Sierra Boggess to Star in THE SECRET GARDEN at the Ahmanson Theatre in February 2023

Drama Desk and Drama League nominee Sierra Boggess will lead the cast of "The Secret Garden," as Lily, Mary's aunt and Archibald Craven's wife, which will play at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre February 19 through March 26, 2023. Reimagined for a new generation by the original creators, Tony® Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman and Grammy Award®-winning composer Lucy Simon. Opening is set for February 26, 2023, and single tickets are on sale November 2, 2022.

This magical production 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.

"I am so incredibly thrilled to play Lily once again in our production of 'The Secret Garden.' Warren Carlyle has breathed such life into, I think, one of the most iconic stories of our time; love and loss, death and rebirth, innocence, and healing," said Boggess. "What I love about Lily is that even from the grave she won't give up until there is healing for those that can't find their way. With one of the most beautiful scores ever written by our beloved Lucy Simon, I hope to honor her with every note and give the world this story that we are so in need of at this time."

This revival production based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett of the same name will include book and lyrics by Marsha Norman, music by Lucy Simon, direction and choreography by Warren Carlyle and music direction by Rob Berman.

"The feedback we received from the theatre community and our audiences about a new revival of 'The Secret Garden' at the Ahmanson has been overwhelming," explained Center Theatre Group Producing Director Douglas C. Baker. "As we produce this beloved musical with its dreamy, iconic score and beautiful book, we can't help but to think of the late Lucy Simon, who will sadly not be with us on opening night. We are truly honored to be able to pay tribute to Lucy and mark her legacy when the curtain rises."

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 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 in children's theatre. 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 a win for Daisy Eagan, who is the youngest female recipient of a Tony Award to date 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 November 2 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.

Sierra Boggess

(Lily) has been seen on Broadway in the Tony nominated musical "School Of Rock," "It Shoulda Been You" directed by David Hyde Pierce, two separate engagements of the Broadway production of "The Phantom of the Opera" (the first for the show's 25th Anniversary and the second opposite Norm Lewis), the revival of "Master Class" (opposite Tyne Daly) and "The Little Mermaid" (Drama Desk and Drama League nominations, Broadway.com Audience Choice Award).

London theatre credits include "Les Misérables," the 25th-anniversary concerts of "The Phantom of the Opera" at Royal Albert Hall and "Love Never Dies" (Olivier Award nomination).

Other New York theatre credits include the recent Off-Broadway production of Barry Manilow's "Harmony," Manhattan Concert Productions' "The Secret Garden" at Lincoln Center; the one-night-only concert of "Guys & Dolls" at Carnegie Hall opposite Nathan Lane, Patrick Wilson and Megan Mullally; the final Off-Broadway cast of "Love, Loss, and What I Wore;" and "Music in the Air" for City Center's Encores! series. She also starred as Christine Daae in the Las Vegas production of "The Phantom of the Opera." Regionally, she has been seen in "A Little Night Music" (Barrington Stage), "Into The Woods" (Hollywood Bowl), "Ever After" (Alliance Theatre), "Age of Innocence" (world premiere, Hartford Stage and McCarter Theatre), "Princesses" (world premiere, Goodspeed Opera House and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre), and the national tour of "Les Misérables."

Film and television credits include "Vulture Club" with Susan Sarandon and the web series "What's Your Emergency," directed by Michael Urie.

Her recordings include "School Of Rock, It Shoulda Been You," the 25th-anniversary concert of "The Phantom of the Opera" (also on DVD), the symphonic recording of "Love Never Dies," "The Little Mermaid," and Andrew Lippa's "A Little Princess." Concert appearances include the BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall, Lincoln Center's American Songbook series "The Lyrics of David Zippel," The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, and Broadway by the Year at Town Hall. Sierra has toured all over the world across Australia, Japan, Paris, and London with her concert show, which has been preserved live and released on CD, "Awakening: Live at 54 Below." She recently released an album of duets with Julian Ovenden made during the pandemic entitled "Together At A Distance." sierraboggess.com