Arts & Entertainment

Buffalo Grove Resident Chosen for 'The Secret Garden'

Derek Dillon is among the show's cast members.

A Buffalo Grove resident will be among the actors who will take the stage this fall for Deerfield Family Theater’s production of “The Secret Garden.”

Derek Dillon of Buffalo Grove will play Lt. Wright in the show, which will be staged Nov. 8-10 and Nov. 15-17 at Caruso Middle School, 1801 Montgomery Road, Deerfield.

Wheeling resident Austin Illenberg has been cast as Major Holmes

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The show is produced by Susan Redondo and directed by "Jeff Award"-winning director Stephen M. Genovese, with music directed by Tom Steffens.

“In the dozen or more years I’ve served as Producer of Deerfield Family Theater, I don’t recall ever auditioning a more talented and acclaimed group of performers than we did in our August auditions process,” Redondo said. “Our Theater Board Members recently discussed why this “Tony Award”-winning show is so seldom seen in Community Theater. The answer we arrived at is because it is difficult to find singers talented enough to accomplish a score that is so challenging. Steve, our Director, was convinced that this show was so beautiful that people that were highly accomplished vocalists who loved to sing would come out to audition. And they did. I asked many of the ‘new faces’ at our auditions why they came and they said, ‘because the music is beautiful and they loved the show.’ They spoke with passion; and we can’t wait until November to see our talented cast present this wonderful show." 

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Tickets will go on sale Sept. 16. For more information, visit www.deerfieldfamilytheater.com or call Redondo at (847) 223-2659.


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