"Tuck Everlasting" by Claudia Shear, Tim Federle, Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen - Barre Players (Barre, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" now playing at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. through December 8, 2024. Photo Courtesy Barre Players)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“You don't have to live forever. You just have to live."
- ("Angus Tuck") / Natalie Babbitt
Barre Players Theater
Presents the Musical
"TUCK EVERLASTING"
Book by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle
Music by Chris Miller
Lyrics by Nathan Tysen
Based on the novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Directed by Dakota Hinerth
Music Director Nadia Franklin Raye
Co-Choreographers Tiane Brote and Hannah Hall
Stage Manager Colleen Bigelow
Cast Includes: Eliza Brown* & Isabel Coviello** as “Winnie Foster,” Ginny Hilli as “Jesse Tuck,” Brenden Bartlett as “Miles Tuck,” Lisa Rosenkrans as “Mae Tuck,” Andrew Bigelow as “Angus Tuck,” Christie Brady as “Man in the Yellow Suit,” Amelia Ryan as “Hugo,” Anthony Masciangioli as “Constable Joe,” Amy Matson as “Betsy Foster,” Rebecca Gleason as “Nana,” Nathan Kearchner as “Thomas,” Stella Cappadoccia as "Miles Wife," Drew Romanski as "Carnival Worker."
*Eliza Brown performs as Winnie on 11/29, 12/1 & 12/7
**Isabel Coviello performs as Winnie on 11/30, 12/6 & 12/8
Featured Dancers: Eliza Brown, Isabel Coviello, Brynn Crossman, Hailee Dorval, Rebecca Gleason, Charlotte LaPointe, Sabrina Collins & Lilah Miller.
Ensemble: Emelie Arguijo, Elizabeth Day, Emily DeMalia, Iliana Falconi, Justin Gelinas, Teagan Hilcoff, Nathan Kearchner, Lilah Kramer, Ryleigh LaFrennie, Hannah LaRochelle, Lilyana Robichaud, Drew Romanski, & Bella Spring.
Additional Creative Team:
Producer - Anthony Masciangioli; Set Design - Dakota Hinerth, Anthony Masciangioli; Set Construction - Dakota Hinerth, Jay Hinerth, Anthony Masciangioli, Noah Tardiff; Scenic Design - Amelia Ickler; Costumers - Tiana Brote, Kelly Hilcoff; Costume Team - Christie Brady, Rebecca Gleason; Props - Stella Cappadoccia; Lighting Design - Jay Burnett, Dakota Hinerth; Lighting Technician - Andy Bottcher; Tech Assistant - Megan Barker; Headshots - Meg DeMalia.
BARRE PLAYERS THEATER, 64 Common Street, Barre, MA. 01005
Performances:
November 29, 2024 through December 8, 2024
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
TICKETS:
Call # 978-257-8383 or http://www.barreplayerstheater.com
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
After an extended hiatus from adult musical productions, Barre Players Theater returns with a sterling staging of the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" and it is a delight.
The musical adaptation comes from the children's novel "TUCK EVERLASTING" written by Natalie Babbitt.
Featuring music by Chris Miller, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and a book by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle, the Barre production is adeptly directed by Dakota Hinerth who has created a strong visceral production.
While Barre Players Theater recently staged “The Vagina Monologues” in April and the summer children’s musical “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” "TUCK EVERLASTING" is their first full fledged adult musical production since 2022’s “Seussical the Musical” and it is a welcome return.
Combining a cast of adults and young actors, "TUCK EVERLASTING" is a deeply sentimental musical tale of love and life’s choices.
While considered a “family friendly musical” it should be noted that the show also contains some mature themes (and a few moments which may prompt discussions of one or two morality questions - more on that later).
The musical adaptation of "TUCK EVERLASTING" made its debut in Georgia in 2015.
Originally slated to make its world premiere in Boston in 2013, the premiere of "TUCK EVERLASTING" was cancelled because of reported “lack of theatre availability” for its planned subsequent production in New York.
So, instead, the show began Broadway previews and opened a year later during 2016, running for an abysmal 28 previews and 39 performances.
While a huge box office disappointment, the production itself was not overlooked by critics.
In addition to winning three technical awards, the original Georgia musical production ultimately won the 2015 Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Musical Production.
Subsequently, the original Broadway production would receive a 2016 Tony nomination for Best Costume Design, and it would receive nominations that same year by both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League for Outstanding Production of a Musical.
(Photo: Christie Brady as the "Man in the Yellow Suit" performs with the CAST of the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" now playing at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. through December 8, 2024. Photo Courtesy Barre Players)
As "TUCK EVERLASTING" begins, we are transported back to the 19th Century to the small community of Treegap, New Hampshire in the vibrant opening number "Live Like This."
The performers have been ably guided by the combined Barre Players efforts of Hinerth with musical director Nadia Franklin Raye and the show’s co-choreographers Tiana Brote and Hannah Hall.
We are introduced to 11-year-old Winnie Foster (alternating at performances between Eliza Brown and Isabel Coviello).
At the December 1st performance, Brown impressed greatly as the character of Winnie, especially during the number "Good Girl, Winnie Foster."
For almost a year, Winnie has been sheltered at home by her mother, Betsy (Amy Matson) and her Nana (Rebecca Gleason), after the death of Winnie’s father and Betsy’s husband.
Both Matson and Gleason provide sensitive portrayals of Winnie's well-meaning family, with Gleason as Nana providing some occasional well-aimed (and well-deserved) retorts.
There is a traveling fair in the area, led by an unscrupulous barker referred to only as the “Man in the Yellow Suit” (Christie Brady) who has his own motives for being in the area.
Brady excels as the covert conman and is quite entertaining during the musical number "Join the Parade" leading the show’s talented Ensemble.
There is a lot of fine choreography executed well throughout "TUCK EVERLASTING."
(Photo: Anthony Masciangioli as "Constable Joe" with Amelia Ryan as "Hugo" in a scene from the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" now playing at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. through December 8, 2024. Photo Courtesy Barre Players)
Winnie desperately wants to go to the fair but her mother refuses to let her go.
So, Winnie sneaks out and runs into the woods after hearing the faint sound of a music box.
Along the way, she comes across a strange tree containing a supernatural spring.
Before she can partake of a drink, Winnie encounters the unusual members of the Tuck Family, beginning with 17-year-old son, Jesse (Ginny Hilli), who takes an instant liking to Winnie…that is, before kidnapping her, accompanied by his older brother, Miles (Brenden Bartlett).
When the boys bring Winnie to their parent’s house, Winnie is introduced to the boys’ mother, Mae (Lisa Rosenkrans) and father, Angus (Andrew Bigelow).
Winnie learns the secret of the spring which is that it has made the Tuck Family members immortal, eternally remaining at the age they are now, with Angus noting how he well knew Winnie’s great grandfather.
The performances by the Tucks showcases the various needs of each family member.
As Mae, Rosenkrans conveys how the loving matriarch hates being separated from her sons (necessitated so as to not draw attention to the passage of time), and also feeling emotionally distant from her husband.
Rosenkrans marvelously expresses Mae's enduring melancholy in the wistful song, “My Most Beautiful Day.”
(Photo: Nathan Kearchner as "Thomas" with Brenden Bartlett as "Miles Tuck" in a scene from the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" now playing at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. through December 8, 2024. Photo Courtesy Barre Players)
As the “Peter Pan-like” Jesse, Ginny Hilli perfectly expresses how the eternal 17-year-old wants to take in the familiar sights of Treegap and have fun at the fair after bonding with Winnie (presumably his “Wendy”), evidenced in the somewhat disconcerting number “Seventeen.”
(Note: The above plot point is one of those aforementioned moments that may raise some questions if not eyebrows. If you can get past it, though, the balance of the show totally compensates for it.)
As Mae’s other son Miles, Brenden Bartlett delivers an exceptional performance and has been given probably the most layered character in the entire show.
Miles is not only a son but a father who has been long separated from his son and wife (who never “benefitted” from the mystical wellspring).
Unlike the rest of his family, who have accepted their fate, Miles wants to be free, “unstuck” in time, which he explains to Winnie in the simply gorgeous song, “Time.”
(Photo: Andrew Bigelow as "Angus Tuck" fishing with Isabel Coviello as "Winnie Foister" in a scene from the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" now playing at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. through December 8, 2024. Photo Courtesy Barre Players)
Back at the Foster home, Betsy has called on Constable Joe (Anthony Masciangioli) and his son Hugo (Amelia Ryan) to search for Winnie.
Masciangioli and Ryan have terrific chemistry together and provide many of the show’s biggest laughs.
They also entertain with the fun, upbeat song “You Can’t Trust a Man” after meeting the unscrupulous Man in the Yellow Suit.
Instead of being terrified at being “kidnapped,” Winnie finds being with the Tuck family fun and sees herself briefly staying with them as a kind of adventure, which has been too long missing from her life.
Soon, Jesse and Winnie find trouble in the form of the Man in Yellow and most of Act Two attempts to resolve many of the issues brought forth.
As Angus, the Tuck patriarch, Andrew Bigelow brings a warmth and gentle good humor to the father, who does not recognize how complacent he has become – so much so that it causes a rift between himself and Mae.
After learning of Jesse’s plan to have Winnie drink the water so they can remain together, Angus takes Winnie fishing and attempts to convince her to live her destined “mortal life” (instead of living in their unintended purgatory) during the quaint and cleverly staged song, "The Wheel.”
(Photo: The CAST of the musical "TUCK EVERLASTING" now playing at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. through December 8, 2024. Photo Courtesy Barre Players)
In another standout moment from Brown in the show, Winnie is faced with a choice of either drinking the water or live her life as a mortal, which she emotionally assesses in the song "Everlasting” which is followed by a very emotionally charged (albeit prolonged) ballet sequence.
The musical version of the "TUCK EVERLASTING" story was criticized for not being “dark enough” but those moments are replaced with plenty of poignant and emotionally charged moments, well executed by this fine Barre cast.
"TUCK EVERLASTING" continues at Barre Players Theater in Barre, MA. until December 8th and is definitely a musical worthy of you spending some of your valuable “time” there.
For tickets and more information, call Barre Players Theater at # 978-257-8383 or visit http://www.barreplayerstheater.com.
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
"TUCK EVERLASTING" is based on the novel of the same name by Natalie Babbitt.
It tells the story of a family who drink water from a magical spring and become immortal.
When they encounter a young girl who lives in their rural New England town, she becomes friends with one of the sons, who soon offers her the secret to everlasting life.
She then has to decide if she wants to join her new friends in immortality, or if she will live out her normal life.
"TUCK EVERLASTING" premiered in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2015 and began playing on Broadway in 2016.
It received positive reviews, especially praising the “dazzling ballet” in the second act.
A timeless story of family, loss, friendship, and love, "TUCK EVERLASTING" is sure to become a classic favorite. (STAGEAGENT)
ABOUT BARRE PLAYERS THEATER
BARRE PLAYERS THEATER is a rural, non-profit, community theater committed to staging quality, affordable theatrical productions, located on the historic common at 64 Common Street in Barre, Massachusetts. BARRE PLAYERS THEATER typical theater season includes four productions (Fall, Christmas Holiday, Early Spring, Late Spring) and occasional special events. During the summer months BARRE PLAYERS THEATER sponsors youth productions. For college-bound high school graduates, BARRE PLAYERS THEATER has a scholarship program, which recognizes personal contributions to the organization. BARRE PLAYERS THEATER is a diverse group of individuals with a variety of interests. BARRE PLAYERS THEATER common bond is the desire to be involved in some way - directly or indirectly - in theatrical productions. New members are always welcome and appreciated. BARRE PLAYERS THEATER members and patrons come from many towns, primarily in the central Massachusetts area.
64 Common Street
Barre, MA. 01005
