Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 2/3/99
Contact: Christina Chapple 98
CAST ANNOUNCED FOR SLU OPERA'S THE SECRET GARDEN
HAMMOND -- The cast has been announced for the Southeastern Louisiana University
Opera-Music Theatre Program's production of the hit Broadway musical The Secret Garden.
Adapted from Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved children's classic by playwrite Marsha
Norman and composer-singer Lucy Simon, the Tony Award-winning show will be performed
March 17-20 at Pottle Music Building Auditorium. Tickets -- $5 general admission; Southeastern
students free with I.D. -- will be available only at the door.
The Secret Garden tell the story of an 11-year-old girl, orphaned in India by cholera, who
is sent to Yorkshire to live with her only relatives an embittered, reclusive uncle and his invalid
10-year-old son. The uncle's estate includes a magic locked garden. Flashbacks, dream
sequences, a strolling chorus of ghosts, and what Time Magazine called "some of the most
beautiful music ever written for the Broadway stage" dramatize The Secret Garden's compelling
tale of regeneration.
Four area young people will share the lead roles of orphaned Mary and her invalid cousin,
Colin. Director Larry Gray has cast 12-year-old Blair Abene of Tickfaw and 16-year-old Kay
Nunmaker of Covington as Mary. The role of Colin will be played by Teddy Boone, 12, of
Covington and Simon Pfeil, 13, of Hammond.
Abene is a student at Holy Ghost School in Hammond and the daughter of Gay and Joe
Abene. Nunmaker and Boone both attend Northlake Christian School in Covington. Nunmaker is
the daughter of Mike and Lynn Nunmaker; Boone is the son of Teddy and Cleon Boone. Pfiel is
the son of Pete and Anna Pfeil. Pete Pfeil is Southeastern's technical director and lighting
designer for The Secret Garden and Anna Pfeil will coordinate the production's costumes.
The cast also includes James Roberts of San Diego, Calif., as Archibald, Mary's brooding
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THE SECRET GARDEN CAST Add One
uncle, and David Louviere of Baton Rouge as Archibald's brother, Dr. Neville Craven. Jennifer
Odom of Moselle, Miss., has the role of Lily, Colin's dead mother. Rita Dottor of Saute St.
Marie, Canada, is Martha, the maid who befriends lonely Mary, and Nick Constantino of
Covington is Mary's brother, Dickon. Lindsey King of Slidell is the housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock,
and George Montalbano of Independence is the head gardener, Ben.
Also cast are Kenya Lawrence of Hammond, Jane; Erin Perdue of Prairieville, Nurse
Betsy; Rondell Parker of Geismar, Timothy; Nicole Aucoin of Bourg, Mrs. Winthrop, and
Melissa LeBlanc of Gonzales, Mrs. Shelly.
"Dreamer" ghosts of those who died of cholera are Kyle Jones of Bogalusa, Fakir;
Amber Klein of Gonzales, Ayah; Amanda Tarver of Prairieville, Rose Lennox; Matt Ragas of
LaPlace, Captain Lennox; Christopher Talley of Sun, Lt. Wright; Peter Simon of Hammond, Lt.
Shaw; Keith James of Baton Rouge, Major Holmes; Susan Buller of Jeanerette, Claire Holmes;
Jennifer White of Slidell, Mrs. Williams, and Heidi Cohenour of Cedar Hill, Texas, Alice.
Opera-Music Theatre Program director Scharmal Schrock is production coordinator and
vocal coach and her music department colleague Frank Dubuy will conduct the orchestra. Set
design is by Steve Schepker of the communication and theatre department and lighting design by
Pete Pfeil. Chuck Effler of Hammond is coach and pianist, assisted by Svetlana Marr of Slidell.
Avril Font of Hammond will serve as diction coach and choreography is by Heather Breland of
Abita Springs. Erin Hopson of Denham Springs is stage manager.
For additional information about Southeastern's production of "The Secret Garden,"call
the music department, 504-549-2184.
- SLU -
This press release is available on the World Wide Web:
www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp99.htm