Tuck Everlasting: musical heads closer to Broadway

A new musical based on the 1975 children's novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, will have its pre-Broadway world premiere at Boston's Citi Performing Arts Center Colonial Theatre in June 2013, directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. No casting has been announced.

The new musical features a score by Chris Mille, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and a book by actress/author Claudia Shear. It is to be produced by Broadway Across America, Howard Kagan and Barry Brown.

Tuck Everlasting tells the story of a 12 year old girl named Winnie, who discovers the Tuck family living in the woods near her home. The Tuck's never age due to having drunk water from a magical spring that bestows immortality. Winnie learns from the Tuck's that immortality is not the blessing it may have first seen, but when she falls in love with seventeen year old Jesse Tuck, Winnie must decide if she wishes to remain mortal. Further problems arise when a stranger also discovers the spring and decides he wants to market the magical water.

Recent workshop productions of Tuck Everlasting starred Carolee Carmello and Michael Park as 'Ma' and 'Pa Tuck,' Rozi Baker as 'Winnie' and Andrew Keenan-Bolger as 'Jesse.'

No dates, or cast, for a possible Broadway premiere have been announced.

Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting was first made into a movie in 1981. The screen play was written by Fred A. Keller and Frederick King Keller, with direction by Frederick King Keller. It starred Fred A. Keller as 'Pa' and Sonia Raimi as 'Ma Tuck,' Margaret Chamberlain as 'Winnie' and Paul Flessa as 'Jesse.'

A second film was released in 2002. The screen play was by Jeffrey Lieber and James V. Hart, with direction by Jay Russell. It starred William Hurt and Sissy Spacek as 'Pa' and 'Ma Tuck,' Alexis Bledel as 'Winnie' and Jonathan Jackson as 'Jesse.'