays: Dec 3, Dec 10, Dec 17 - 7:30pm

Fridays: Dec 4, Dec 11, Dec 18 - 7:30pm

Saturdays: Dec 5, Dec 12, Dec 19 - 2:00pm & 7:30pm

Sundays: Dec 6, Dec 13, Dec 20 - 2:00pm

Please note the Dec 6th performance will be moved to 6pm to accommodate for the Hendersonville Christmas parade. 

Possible rehearsal schedule will be available at auditions. 

• Rehearsals will begin with a full cast read thru and sing thru on Sunday, October 11. 

• Pending cast/team availability, rehearsals will be Sunday afternoons and then Monday - Wednesday night during the week. 

• We will switch to full week rehearsals during Tech Week. In observance of Thanksgiving we will have Thursday, Friday, Saturday off and resume rehearsal that Sunday. 

Audition #2 - for All Adult Roles and Dickon 19 years old and up. 

October 5th and 6th

Location: HPAC - 260 W Main St. Suite #204, Hendersonville, TN 37075. Please see the link below for directions to the audition room. 

Callbacks: October 7th 

*Please note that not all roles will be called back and you may still be cast in the show even if you don't come to callbacks* 

Audition Requirements: 

• Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your slot to complete an audition form.

• Prepare 1 song (45 secs to a minute) in the style of the show. Bring clearly marked sheet music or a backing track, acapella auditions will not be accepted. 

• Come prepared to read one of the monologues below. Memorization is not required. 

• Headshot and resume can be uploaded when signing up for an audition time. 

• Come prepared with your conflicts from October 11th  through November 29th to list on the audition form. Please be thorough; some conflicts can be scheduled around if we know ahead of time. No tech week or performance conflicts will be accepted.

Video Auditions: We will be accepting video submissions for those who can’t attend the in-person auditions. In person is the preference but we will make accommodations for those who cannot attend.  Video auditions with your prepared song and one of the monologues below (no need to memorize) will need to be sent in by midnight on October 5th at secretgardenhpac@gmail.com

ROLES -

Ages listed refers to age of character and do not reflect on age of actor. All races, genders, and ages encouraged. If auditioning for DICKON, MARTHA, BEN, and MRS. MEDLOCK, a Yorkshire/Northern British accent is encouraged. Received Pronunciation British accent (stereotypical upper class British accent) encouraged for rest of the cast. 

NOTE: The Secret Garden is a story that has themes including death, trauma, and grief. Parents of minors should be advised that these heavy themes will be addressed and take their child’s emotional well-being in mind in auditioning for roles, particularly for the role of MARY.

LILY - 28-38 (Range: Soprano, Bb3-D6) Mary's aunt and Archibald Craven's wife. Died of a tragic accident within her garden and haunts the walls of Misselthwaite Manor. A passionate woman who followed her own instincts, she reaches from beyond the grave to ensure the happiness of those she cares for.

MRS. MEDLOCK - 45 - 60 Housekeeper at the Manor. Very firm and no-nonsense. No singing required.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

DR. NEVILLE CRAVEN - 25 - 45 Baritone C3 - F#4 Archibald's brother, a doctor who takes care of Colin and held an unrequited love for Lily. The antagonist of the story, he abandoned his practice when Lily died to become Colin’s caretaker, and the situation devolved into a kind of Munchasen by proxy, with him clutching onto the care of Colin as his last line to Lily. We are looking for a strong vocalist who can also deeply explore the intense grief and find humanity in a character that may sometimes come across as unsympathetic. The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.  

MARTHA - 16 - 20 Mezzo F3 - D5 A Yorkshire maid working at the Manor. No nonsense and wise beyond her years, she is Mary’s first friend when she comes to Misselthwaite Manor. While we are looking for a good vocalist, we want a very strong character actor for this role, but not a caricature.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

ARCHIBALD CRAVEN - 35-45 (Range: Baritone, C3-A4) Mary’s uncle and lord of Misselthwaite Manor. He has a hunchback. Haunted by the past and afraid of the future, he locks himself away both physically and mentally. Mary painfully reminds him too much of his wife, Lily, who died ten years ago. The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required. 

BEN WEATHERSTAFF - 55 - 75 Baritone E3 - D#4 Head gardener who has been around the Manor for many years. Deeply cared for Lily and takes Mary and Colin under his wing. Ornery at times, but very sweet. Needs to be comfortable with singing and a strong character actor.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

DICKON - 13 - 24 Tenor C3 - G4 Martha's younger brother, he looks after the plants and animals at the Manor. Spunky, slightly rebellious, and excited about life, he introduces Mary to the magic of the garden. Will need to be a strong vocalist, but also have a lot of whimsy and almost elf like qualities.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

MRS. WINTHROP - 25 - 55 Headmistress at a private school. Very strict and abrasive, but unable to handle the irrepressible Mary Lennox. No singing required.

The Following characters, referred to collectively as the Dreamers, are people from Mary's life in India, who haunt her until she finds her new life in the course of the story. They are free to sing directly to us, appearing and disappearing at will.

ROSE LENNOX - 25 - 35 Soprano A3 - D6 Mary's mother. Never understood how Lily could love Archibald. She means well but was ill-equipped to be a mother. Strong vocalist required.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

CAPTAIN ALBERT LENNOX - 28 - 40 Tenor D3 - A5 Mary's father. Deeply cares about his wife and daughter. Strong vocalist required.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

ALICE - 25-35, Mezzo Rose’s friend. Strong vocalist. 

FAKIR - 20 - 40 countertenor, tenor, or alto An itinerant Hindu ascetic of South Asian or Indian descent. Strong vocalist. We are prioritizing South Asian/Indian actors for this role.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

AYAH - mezzo soprano/alto - 20-40. Mary's nanny, of South Asian or Indian descent. We are prioritizing South Asian/Indian actors for this role.  The role will require working with the child actors in multiple scenes, so being comfortable working with children is required.

LIEUTENANT WRIGHT - 28-40, Baritone/Tenor Officer in Mary’s father’s unit. Strong vocalist. 

LIEUTENANT SHAW - 28-50, Baritone/Tenor Fellow Officer. Strong vocalist. 

MAJOR SHELLEY - 28-50, Officer. No singing required.

MRS. SHELLEY - 28-50 Major Shelley’s wife. No singing required. 

MAJOR HOLMES - 28-50, Baritone/Tenor Officer. Strong vocalist. 

CLAIRE HOLMES - 25-50, Mezzo Major Holmes’ wife. Strong vocalist. 

ENSEMBLE - servants, soldiers, townspeople 

Audition Monologues. Read any one you’d like. Memorization is not required. Accents are encouraged. Have fun, take chances, go for it. 

MRS MEDLOCK (Yorkshire): He’s a hunchback you see, and a sour young man

he was, and got no good of all his money and big place til he were married. Her

name was Lily, And she was a sweet, pretty young thing and he’d have walked

the world over to get her the blade of grass that she wanted. Nobody thought

she’d marry him, but marry him she did, and it wasn’t for his money either. But

then when she died it made him worse than ever.

MARTHA (Yorkshire): Canna tha’ dress thyself, then? Well then, it’ll do tha;

good to wait on theysel’ a bit. Tis fair a wonder grand folks children don’t turn out

fair fools, bein’ washed and took out to walk like they was puppies. I’ll help you

on with your clothes this time, if you like.You just pretend you’re back in India,

and I’m your servant, and you just give me that yellow foot. My brother Dickon

goes off and plays on the moors for hours. He’s got a pony that’s made friends

with them, and birds and sheep and such as eats right out of his hand.

ARCHIBALD (Standard British): Yes. Well.Quite natural that you should wonder

that. (a moment) We bury them. We put their things away, we remember things

they said. We… talk to them sometimes… in our minds, of course… And then

one morning, when we think we’re over them at last, we find ourselves in the

ballroom, knowing full well we have been here all night, and we draw the painful

conclusion we have been dancing with them again. They’re not gone, you see.

Just dead.

BEN (Yorkshire): That’s the one, missy. That it is. That was Miss Lily’s garden.

When she died, your Uncle Archibald locked the door, and said nobody was ever

to go in that garden again, and buried the key. And now the ivy’s grown up over

the door such that I don’t even know where it is now. If I so much as set foot in

there…I can’t go losin’ my job on the advice of a bird, now can I? And the same

goes for you. Your Uncle Archie is gone most of the time, missy, and who’s to say

what might happen if he weren’t here to stop it.

DICKON (Yorkshire): You want to go in the garden where the Robin lives? Well,

you have to understand, he’s makin’ his nest. And he can’t afford to have you

interferin’ if you’re not friendly. What he thinks, is that you’re lookin’ for a nest

yourself, only it looks to him like your nest would have to be pretty big. It’s not

mine to go into, Mary. But it might be yours, I can’t say. He’s been keepin’ it safe

for somebody, that much I know. But maybe the robin is waitin’ to hear why you

want to go in there exactly. Bein’ as he’s got the safest nestin’ spot in all England,

he’s wise to be wary.

DR. CRAVEN (Standard British): Archie, I’m so pleased. I’ve finally located a

suitable school for Mary. She needs the company of other children. Particularly

after a tragedy such as this. This is no house for a child. What will she have to do

here? Wander the halls? And if you continue to feel you cannot live here, then

leave. You were happy once before. In Paris. You’re still a young man. There is

no reason you can’t go. What good does it do to sit by the boy’s bed, night after

night, hoping for a miracle? When Lily died, I gave up my practice, but I did not

give up my responsibility to you, Archie. I cannot allow you to waste your life

waiting for the inevitable end. I cannot.

ROSE (Standard British): You can’t marry this Archibald. He’s a gloomy

miserable cripple who hides himself away in that horrible house. You’ve said it

yourself, he can’t believe you love him, and neither can I! If you don’t care what

happen to you, think about your children. Do you want your children to be

crippled as well?

LILY (Standard British): No one is asking for your approval, Rose. I will marry

him. Now that I love him, I will live for him. Live just to love him. He’s just shy,

Rose. I think Archie has the tenderest heart I’ve ever known. I will never leave

him. How can I leave him? I will never leave him, nor e’er deceive him. Rose, I

promised never to leave him. I am thinking of the children.