Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved Victorian classic, The Secret Garden, blossoms anew in an enchanting musical by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon, to be presented by the Oakdale High School Drama Department. Under the direction of Bryan Mills, the show will take the stage Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 13 at 2 p.m. at the OHS Theater, 739 W. G St.

When young Mary Lennox (Emily Thomas) loses her parents to a cholera outbreak in India, she is sent to live with her uncle, hermit Archibald Craven (Devon Doss), who lives in an imposing, secluded manor on the British heath. Inside the haunting house upon the hill, Mary finds a reclusive, long-suffering collection of souls.

Since her aunt Lily’s (Darby Schmidt) death, Mary’s uncle has pushed away his surviving loved ones, leaving his bedridden son, Colin (Parker Whitemyer), alone. Sickly Colin, hidden away in the depths of the manor, bears the guilt of his mother’s death on his crippled shoulders. When Mary discovers her Aunt Lily’s hidden garden, locked shut and overgrown with vines, stubborn Mary is determined to revive the beauty that once was. Surrounded by spirits from the past, who both warn and welcome her, Mary begins to peel away the layers of sadness that cover the house and the garden, showing us the power that “one small girl” can have when she “wants things to grow.”

The Secret Garden cast of 25 at OHS and a crew of 10 along with 40 students who built the sets, are excited to present this musical for area audiences. Tickets, $10 each, are available in the OHS business office and at the door.