THE SECRET GARDEN Will Continue Development at 5th Avenue Before Broadway Bow

The Secret Garden, in a sensational new staging created in partnership between The 5th Avenue Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., ended an extended run on Sunday on the East Coast, and will blossom on The 5th Avenue stage in time for spring (April 14 - May 6, 2017).

Featuring Tony Award winner Daisy Eagan with The 5th Avenue Theatre Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong at the helm, the show will undergo continued revisions in Seattle as it makes its way to a Broadway revival.

Twenty-five years after her Broadway debut in the critically acclaimed show that cemented her place in Tony history as the youngest female recipient of the award for Best Actress, Daisy Eagan returns to the garden. Of her performance in the role of Martha, The Washington Post said, "In a show that's all about rebirth and renewal, it's appropriate that Eagan's light maternal touch as Martha feels like the most natural performance of the night."

"It is such a privilege to be a part of this show's journey back to Broadway," Armstrong said. "The 5th Avenue Theatre has an incredible history of producing new musicals that have made their way to New York, starting with Hairspray. We are excited to put this production in front of our smart and savvy Seattle audiences, and let their experience inform the continued development of this magical show."

The Secret Garden was created by Grammy Award-winning composer Lucy Simon and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman. The show's lush, melodic score and moving story of love, loss and renewal earned the 1991 Tony Award for Best Musical and won the hearts of its audiences. With this production, Simon and Norman are returning to their much-beloved musical to refine it for contemporary audiences.

The Secret Garden plays April 14-May 6 (press opening Thursday, April 20) at The 5th Avenue Theatre (1308 5th Avenue, Seattle). Tickets start at $36 and may be purchased at www.5thavenue.org, by phone at 206-625-1900, or at the Box Office at 1308 5th Avenue, in downtown Seattle.

The Secret Garden features a creative team including Scenic Designer Anna Louizos (Broadway: School of Rock, The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Tony Award nominee, In the Heights - Tony Award nominee), Costume Designer Ann Hould-Ward (Broadway: Beauty and the Beast - Tony Award winner, Into the Woods - Tony Award nominee, Sunday in the Park with George - Tony Award nominee), Lighting Designer Mike Baldassari (Broadway: Cabaret - Tony Award nominee, First Date), Sound Designer Justin Stasiw (Broadway: Something Rotten - associate sound designer, It's Only a Play - associate sound designer), Music Director, Supervisor, Conductor and Arranger Rick Fox (Broadway: Jesus Christ Superstar, Dr. Zhivago) and Orchestrator Christopher Jahnke (Broadway: Legally Blonde, LES MISERABLES, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess - Tony Award nominee).

The run at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington D.C. was a critical hit for the company with a full week's extension of performances. D.C. Metro Theatre Arts called it a "truly a special and thoroughly delightful production." Maryland Theatre Guide raved "The Secret Garden is a must-see for adults and children alike. Exquisitely acted and sung, with captivating sets, eerie lighting, and authentic period costumes, all the components of the show work together to support the message of The Secret Garden that hope and renewal are possible even after shattering grief and loss." Broadwayworld.com reported "David Armstrong's production of this gorgeous show at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) satisfied this now grown up fan of Frances Hodgson Burnett's original 1910 novel and the subsequent 1991 musical... this production of The Secret Garden excels in nearly every way." Theatrmania.com said "Hopefully many more people will take pleasure in this new version of Simon and Norman's adaptation, appreciating their obvious delight in both nature and nurture and their determination to look for beauty in the least likely of places.

The non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre is the nation's premier incubator for new musical theater. Since 2001, the Seattle-based company has produced 17 new musicals. To date, nine (including the sensational hit Disney's Aladdin) have moved on to Broadway premieres, earning a combined 15 Tony Awards, including two for Best Musical (Hairspray and Memphis). The 5th Avenue Theatre is also known for its world class, critically acclaimed productions of musicals chosen from both the contemporary canon and the Golden Age of Broadway.

Unique in its Chinese-inspired design, this exquisite theater opened in 1926 as a venue for vaudeville and film. Today, under the leadership of Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong, Managing Director Bernadine C. Griffin and Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry, this non-profit theater company attracts an annual attendance of more than 300,000, including over 25,000 subscribers-one of the largest theater subscriptions in North America.

In addition to its main stage productions, The 5th Avenue Theatre is also committed to encouraging the next generation of theatergoers through its extensive educational outreach programs.

Photo Credit: Scott Suchman