The Secret Garden in Concert
Book and Lyrics by Marsha Norman
Music by Lucy Simon
Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
January 8 – 17, 2027
Madden Theater
North Central College, 171 Chicago Ave. in Naperville
A timeless story of hope, healing, and renewal comes to life in this special concert presentation of The Secret Garden.
Based on the beloved novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this enchanting musical follows young Mary Lennox as she uncovers a hidden garden and, in the process, helps restore the lives of those around her. As long-buried secrets are revealed, a forgotten world blossoms once again.
Featuring one of the most beautiful scores in musical theatre, this concert event highlights the soaring music, rich characters, and emotional storytelling that have made The Secret Garden a favorite of audiences for generations.
Heartfelt, inspiring, and filled with unforgettable melodies, this cherished musical reminds us that even after the darkest winters, new life can bloom.
MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Book Writer & Lyricist
Composer
Director/Artistic Director
Music Director
MARSHA NORMAN Book Writer & Lyricist
Marsha Norman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, librettist, and screenwriter whose work has earned some of theatre’s highest honors. She won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize, Drama Desk Award, and Blackburn Prize for her landmark play ‘night, Mother. Her musical theatre credits include the Tony Award-winning book for The Secret Garden and the Tony-nominated book for The Color Purple.
Norman’s work spans stage, film, and television, including writing for HBO’s In Treatment, for which she received a Peabody Award. Other notable plays include Getting Out, Traveler in the Dark, and The Master Butcher’s Singing Club. Her screenwriting credits include the film adaptation of ‘night, Mother and numerous television movies.
A respected educator and advocate for playwrights, Norman served as co-chair of the Playwriting Department at The Juilliard School and as a leader within the Dramatists Guild of America. She has received numerous lifetime achievement honors for her extraordinary contributions to American theatre.
LUCY SIMON Composer
Lucy Simon was an acclaimed composer whose gift for transforming words into music began in childhood when she set a poem to melody for a school assignment. As part of a folk-singing duo with her sister, Carly Simon, she recorded that song, “Wynken, Blynken and Nod,” which became a chart hit.
Simon made Broadway history with The Secret Garden, becoming only the third woman to compose the score for a Broadway musical. The beloved production earned her a Tony Award nomination and remains one of the most cherished musicals of its generation. Her many honors include Grammy Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and the 2018 Samuel French Award for Sustained Excellence in American Theater.
Her additional work includes the Broadway musical Doctor Zhivago, as well as award-winning music for film and television. Throughout her career, Simon was celebrated for her ability to create deeply emotional musical landscapes that continue to resonate with audiences worldwide.
JEFFREY CASS Director/Artistic Director
Jeffrey Cass is a Joseph Jefferson Award Nominee and Lou Award Recipient, has successfully directed over 30 Productions for BrightSide Theatre, most recently Chess in Concert, A Little Night Music and Gypsy. He also played “Edna” in BST’s production of Hairspray. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater Performance from Roosevelt University. He previously served as the Producing Director for Circle Theatre where he directed 8 Productions including The Who’s Tommy (6 Joseph Jefferson Nominations including Best Musical and Best Director).
PHIL VIDECKIS Music Director
is classically trained at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. At BrightSide he has musically directed The Rocky Horror Show, Pippin, Jekyll & Hyde in Concert, and Jesus Christ Superstar. In recent years, Mr. Videckis has become involved in musical theater, working with local middle schools, high schools, and community theater groups, music directing and/or accompanying shows like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, City of Angels in Concert, and Gypsy.