Sadie Reynolds Joins Sierra Boggess Led THE SECRET GARDEN at at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre

Sadie Reynolds, an 11-year-old Los Angeles resident has been cast as Mary Lennox, the adventurous 10-year-old lead in "The Secret Garden," a role Daisy Egan made famous when she became the youngest female recipient of a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Sadie has been added to the previously announced Drama Desk and Drama League nominee Sierra Boggess, with more casting to be announced at a later date. "The Secret Garden" will play at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre February 19 through March 26, 2023.

This magical musical follows the young, orphaned Mary Lennox as she's sent from her home in India to live with her reclusive uncle on his haunted English country estate. Guided by an exceptionally beautiful score, audiences will be swept away with Mary's unapologetic curiosity as she is joined with the help of unlikely companions sending her on a thrilling quest to untangle the pieces of her family's past and, most importantly - discover herself.

"Just to step on the Ahmanson stage is going to mean the world to me. I've loved musical theatre for as long as I can remember, and to be doing it for real is going to be amazing," said Reynolds. "I feel really happy; I never thought when I first saw 'The Prom' [at the Ahmanson Theatre] that I would get this role on the same stage two months later."

"The Secret Garden" director and choreographer Warren Carlyle shared, "Mary Lennox is such a cherished role for so many children. We had an extensive casting process on both coasts and Sadie's strength of character, paired with her vibrant singing voice and her bubbly personality made her the perfect and only choice for this role. I am so happy to give Sadie her stage debut, and so excited for audiences to see her shine in 'The Secret Garden.'"

Developed for a new generation by the original creators, Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman and Grammy Award®-winning composer Lucy Simon "The Secret Garden" will open February 26, 2023 and tickets are now currently on sale.

This revival production will include book and lyrics by Marsha Norman, music by Lucy Simon, and direction and choreography by Warren Carlyle. Nominated for seven Tony Awards and winner of Best Book of a Musical as well as two Drama Desk Awards, this enchanting musical is based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's turn-of-the-century tale about understanding and compassion. Time Magazine hailed the original production as "elegant, entrancing... The best American musical of the Broadway season," while USA Today called it "a splendid, intelligent musical... It's all you can hope for. But the best surprise is that this show is the most adult new musical of the season."

"The Secret Garden" had its world premiere in 1989 as a Virginia Stage Company production at the Wells Theatre in Norfolk, Virginia. It then premiered on Broadway in 1991 winning three Tony Awards including Daisy Eagan's win for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. "The Secret Garden" went on to be produced all over the world including Australia and in the UK by The Royal Shakespeare Company breaking box office records before a West End run. The production is a favorite among many local and regional theatres.

Tickets for "The Secret Garden" are on sale now and start at $40. They will be available through CenterTheatreGroup.org, Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Offices (at the Ahmanson Theatre) at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012. Performances run Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading nonprofit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, and in collaboration with the four Associate Artistic Directors, Lindsay Allbaugh, Tyrone Davis, Neel Keller and Kelley Kirkpatrick, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1,600 to 2,100-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation's leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics, and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

Sadie Brickman Reynolds

(Mary Lennox) is a joyous 11-year-old and an old soul at heart. A Los Angeles native, she is a sixth grader at a performing arts middle school. She also attends the Conservatory of Fine Arts through LAUSD's gifted and talented program. Local theatre performances include "Annie" and "Aladdin." Sadie enjoys voiceovers and dubbing; recent roles include Tess the Crane in "Thomas the Train" and Dalimi in "Doremi Dalimi." In her free time, Sadie enjoys singing, dancing, playing with her seven-year-old beatboxing brother Hudson, cuddling with her two cats July and August, and creating Toca videos on her YouTube channel (TocaSadie). She loves to write and is drafting her own sequel to "Wicked" (her goal is to work with Idina Menzel). She hails from a family of performing artists and wishes to thank her mom and dad for their love, support, and guidance. Thanks also to Michael Donovan, Warren Carlyle, Rob Berman and Center Theatre Group for this amazing opportunity to play Mary Lennox. It is an absolute dream come true and Sadie is savoring every moment of it! sadiereynolds.com

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