DOWAGIAC — The typically plain theater stage at Southwestern Michigan College is lively and colorful, decorated inch-to-inch in blooming flowers and bright greens in preparation for an upcoming performance.

SMC will be hosting a production of the musical “The Secret Garden” this weekend. The musical will have showing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday will feature a 2 p.m. showing.

“The Secret Garden” is based on the popular 1911 novel of the same name and follows the story of Mary Lennox, a 10-year-old girl who was orphaned by cholera in India and must go to live with relatives in England. Music for the play was composed by Lucy Simon.

“The Secret Garden” is being directed by SMC Manager of Theatre Operations and Applied Performing Arts Marcus Roll. He said that he chose “The Secret Garden” to perform because it is a family friendly show that he believes will draw crowds of all ages.

“It’s a story a lot of people know, because it is based on the book,” Roll said. “It’s a story a lot of people can relate to because it has themes of grief and love and loss and things like that. On top of all that, the music is just stunning.”

Roll said the cast of the musical has been preparing for this weekend’s show since the end of last semester, though intense rehearsals began in January.

“It was every day of the week, with most of the cast being called in at least a couple times a week in smaller groups,” Roll said. “These kids have been working really hard.”

One of these hardworking students is Morgan Smith, 20, who is playing the lead character of Mary Lennox in the play.

An early childhood education major, Smith said that she is excited for the play because she loves the character she is playing and she loves to perform.

“You can just tell you are making people happy [when you perform]. You are making them smile,” Smith said. “I really think this play will make people smile. It makes all the rehearsals worth it.”

Roll said that he did his best to train the student actors and stage workers to be in control of the show, because he believes that it gives them a unique and valuable experience.

“It’s real world experience for them,” Roll said. “There is a lot of job availability for students that end up behind the scenes. They need that experience of running a live sound board. They need that experience running a light board.”

Even more so than helping students get real world experience in theater, Roll said he believes participating in the play has benefited the students participating by allowing them to be creative.

“Even though they are exhausted from rehearsals, theater helps them recharge their batteries and relax,” he said. “They get to relax and have fun.”

Both Roll and Smith said they hope crowds will turn out for “The Secret Garden” when it opens Thursday, because they want to share their hard work and the message of the play with the community of Dowagiac.”

“It’s about interpersonal relationships with people who may be hard to connect with, but in the end, you find that connection with someone very special, be that a lost loved one a friend. That’s really what the show is about,” Roll said. “I think that will resonate with people.”