The Secret Garden
The Epiphany Players Drama Ministry will present its 28thsummer musical,
The Secret Garden, July 12-14 and 19-21 at 7:30 p.m., and July 15 and 22 at 2:30 p.m. Performances will be held at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 6430 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville, OH, 45459. To buy tickets or to learn more about the production, visit Epiphany's website at
epiphanydayton.org/2018-summer-musical.
Featuring the talents of many local student and adult actors, Epiphany's Drama Ministry invites you to return to the house upon the hill and one girl's journey to discover long-buried secrets in Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon's The Secret Garden. Orphaned in India, 11 year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his invalid son, Colin. The estate's many wonders include a hidden garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the spirits from Mary's past who guide her through her new life. With help from a local gardener and a chambermaid, they discover a secret strong enough to heal old wounds for the long-suffering residents of Misselthwaite Manor.
The Secret Garden begins with a fictionalized re-imagining of a real event - the Cholera Epidemic that plagued India and its citizens. From there, the story seemingly gets darker - an orphaned child, a bitter lonely man in the throes of grief, an ill child who knows only shadows of his father, and an estate haunted by the spirits and memories of what life once was and may never be again. Co-directors Megan Wean Sears and David Brush explain, "As we revisited this musical for Epiphany this summer, we were struck by how bravely and openly the story discusses difficult topics with children. For much of the show, the 'garden' of the title is hardly a garden at all - a shadow of what once was well-tended, cared for and worked. As a directing team, we have always been drawn to pieces that help return us to the spirited, vibrant, living, thriving beings Our Creator made us to be."
For more than twenty-five years, the Epiphany Players Drama Ministry has given families a forum for sharing the core teachings of Christ through theater, bringing people together to support Epiphany Lutheran Church's mission to love Jesus by serving others. Community members of nearly any age can audition for the summer musical, meaning families can rehearse and perform together, creating bonds that last a lifetime.
The Epiphany Players Drama Ministry supports a charity every summer through a portion of the musical's proceeds. In keeping with the theme of the musical, Epiphany's new
Memorial Garden will be the recipient of this summer's charitable offerings. The Memorial Garden is located on the Far Hills Campus next to the Outdoor Chapel, which is in the process of being renovated. The funds raised will help ease the burden some face in the funeral process with the costs associated with interring remains of loved ones. The Memorial Garden fund will be used by the pastoral staff to remove this cost during the grieving process, and in doing so will help the promise of the resurrection shine brightly.
About Epiphany Lutheran Church
Epiphany Lutheran Church is a growing community offering many ministries and programs to all ages and stages of life, from area outreach ministries to enriching Bible studies and authentic fellowship. Epiphany's dynamic children and youth programs attract families throughout the region, as does its renowned Preschool, which offers academic excellence in an enriching, faith-based environment, and its drama ministry, which attracts hundreds of children, youth and adults to its summer and Christmas musicals and to its upcoming Bite of Theatre drama mini camp August 1-3 from 9 a.m.-noon. Epiphany is a vibrant congregation with two locations worshipping God and serving others. Epiphany's weekend services embrace both traditional and contemporary worship with a focus on discipleship. Learn more by visiting epiphanydayton.org.
