The Actor’s Charitable Theater’s production of “Tuck Everlasting” debuted on Friday. The musical is inspired by the 1975 novel of the same name that follows the Tuck family, who stumble onto a spring that grants immortality, and their encounter with Winnie Foster, whose family owns the land with the spring.
Previously adapted as a movie twice over, the musical version premiered in 2015 to limited success, closing after only a month on Broadway. But the version put on by the ACT rivals the original book in its pathos, with moving depth given to the originally static characters of Angus and Mae Tuck, played by Brent Jones and Danielle Molina.
Equally impressive was the music of the performance, with multiple songs qualifying as toe-tappers. Some top picks were “Join the Parade,” “Everything’s Golden” and “Top of the World.”
Jesse Tuck and Winnie Foster, the undisputed main characters of the show, were played by Koldy Stone and Libby Long, respectively, and had good chemistry despite their onstage age gap of 11 and 107 years. Winnie had a boundless optimism for life, while Jessie exuded a playful energy that was nonetheless tinged with the weight of his many years.
Known only as the “Man in the Yellow Suit” and wearing the color with pride, Joey Lay had one of the better performances of the cast. His moustache twirling villain is contemptible and delightfully single-minded in his pursuit of the Tuck family’s secret spring.
Also well portrayed were the characters of Hugo and Constable Joe, played by Baker Jones and Will Harpole respectively, who are a pair of bumbling officers of the law in hot pursuit of Winnie.
As with all performances at the ACT, the set was immersive, with sturdy realness in the trees that the cast climbed multiple times and perfect set dressings that brought the audience into the late 18th century setting.
The most laudable part was the orchestra, operating from a stage seemingly hung above the treeline, lit oftentimes only by the glow from their stand lights. The ensemble covered everything from simple lullabies to brassy parade marches with deft and skill.
Overall the performance was a faithful adaptation of a heartfelt story about the conflict between immortality and death. Running until Feb. 1, “Tuck Everlasting” is a perfect respite from the cold and is a must see for anyone looking to find themselves transported to a shady grove in New Hampshire for the night.
