Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater, founded by Dan Passano, has been putting on local shows since 1978. “Secret Garden” hits the stage for the second time in the 48-year franchise. Roger Rocka’s is unique because it offers a top-notch dinner with its shows.
Our Feather team, including Jacob Pimentel, ‘25, and Jamison McMurray, ’25, and myself tried out the food and desserts the theatre had to offer.
Dinner review
Roger Rocka’s gives attendees a featured menu for Secret Garden. We started with the cookies and cream milkshake topped with whipped cream and a cherry on top. The consistency was slightly on the runnier side for a milkshake, but the flavor was spectacular.
Next, we ordered the fried calamari with chilies and fresh herbs served with lemon caper sauce and marinara for appetizers. Our second appetizer was Roasted butternut squash and ricotta bruschetta. This was hands down the best bruschetta I have ever eaten. To wash it all down, we ordered a Virgin Sharks cooler. The fruity flavor was overwhelming and a little too sweet for us, regardless of it still tasted alright and the pina colada mix was a good touch to the flavor.
For our main courses, we ordered the Pan-Seared Branzino with grape tomatoes, olives, caper relish, fresh herb couscous, and Sauteed broccolini with garlic lemon vinaigrette. The fish’s flavor was good, but it was a little dry, and the skin was slightly overcooked.
Next up on the plate was the Filet with sauteed wild mushrooms and port demi. This filet was very good, and the mushrooms were delicious. The downside of this course is you have to pay 18 dollars extra. Our last entree is a flat iron steak. This is a great alternative if you want steak and want to avoid paying the added fee. The flavor was very good and was cooked just right. These meals are prepared by award winning chef Erick De Groot.
To quench our thirst, we ordered the Topiary Maze milkshake, which was the highlight of our night. The flavor of this milkshake was so good that I was speechless. It had the perfect consistency, and the strawberry puree was a great bonus to the flavor. P.S. I ordered two! The service was excellent. Our waters were consistently refilled, and our server was always there when we needed her.
Act 1 antics
Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a children’s book about a girl named Mary Lennox and her new life after her parents die of cholera. After her parent’s death, she traveled from her home in India to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven. He is in the process of grieving the death of his wife Lilly and struggles to cope. Archibald’s brother, Dr. Neville Craven, is mostly in charge of the estate, along with the housekeeper Mrs. Medlock.
A lot happens in this first introduction to the play and if you’re not paying close attention, you lose understanding of what’s going on. Overall, they did a good job of fashionably portraying all that information.
After Mary’s first night in the house, she meets Martha, a chambermaid who dresses her and hints to her of a secret garden hidden on the property grounds. Mary, out of boredom, decides to explore. On her expedition, she meets a gardener, Ben Weatherstaff, and Martha’s brother Dickon. Mary learns of the secret garden’s past and meets a friendly robin who shows her the door to the secret garden.
As the plot grows, Nevel tells Archibald that he should send Mary to school so she can find happiness. Mary opposes this idea. Instead, she asks for a bit of earth so she can grow her garden. Through the song “Lily Eyes,” we learn about how they were both in love with Lilly and how similar she was to Mary.
One stormy night, Mary hears crying and finds a boy named Colin. Colin is Mary’s cousin, and his mother Lilly died during his birth. Collin is bedridden, living in fear that he will grow up to be a hunchback like his father. As they continue their conversation, Mrs. Medlock and Neville burst into the room and demand that Martha never see Colin again. Storming out in frustration, she finds the door to the secret garden. This concludes Act 1, leading to intermission.
Intermission treats
During intermission, we ordered a Mango Sorbet and a Pumpkin-flavored cheesecake. The sorbet was delightful with a nice mango flavor, but the sweetness was slightly overpowering. The Pumpkin cheesecake was good, with a nice pumpkin flavor that was strong enough to taste without being overwhelming.
Act 2
Mary now knows of the secret garden and can envision a space to have to herself, but Neville is plotting Mary’s downfall. He schemes to send her away to school, saying she is disrupting Collin’s treatment. Archibald eventually agrees to let Neville look into potential schools for Mary.
As the story continues, Mary tells Colin about the garden and invites him to visit it with her. He initially rejects her offer, but reluctantly agrees because he had a vision of his mother inviting him in. Late one night, Mary, Daikon, and Martha bring Colin to the garden in a wheelchair, where his health improves. Colin had hope for himself, and he would continue to visit the garden.
Martha tells Mary, who is now in danger of being sent to school, to hold on to everything she loves. She writes to Archibald, asking him to return from his trip to Paris.
In Paris, Lilly’s ghost persuades Archibald to come home. Upon his arrival, he sees Colin running and jumping around in the garden. Amazed by this, he invites Mary to be his daughter and is forever a changed man.
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Final Thoughts
I believe this show is unique and people should definitely watch it. The acting is excellent, and the vocals showcase the rollercoaster of emotions of this show. Regardless, there are a few things to know before attending. First of all, the heavy English accent makes the play somewhat difficult to understand. Reading a synopsis before attending provides background knowledge to aid understanding of the play.
Another thing to remember is that dinner is an all-night event, beginning around 5:30 p.m. and you will be there until 10-10:30 p.m. Be prepared for a long night.
Roger Rocka’s will perform Secret Garden until Nov. 10.
To read more from The Feather visit Music Review: Rex Orange County’s new album spurs contemporary comeback and The Rise of Glen Powell.
