KAYSVILLE — There’s a lot more to “The Secret Garden” than just the flowers.

Davis High plans to explore some of the story’s depths in their upcoming production of the musical, which is based on the well-known novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The show, which will run Nov. 13, 14, 16, and 19-21 at 7 p.m. (matinees will be held Nov. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.), shifts the usual focus from Mary discovering the secret garden to Archibald Craven, who is still grieving over the death of his wife.

“In every single one of our lives we have to let go of people, whether it be through death or the disconnection of a relationship,” said Director Andra Thorne. “This is a musical that every person can relate to.”

Thorne and the cast are also approaching the play like an impressionistic painting, which the director describes as an artist “painting a moment.” When approaching the play, which she had wanted to do ever since seeing it performed at Clearfield High School several years ago, Thorne wanted to do the same thing for the audience.

“We’re painting moments for them,” she said. “Instead of working together as an entire group, we want the characters to have their own moment.”

Thorne had also been waiting for the right cast to do the play, which she compares to the brush strokes in a work of art.

“When you’re up close to an impressionistic painting, you can’t really see it. You have to stand back to get the full effect,” said Thorne. “But at the same time, you still need to have all those little brushstrokes in order to make the painting.”

The impressionistic concept is also connected to the acceptance of loss and moving on that fills the story. Initially, the living are in black and white costumes (impressionists don’t use black in their paintings), while those who have passed on are in color costumes. By the end of the play, however, the definition of “passed on” has expanded to include the human heart.

“Everyone who has moved past their hard moments and embraced the future is in a color costume,” said Thorne. “Everyone who has truly moved on.”

For Thorne and the cast, the musical has already offered a valuable insight.

“It kind of opened our eyes to how many moments are happening all the time,” said Thorne. “We don’t even realize it.”

Tickets are currently available online at davis.k12.ut.us/ schools/dhs/ events. Click on “News, Information and Events” and then on “Buy Now The Secret Garden tickets.” Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the performance.