The world of musical theatre has seen plenty of shows that were adapted from stories to the stage, with examples being Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, Roald Dahl’s Matilda, and Daniel Wallace’s Big Fish. However, Broadway is introducing a classic this month that is figuratively timeless: the children’s book Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Tuck Everlasting intertwines two radically different lives to convey the idea of mortality and what it means for humankind. One of the primary characters is Winnie Foster, an eleven year old girl in Treegap, New Hampshire. Winnie’s dream is to break out of the static, “good girl” stereotype she has found herself confined to by her mother. In a fateful moment, she finds herself literally swept away by the Tucks. The Tucks are a family who drank magical water years ago in Winnie’s woods and found themselves suddenly immortal. The book highlights how you cannot have life without death, mentioning the perils that the Tucks endure by receiving this seemingly incredible gift. This musical has been in the works for six years, was previewed on March 31st, and now promises in this upcoming month to maintain that message in this visionary classic.

 The musical stars eleven-year-old Sarah Charles Lewis as Winnie Foster. Among her, as her seventeen-year-old love interest, is Andrew Keenan-Bolger as Jesse Tuck. Jesse is the lively son who cannot see the downsides to eternal life, shown in his smile in the song “Live Like This”. The Tucks also include Michael Park as Angus Tuck, Carolee Carmello as Mae Tuck, and Robert Lenzi as Miles Tuck, Jesse’s older brother who has been devastated by the effects of the water. Among them is Terrence Mann as The Man in The Yellow Suit, along with many incredible ensemble members who bring both vocal and dancing prowess to the musical. While everything that these talented cast members show on stage is skillful and breathtaking, the real magic happens behind the curtains.

 The awe-inspiring songs in this musical were composed by Chris Miller with lyrics by Nathan Tysen. The production has not released a cast recording yet, but they revealed a behind-the-scenes clip from one of their rehearsals. Featuring songs such as “Live Like This” sung by the entire cast, “Top of the World” sung by Andrew Keenan-Bolger, “Most Beautiful Day” sung by Carolee Carmello, and “Everlasting” sung by Sarah Charles Lewis, the compositions are primarily made by the piano with heartwarming lyrics. Some of my personal favorite lyrics from the rehearsal clip include “I swear, is there anyone who still knows me?”, “Looking back is something to look forward to…”, “Why see the world in all of its glory without a friend to tell your stories to?”, and “Life is the greatest wonder on earth.”

 The novel Tuck Everlasting can be summarized by one of its most famous quotes, which is “Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.” While the novel provides a physical, unchanging story, Tuck Everlasting makes the story come alive with its characterization and compositions. While the lighthearted songs will leave audiences singing along, the message is one that hits home to any audiences, whether they are young and just beginning their time, or old with their time running out. No matter who you are, the message will remain the same- living forever is not necessary as long as you make the best of the one life you have.