On Theater:

Kids will be both seen and heard, musically, this weekend and next at two local performing venues — South Coast Repertory and the Newport Theater Arts Center — where two summer shows are calculated to entertain the young and the young at heart.

At South Coast, “The Secret Garden” — a popular show that has been presented twice locally at both the Orange County Performing Arts Center and the Costa Mesa Playhouse — will be presented as the performance project for the theater’s Summer Players.

Meanwhile, the center has a familiar children’s story with a twist. “The Big Bad Musical” depicts the trial of the Big Bad Wolf, with other characters from various story books on hand.

“The Secret Garden” is a musical version of the classic story written especially for young actors, according to director Hisa Takakuwa, who runs the repertory’s theater conservatory.

“This is the third season that we have chosen a musical for our summer players, and the experience has been rewarding,” she said.

“While our actors are chosen through auditions after completing at least one year of training, most of them have been with the program for several years,” Takakuwa noted. “They have learned how to act a song and sing a scene.”

Julia Ostmann is cast as Mary, the orphaned girl sent from India to England to live with her reclusive uncle (Luke Tagle) and finds magical experiences in the estate’s strange garden, locked since her aunt’s death.

Others in major roles are Nick Slimmer, Christopher Huntley, Brianna Beach, Valentina Gehley, Ben Teincuff, William Hopper, Katie Gerdts, Jasmine O’Hea, Jamie Ostmann, Sophia Falmagne, Sydney Lester, Amber Nelson, Ryan Burns, Rachel Teague, Kalyn Boukather and Becky King.

Performances of “The Secret Garden” will be given at 1 and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 16 in the Nicholas Studio. Call (714) 708-5555 for ticket reservations.

At Newport Theater Arts Center “We have a true kids show” says director Kyle Myers. “There is a cast of 20 with ages ranging from 6 to 10, and I think the show will be fun and entertaining for all ages.”

“The Big Bad Musical” puts the wolf on trial, and prosecutors include Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs and the Boy Who Cried Wolf.

The lawyers are the Fairy Godmother and the Evil Stepmother, with Mother Goose serving as the judge.

“Through the trial, we begin to wonder if the Big Bad Wolf really is the bad guy or not,” Myers says. “A fun twist to the show is that the audience gets to pick if he is innocent or guilty.”

Matthew Yee is playing the central role of the Big Bad Wolf, with Kimberly Lewis as Judge Mother Goose, Amanda Sheppard as Red Riding Hood and Brandon Lewis, Katie Groat and Emily High as the three little pigs.

Others in the cast are Allison Sheppard, Alyssia Eng, Avery LaHodny, Claire Bowen, Emily Thomason, Grace Bowen, Julie Ruck, Lauren Nguyen, Natasha Yee, Parker Lewis, Rebecca Yee, Tyler Marshall and Zachary Yee.

“The Big Bad Musical” will be performed at 7:30 tonight, Saturday and Aug. 13 and 14, with matinees at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15 and 16 at Newport Theater Arts Center, 2401 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach.

Tickets may be reserved by calling the theater at (949) 631-0288.

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews appear Fridays.