A Family-Friendly Adventure: TUCK EVERLASTING on Broadway

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets to a preview performance of Tuck Everlasting to facilitate our post. All opinions are our own.

Based on the best-selling, award-winning novel, Tuck Everlasting recently opened on Broadway. As a child, Tuck Everlasting was one of the first young adult novels I read on my own, and the story has stuck with me since childhood, about a family that acquires the magical power of eternal life by drinking from a magic spring.

Tuck Everlasting, a beautiful, family-friendly show, will be appreciated by those like me who found the novel endearing and memorable, and by new audiences who are looking to experience the fantastic world of the Tuck family onstage.I grew up going to theater performances with my parents, and could not have been more appreciative of the opportunity. I have developed a true passion for theater – one of the reasons I wanted to move to New York was to have access to performances at my fingertips! It’s a joy to see artists’ creativity and directors’ vision brought to life onstage, inspiring us while we sit through the performance, and thereafter.

When introducing children to theater, it’s great to find a show that can appeal to their attention span while still of course being entertaining for adults! Tuck Everlasting  appeals to all generations and would be a great show to look into as you are planning travel to New York.

Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Jesse Tuck)

The show featured magical elements that reminded audience members that something special and almost fairy-tale like was happening onstage in front of us. The tree that protected the magic spring was almost a character of the show in itself. Creativity abounded, from the way Winnie Foster’s toad came to life (with the help of some skillful puppeteers) and wistful lighting and set design.

The show sparks a debate on whether it is better to be able to live forever, or go through the natural aging process. While having the body of a seventeen-year-old forever certainly would have its perks, there is something to the journey of life and aging process – especially along with our loved ones – that is precious.

Tuck Everlasting is directed and choreographed by Tony Award Winner Casey Nicholaw, who is also known for his work on Something Rotten!, Aladdin, and The Book of Mormon, to name a few. The choreography proved one of my favorite parts of the show. The ensemble moved along the story through beautiful ballets, waltzes, and folk dances, and the continuation of Winnie’s life after the Tuck family moves on is showcased through one of the most moving and powerful ballets I have seen onstage, depicting the highs and lows of life for those of us who cannot live forever. There wasn’t a dry eye in my section when it concluded.

Sarah Charles Lewis (Winnie Foster)

The cast features standout performances by Andrew Keenan-Bolger, playing Jesse Tuck – who has lived for over a hundred years, but is frozen in time at the age of seventeen. Keenan-Bolger’s youthful energy along with the maturity of his years brings Jesse to life in a powerful, compelling way. Carolee Carmello as Mae Tuck was incredibly powerful. Her strong and soulful voice mesmerized our audience – we were truly captivated. Robert Lenzi as Miles Tuck, Michael Park as Angus Tuck, and Fred Applegate as Constable Joe also delivered passionate performances.

Another standout performance came from Sarah Charles Foster, who at age 11, takes a leading role in the show as Winnie Foster.

Tuck Everlasting  is currently open at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City. For more information about the show, visit http://www.tuckeverlastingmusical.com/

Feature Image Photo Credit: Radist/Thinkstock

Lorianne Lacey