Tuck Everlasting

"A perfect blend of Broadway and folk with rousing ensemble production numbers, tender ballads, and entertaining character solos…A charming and heart-warming story…Winnie is played by newcomer Sarah Charles Lewis, in what will for sure be considered her star-making debut...Surrounding her is a cast like no other…'Tuck Everlasting' will tug at your heartstrings and bring you to your feet at the end." Full Review

"Wonderfully crafted…Poignancy mixes well with humor, the songs are fresh and sweet, the set is blissful and the performances honest. It has a polished feel. All of the parts work smartly….An overly hectic first song laying out the narrative stumbles, but the show soon rights itself, continues strongly and ending with a blissful, wordless ballet that caused many sniffles...Humor wonderfully leavens the weighty issues. The music by Chris Miller is magical…Nathan Tysen’s lyrics are even better." Full Review

"A warm-spirited and piercingly touching musical…Nicholaw evinces a natural feel for the tender emotional core of the material…The rather complicated story is cleanly shaped in Ms. Shear and Mr. Federle’s book…'Tuck Everlasting' can sometimes be a little ham-handed in addressing its central theme...Among the many refreshing surprises of 'Tuck Everlasting' is this reminder that a musical doesn’t necessarily have to sing or speak its truths to bring them home to us." Full Review

"A hearty and magical Americana-style charmer full of poignancy and good humor and very suitable for families…11-year-old Sarah Charles Lewis, who can belt it up to the back rows, makes her Broadway debut as Winnie, exuding an immensely likeable and confident presence, paired with good acting chops…Miller's music is an appealing mix primarily based in folk matched with lyricist Nathan Tyson's homespun poetics...'Tuck Everlasting' is a real heart-tugger." Full Review

"The resulting show feels resolutely real, in a way no other new entry on Broadway this season has…You'd expect thoughtful, emotionally acute performances from the many veterans in the company, and you get them…It could do with more confidence and polish...But as it is, it knows what it wants to be and what it wants to do, and it accomplishes its goals with aplomb. Lovely, honest, and ultimately moving, in the ways that matter most, it's what a musical should be." Full Review

"I just loved this musical….The music and lyrics are lovely, although in general, the lyrics seem to be a bit forgettable, but what they have been able to do is infuse a great deal of emotion into our hearts with each number…Nicholaw’s choreography is at times spectacular, fun, and also lovely. The ballet finale, in particular, beautifully and wordlessly tells the story of the circle of life, and all its love, loss, and the different shades of its divine value." Full Review

“‘An imaginative and faithful adaptation...Director Nicholaw shows no tiredness: his current Broadway endeavor is just as inspired...Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen's score only features a few stand-out songs or melodies...A nonverbal finale so enchanting, the only sounds heard over the fluttering of feet and the swells of the orchestra were the creaks of seats as patrons collectively leaned in to find more wonder, more dance, more life.” Full Review

"Definitely one of the better constructed musicals of the season, the creative elements all come together to present a story that’s both heartwarming and fulfilling. The children in the audience the day this writer saw the show were completely spellbound…Lewis, making her Broadway debut, simply shines as Winnie…As a lovely tale about the joys and dangers that come with being alive, 'Tuck Everlasting' makes for a very refreshing experience." Full Review

"A G-rated, surprisingly well-crafted new Broadway musical…Claudia Shear and Tim Federle’s book for the musical successfully expands upon these themes. The folksy score emphasizes a child’s sense of wonder, along with some tender spots...'Tuck Everlasting' is refreshingly free of camp and flash. Nicholaw ends the show with a striking coup in the form of a poignant narrative ballet. It also allows the dance ensemble (which mostly remains in the background) to finally take center stage." Full Review

"A gentle but hardly lightweight fantasy musical…This touching low-tech show is for an underserved niche audience — families who want to be thoughtfully charmed for a few hours after being hyper-entertained by 'Wicked' and 'Matilda'...Someone onstage says we don’t have to live forever, just live. I feel the same about the future of this enchanting long-shot of a show." Full Review

"Shear and Federle have preserved what's most poignant in Babbitt's novel, avoiding anything maudlin. Tysen's lyrics are admirably crafted; Miller's melodies have a post-war Broadway sound with occasional Sondheim-ish inflections. But it's the cast and second-act choreography that make 'Tuck Everlasting' worth a visit…Despite its flaws, 'Tuck Everlasting' has a strong, touching second act; and Nicholaw brings the story home in his life-affirming ballet." Full Review

"A sweeping new Broadway musical...The show opens with a longish song that, unless you’re familiar with the book, you might not fully grasp. But, it flows well from there...The book is written with heart and wit, and the choreography is both spirited and at times truly beautiful...It’s the kind of enchanting story that transcends generations, and 'Tuck Everlasting: The Musical' will all the more reinforce that." Full Review

"A beautiful set, expert choreography, a memorable score and brilliant acting aid the storytelling, and it all adds to the play’s fantasy theme…Lewis and Mann are excellent, as are the rest of the cast…The play ends with a ballet, depicting the future of Winnie...It wasn’t my favorite way to end the show, but I appreciate the interpretation, and I am sure any child over the age of 12 would appreciate the optimistic ending of this hopeful play." Full Review

"A sweet-tempered, family friendly musical…Lewis is all the things you’d want in a young protagonist, and her Winnie has got an edge…A gorgeous silent ballet, depicting the passage of time, doesn’t integrate well with the story beforehand. This interpretation of 'Tuck Everlasting' is neither tragic nor cynical. It’s good entertainment. If you’re bringing a child, be prepared for some hefty conversation on the way home." Full Review

"Like the children’s book, the script fudges some narrative questions and complications and grapples ever-so-lightly with the complexities of infinite life. But the narrative, at least, is always buoyed by its tuneful folk-rooted score by Miller and Tysen...Director Nicholaw, here shows a more lyrical side, climaxing in a story-of-life dance number that packs an emotional wallop. At the show’s end, you’ll want to hug your family." Full Review

"'Tuck Everlasting' has its charming moments, including a solid opening number…At the same time, it is a show that pleases rather than thrills; the rueful, folk-inflected music and plain, often prosaic, lyrics move the story along without providing real excitement or adding to its emotional heft…There's no question that the final dance sequence, and its brief aftermath, brings 'Tuck Everlasting' to a much stronger close than one expects." Full Review

“Chris Miller’s composition in combination with lyrics by Nathan Tysen echoes the enchanted nature of the story, yet could have used more variety throughout the score...Overall, the musical is full of family-friendly magic, but the chief appeal is directed towards a younger audience. The beautiful dance sequence at the conclusion is certainly relatable for all ages, and is absolutely the redeeming scene of the show.” Full Review

“‘Tuck’, based on 1975 children’s book by Natalie Babbitt, was made into a poorly received 2002 Disney film. Fortunately, this period production, which started off in Atlanta, fares much better in the stage translation. The dance scenes, in particular, are beautifully wrought. While some might find the humor hokey, the big themes of love and immortality provide a framework of ideas upon which this winning production builds smartly.” Full Review

"I had reservations about ‘Matilda’ but, in retrospect, its overall originality make apparent its neighbor’s relative lack of laughs, unexceptional, folk-inflected score, lack of dramatic tension, excessive sentimentality, and stretches of dullness...Several theatregoers could be spotted drying their eyes after the show ended, but only time will tell if ‘Tuck Everlasting’ has more than a famous title and a tear-jerking finale to make its stay on Broadway an everlasting one." Full Review

"Lewis, the spunky young actress in this role, is one of the show's great assets, as are Carmello and Park, who beautifully evoke loving parents...'Tuck Everlasting' does have its charms and some likable moments—including a few pleasing numbers, some warm relationships...But there are some crucial story points that get insufficient prominence—including, bizarrely, the moment when Winnie decides whether or not to drink...Not everything will track if you don't know the story." Full Review

"A wholesome but hyperactive new Broadway musical...Authors Shear and Federle make some smart changes…Composer Miller and lyricist Tysen wrap the story up in a warm and folksy score. It fits the 19th-century time period…Characters are pretty sketchy, but the cast makes the most of what they’ve got…In a stirring climactic ballet...'Tuck Everlasting' is allowed to breathe. Like people, musicals need that to live." Full Review

"This musical has much to recommend it, but overall it is inconsistent as a work of art. It has charm and poignancy in places, but a corny, dated feel elsewhere...Most notable though is the marvelous comic timing of two secondary characters…But overall, 'Tuck Everlasting' is not a comedy, so while the comedy songs were delightful, they made me wish for more comedy that wasn’t there...It’s a shame that the whole show isn’t as good as the second half." Full Review

"Ms. Lewis carries much of the show in a charming, precocious manner...Unfortunately, the physical production practically swallows the cast…Director/choreographer Nicholaw deftly handles the script, though it’s a sanitized version of Babbitt’s original story. He seems to have lost his way with uninspired choreography…I have a feeling that in a decade or so, we may see a very different reimagining of 'Tuck Everlasting'—one that is older and perhaps a bit wiser." Full Review

"I wanted to hate the show because at first it seemed theme-park ready, had Renaissance Fair-like choreography, and was a bit like a Holly Hobby version of a Hallmark movie. But I slowly conceded that there’s a rousing number, and the ballet finale tacking Winnie’s future is sure to get people talking...But will this thing run forever? Probably not. 'Cute' doesn’t age well, and this show seems geared strictly for kids." Full Review

"A sweet concoction that feels in over its head...The book is more serviceable than inspired...The tuneful country and folk music-influenced score is equally unmemorable. Director Nicholaw keeps things moving at a sprightly pace, although he overdoes the carnival-style dance sequences that are clearly intended to provide visual distraction. The design elements are impressive...The performers put the fanciful material over with admirable energy and emotional conviction." Full Review