Tuck Everlasting Broadway: A Musical Celebration of the Wonder of Life

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Tuck Everlasting Broadway Musical Review - Musical Celebration of the Wonder of Life
Credit: Tuck Everlasting

My nine-year-old son Sean and I were able to see a media preview of Tuck Everlasting on Broadway last month. The new musical is based on Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting, a children’s book that is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary. Both Sean and I loved the adaptation and I found myself in tears near the end as the circle of life was so beautifully acted out. Below is a little preview of the story:

The concept of immortality has never appealed to me. I have a really hard time when loved ones pass away so the idea of experiencing the death of generations and generations of loved ones is a nightmare. Although it doesn’t always play out as planned (i.e. I have friends who have buried their own children), I appreciate that life has a cycle. While I understand the fear of death, I’m more “afraid” of not living while I’m alive! This quote from Tuck Everlasting perfectly sums up my thoughts:

‘Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.’

Dont-be-afraid-of-death - Tuck Everlasting Broadway Review: A Musical Celebration of the Wonder of Life

Everyone in the Tuck Everlasting cast does a wonderful job singing and acting in their respective roles. The choreography is also great throughout the whole play but the last dance sequence – as Winnie Foster dances through the various stages of her life with people coming in and out of it – is exceptional.  The only thing that I don’t love about the musical is the simplistic idea of the various stages of growth in women – from girls to wives to mothers to daughters. However, that has more to do with the view of women’s lives when the book was written back in 1975. (It’s not a musical production issue.) Today, women have many more life options –  to marry or not to marry; to have children or not; a variety of career options and much more.  We just have to fully live out our choices. 

In any event, both Sean and I felt especially excited to be among the first to see this musical adaptation of the classic children’s book. We think that you will have a magical time watching the Tuck Everlasting Broadway musical with your family too!

TUCK EVERLASTING
Broadhurst Theatre
235 West 44th Street
(Between Broadway and 8th Avenue)
New York NY 10036
(Tickets starting at $59)