Lambert Jackson Productions announces full company for THE SECRET GARDEN

Based on the much-loved literary classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this heart-warming story is re-imagined in brilliant musical style by composer Lucy Simon (Doctor Zhivago) and the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman.

Young, orphaned Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s secluded country home to find a reclusive, long-suffering collection of souls — and the mysterious tale of a secret garden. Together with new-found friends, Mary breathes life into the secret garden. She blossoms too, and through her adventures, tends to all the hearts around her.

Sarah Bakker plays Rose. Her previous theatre credits include Chess (London Coliseum), An American in Paris (Dominion Theatre), Mrs Henderson Presents (Noël Coward Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath), Follies in Concert (Royal Albert Hall), Evita (Ljubljana Festival), Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam Theatre Broadway, Australian tour), The Phantom of the Opera (The Majestic Theatre Broadway, Australian tour), and Chicago (Australian tour).

Bianca Baykara plays Alice. Her previous theatre credits include School Of Rock, (international tour), The Rocky Horror Show (Australian tour), In The Heights (Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne), West Side Story, Singin’ In The Rain (State Theatre, Melbourne), An Officer and A Gentleman (Sydney Lyric), and The King & I (Sydney Opera House).

Adam J Bernard plays Ben. His previous theatre credits include Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre – for which he won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical), Hairspray (Asia tour), and I Can’t Sing – The X-Factor Musical (The London Palladium). His television credits include Gangs of London and Legends. For film, Backdraft 2 and 6 Rounds.

Lucy Drever is the Narrator. Her previous concert credits for Lambert Jackson Productions include Dr Zhivago (Cadogan Hall). As a workshop leader, presenter, and narrator, she has worked with Wigmore Hall, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Louise Ellard-Turnbull plays Mrs Winthrop.Her previous theatre credits include Carousel, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Minack Theatre), Into the Woods, A Little Night Music (Hampton Hill Theatre), and Thoroughly Modern Millie, High Society (Richmond Theatre).

Ben Forster plays Dr. Neville Craven. His previous theatre credits include The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Elf The Musical (Dominion Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show (Playhouse Theatre), Evita (Dominion Theatre), and Jesus Christ Superstar, (02 Arena – earning the role of Jesus through winning ITV’s Superstar, Australian Tour).

Lucie Jones plays Martha. She is currently starring as Jenna in Waitress (Adelphi Theatre). Her previous theatre credits include A Christmas Carol (Lyceum Theatre), Girlfriends (Bishopsgate Institute), Legally Blonde, The Wedding Singer (UK tour), RENT The Musical (The Other Palace, UK tour), American Psycho (Almeida Theatre), We Will Rock You, Ghost: The Musical (international tour), The Prodigals (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), and Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre).

Ramin Karimloo plays Archibald Craven. Hisprevious concert credits for Lambert Jackson Productions include Dr Zhivago (Cadogan Hall). His other theatre credits include Chess in Concert (Umeda Arts Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert, Evita (Theatre Orb Tokyo), Chess (The Kennedy Centre), Anastasia (Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway), Murder Ballad (Arts Theatre), Les Miserables (Imperial Theatre, Broadway – for which he was nominated for the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical; Princess of Wales Theatre, Queen’s Theatre, Palace Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera 25^th Anniversary (Royal Albert Hall), Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre – for which he was nominated for the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical), Les Miserables 25^th Anniversary Concert (O2 Arena), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), and Miss Saigon (UK tour).

Sejal Keshwala plays Ayah. Her previous theatre credits include Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre), Bend It Like Beckham (Phoenix Theatre), Anita and Me (Birmingham Rep), Trident Moon (Finborough Theatre), My Fair Lady 60th Anniversary Concert (St Paul’s Church), Destiny’s Child Re:Imagine, Fugees: The Complete Re-Score (Rogue Symphony), Bernstein’s Mass (Southbank Centre), and Company (Phoenix Arts). Her television credits include Britain’s Got Talent as backing vocalist, Michael McIntyre’s Very Christmassy Christmas Show, Let’s Do Lunch with Gino & Mel, and Search for a Musical Theatre Performer.

Melanie La Barrie plays Mrs Medlock. She is currently appearing in & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre – for which she has been nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical). Her previous theatre credits include Matilda (Cambridge Theatre), Wicked (Victoria Apollo), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Lorax (Old Vic Theatre), The Bakkhai (Almeida Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof, Story Giant, The Sum, Romeo and Juliet (Liverpool Everyman Theatre), Play Mas (Orange Tree Theatre), White Christmas, The Sunshine Boys, Woman Of The World, Blues In The Night (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Guys and Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Landor Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Birmingham Rep), Once On This Island (Hackney Empire), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Liverpool Playhouse), Rue Magique (King's Head Theatre), Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre), Daddy Cool (Shaftesbury Theatre), Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre), and Fame (UK tour).

Johndeep More plays Fakir. His previous theatre credits include The Winters Tale, Macbeth (National Theatre), Occupational Hazards (Hampstead Theatre), The Kite Runner (Wyndham’s Theatre), East is East (Birmingham Rep, UK tour), Sondheim at 80 (Royal Albert Hall), BollywoodLand - Love Never Dies (Spanish tour), and Cinderella (Theatre Royal Windsor). His television credits include Any Dream Will Do.

Michael Riseley plays Captain Albert Lennox. His previous theatre credits includeWalk Like a Man (Blackpool Grand Theatre, Kilworth House, UK tour), Sweeney Todd (Slaithwaite Philharmonic), Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), The Mikado (Tabard Theatre), Merrie England (Finborough Theatre), The Last Five Years (Swansea Grand Theatre), and Sweeney Todd (Welsh National Opera). His television credits include Prynhawn Da and Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol.

Celinde Schoenmaker plays Lily. Her previous concert credits for Lambert Jackson Productions include Dr Zhivago, and West End Women. Her other theatre credits include The Light in the Piazza (Royal Festival Hall, LA Opera), Barnum (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre). For film, her credits include Rocketman.

Jac Yarrow plays Dickon. His theatre credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (The London Palladium – for which he won the 2019 The Stage Debut Award and was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical, and will reprise the role in 2020), and Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella In Concert (Cadogan Hall).

Nick Winston’sprevious credits as director and choreographer include Mame (Hope Mill Theatre), Cats (Kilworth House Theatre), Club Tropicana (UK tour), An American In Paris (National Theatre, Linz), Rock of Ages (UK and international Tour), Fame (UK & European Tour), Guys & Dolls (Kilworth House Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Curve Theatre), The Wedding Singer (UK tour / Korea), Bugsy Malone (Curve Theatre), Flashmob (Sadler Wells and UK tour), and Tomorrow Morning (New End Theatre). His credits for television include director and choreographer of The Royal Variety Performance 2017, and choreographer of Sondheim at 80 and Shakespeare Live! from the RSC.