The Secret Garden

Emma Harmon is a must-see as Mary Lennox in "The Secret Garden." Harmon is sullen, charming, lonely and quite precocious. Her delivery, including British accent are impeccable, as is her singing. She has the poise of a veteran performer. The show is filled with talented, experienced performers who provide excellent support.

Mary is in India with her parents. Cholera wipes out the entire Lennox family, save Mary. She is left an abandoned orphan. Soldiers discover Mary and she is sent to her only living relatives, Archibald Craven (Aron Shanley) and his jealous brother, Dr. Neville Craven (Cody Sims). Neville is charged with treating Archibald's sickly son, Colin (Maxwell Claydon).

Archibald desires to resolve all of the family conflicts but he cannot bring himself to remain in the mansion and flees to Paris because every time he sees Mary he is reminded of his deceased wife, Lily (Kelly Albright). Every time he sees Mary he sees, "Lily's Eyes." Shanley and Sims team for the hauntingly, operatic duet. Shanley and Sims are a bit wooden in their acting, especially Shanley, but their vocal performances are outstanding.

Mary is lonely. She has no one to talk to except Martha (Cherity Harchis), the good-natured chamber maid charged with Mary's care. Mary is also curious. "Are there spirits or ghosts?" she asks. Hearing the sounds of wailing each night and supposing it to be ghosts, she explores the grounds by day and the mansion by night. Harchis is delightfully ebullient as Mary's caregiver.

In search of the nightly wailing, Mary finds Colin, Archibald's bedridden son, who says, "I don't see anyone and no one sees me." Archibald rarely visits Colin either because he reminds him of Lily since she died giving birth to the boy.

Colin's protestations quickly give way as Mary strikes up a friendship with him. Colin insists he is soon to die. Mary responds to his declaration, "I've seen lots of dead people and you don't look like any of them."

Claydon also has great chemistry with Mary. It is never more evident than the number "Round-Shouldered Man," as the two sit on the bed and read a story together while singing. The facial expressions and actions of the two during the number genuinely portray a budding friendship between a young boy and girl. The scenes where the two argue are electric.

The haunted Misselthwaite Manor, Mary's new home, is both magical and frightening. Movable set pieces such as walls, shrubbery and picture frames create a mystical haunted garden and mansion. A fog machine and choreography featuring swirling Dreamer ballroom dancers in formal gowns and dress create a surreal atmosphere.

Alone, Mary finds solace in the garden. When she finds the key she plots a visit to the forbidden garden. Mary is warned, "Just stay out of the garden." However, Lily's ghost beckons, "Come to My Garden."

Mary cannot contain her curiosity. She visits the garden only to discover it is overgrown with vines and appears to be dead. "There's a lot of things that looks dead," says Dickon (Jordan Mazzocato), a local lad who befriends Mary. Dickon reminds Mary of the promise of spring. Mazzocato is like a living bluebird on Mary's shoulder. His singing and dancing evoke the image in "Winter's on the Wing."

For her birthday, Mary's only request is "A Bit of Earth," to have a garden. Archibald wants to grant Mary's every request, but he is tortured by the mere sight of her so he flees to Paris. Meanwhile his brother Neville dreams about how he would be the master of the grounds should his brother and Mary, "Disappear."

Just as Mary is beginning to feel at home at Misselthwaite, she faces being sent away by Craven. Having found the key to the garden, she enters it but it is nearly dead. But through the magic of spring and the secret tending of the garden by Ben (Robert Langford), the gardener, the garden springs back to life. The bright flowers of the garden are quite aesthetically pleasing as the walls of the set are draped with them.

Even though Mary has found the secret garden and made numerous friends she still faces being sent away by Dr. Craven. Martha suggests she write a letter to Archibald explaining how she feels. Torn, Archibald finally returns home to try to thwart his brother shipping Mary off to boarding school.

"The Secret Garden" runs through Nov. 21 at The Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, 1771 Circle Center Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89134. For tickets or information, call 702-878-7529 or email [email protected].