“I always welcome a piece that is new to many,” Udy said. The fact that the stage production is not as familiar to local audiences gives HCT a chance to make the show their own. ![]() “The story and (the) questions that it asks really stuck with me and became a favorite story of mine, and I think many of our patrons will have a similar experience with the show.” “I remember reading this book in middle school,” said Kacey Udy, HCT’s production designer, in an email interview. She works to protect the family’s secret until she must decide whether to join them and live forever. It tells the story of an 11-year-old girl named Winnie who stumbles upon a young man and his family who have become immortal after drinking from a spring in the woods near Winnie’s home. It has a rich story that even though it was a children’s book, it really hits all ages.”Īlthough “Tuck Everlasting” may have been lesser known on Broadway, the story is well known in the state of Utah, as it’s based on Natalie Babbitt’s 1975 book by the same name, which countless children have read as part of their school curriculum. “We love to do family theater … (and ‘Tuck Everlasting’ is) an elegant piece of theater. “They felt it was in our wheelhouse,” she said. Samuel French was the company that published many of HCT founders Ruth and Nathan Hale’s plays, and HCT has licensed one or two Samuel French plays a year since the theater company was established in the ’80s. (Which, as it happens, overlaps with “Hamilton's” run at the Eccles Theater.)ĭietlein said HCT has a longstanding history with the publishing company. She said that’s why the company sought out HCT and asked it to mount the regional premiere of “Tuck Everlasting,” which will be staged in HCT’s Jewel Box Theatre April 2-June 23. “Tuck Everlasting” closed on Broadway after only 39 performances but, according to Dietlein, Samuel French, the musical’s publishing house, doesn’t want this “wonderful piece of theater” to be lost and forgotten. “Unless (a show was) already (on Broadway) and existing and doing well - like ‘Wicked’ or ‘Beautiful’ or ‘Book of Mormon’ or maybe a Disney … the little things that were trying to bubble up just didn’t have the ability to get their name out there in a powerful enough way to get their feet underneath them.” ![]() “They were literally obliterated by ‘Hamilton,’” Dietlein said in an interview. In the wake of the “Hamilton” debut and its meteoric rise, “Tuck Everlasting” - and other “remarkable” pieces of musical theater such as “ Bright Star” - were overshadowed, according to Sally Dietlein, Hale Centre Theatre’s vice president and executive producer. The musical opened on Broadway April 26, 2016, nine months after another musical based on a book opened: “Hamilton.” (Perhaps you’ve heard of it?) The show has received critical acclaim, with The Wall Street Journal calling it "an unforgettably moving musical" and The New Yorker describing it as "a triumph of imagination and heart."Ĭonsiderations: Contains themes touching on violence and death.SALT LAKE CITY - “Tuck Everlasting” the musical may have “ charm,” “ refreshing surprises” and a story well known by decades of school-age children, but one thing the musical didn’t have was good timing. When she meets the Tuck family, who have been granted the gift of immortality, she is faced with a choice that will change her life forever. Based on the beloved novel by Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting tells the story of Winnie Foster, a headstrong and curious young girl who longs to break free from the confines of her predictable life. With a beautiful score, stunning visuals, and an emotional storyline, Tuck Everlasting will be playing at Spreckels Performing Arts Center May 5-21, 2023 and promises to be a must-see for audiences of all ages. Get ready to be swept away by the enchanting world of Tuck Everlasting the Musical, a heartwarming tale of a young girl's journey of self-discovery and a family's struggle with immortality. Music by Chris Miller Lyrics by Nathan Tysen
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