‘Tuck Everlasting’ brings an enchanting look at eternity to Hale Center Theater Orem
Carter Walker, left, and Ava Hoekstra play Jesse Tuck and Winnie Foster, respectively, in the Monday, Wednesday and Friday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
Carter Walker, left, and Ava Hoekstra play Jesse Tuck and Winnie Foster, respectively, in the Monday, Wednesday and Friday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
Ava Hoekstra, left, and Carter Walker play Winnie Foster and Jesse Tuck, respectively, in the Monday, Wednesday and Friday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
Ava Hoekstra plays Winnie Foster in the Monday, Wednesday and Friday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
Abigail Scott plays Winnie Foster in the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
Abigail Scott, left, and Dallin Suman play Winnie Foster and Jesse Tuck, respectively, in the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
Dallin Suman, left, and Abigail Scott play Jesse Tuck and Winnie Foster, respectively, in the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday cast of Hale Center Theater Orem's "Tuck Everlasting."
In the Broadway incarnation of Natalie Babbitt’s beloved novel, “Tuck Everlasting,” the eternally wise Angus Tuck tells a young Winnie Foster, “Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.”
The concept of eternal life has sent ripples through humanity for centuries, with many questing to find a solution to what they saw as the problem of death and aging. The question has echoed – what if such a solution existed? Some magic elixir to stop the progression of time?
Few literary works tackle the subject as adeptly as Babbitt’s book, placing the answer to eternal life in a stream running through a forest in the tiny town of Treegap, New Hampshire.
The tale, now playing at Hale Center Theater Orem, centers on the century-old Tuck family: a mother, Mae Tuck (played by Dianna Graham Monday, Wednesday, Friday), father, Angus Tuck (Brett Merritt, MWF), and their two sons – Miles (Cleveland McKay Nicoll, Monday-Saturday) and Jesse (Carter Walker, MWF), who, in search of a new life and home, inadvertently drank from the eternal spring and have found themselves halted in time.
“Once you drop an anchor,” Angus sings to Winnie (Ava Hoekstra, MWF) of the family’s predicament, “the boat gets stuck and it could stay forever, just floating on top, watching life pass it by. … That’s what us Tucks are, just floating stuck.”
Winnie Foster is a vibrant 11-year-old stifled by the rules of her overprotective yet well-intentioned mother Betsy (Carolyn Hartvigsen, MTF), who is still grieving the death of her husband; Winnie’s father. When the fair comes to town, well-behaved Winnie wants nothing more than the chance to get out of the house for a bit, but when her mom turns her request down, that’s when trouble brews.
“With a cage for a yard you can only mope in, when a front door shuts, should a gate open?” Winnie sings. “If I don’t leave now I’ll only wish I had. How can I know good without trying bad?”
Having never explored the forest behind her home, Winnie takes off to find her own adventure, stumbling into the forever-17 Jesse Tuck along the way. From there, it’s non-stop adventure as Winnie finally takes a chance to explore and make friends, learning about the Tucks along the way.
According to a series of facts compiled by HCTO dramaturg Christopher Clark, bringing the show to Broadway was a dream come true for the show’s lyricist, Nathan Tysen.
“It was the book that made me want to read more books,” he said. “It’s been an amazing journey.”
Turning the beloved novel/film into a Broadway musical wasn’t an easy feat, but Clark quotes “Tuck” writer Tim Fedele as saying, “Musicals want to sing. And you want to sing for a big, emotional reason. And there’s nothing more emotional than ‘Am I going to live forever?'”
As to the HCTO production, I never cease to be amazed at what the company can accomplish in such a cozy space. The set has to be incredibly well planned, considering most audience members end up traipsing across it to find their seats, not to mention the fact that each show is essentially presented in the round. Along those lines, Cole McClure and the entire set team did a marvelous job of creating a versatile environment that could quickly and easily move between forest, home and even fair. The trees were magical, the homes cozy, and the traveling between them excruciatingly well-choreographed, with many of the actors transitioning the set pieces themselves.
I recently had the pleasure of chatting with the show’s choreographer, Jennifer Hill-Barlow, around the opening of “An American in Paris” about the work she did on that show, and though it was nearly entirely dance, her hand in this production is just as beautifully presented, magnifying the magic of the production from beginning to end.
What really sealed the deal was the attention to detail from start to finish. As the lights dimmed at the beginning of the night, I felt instantly transported to the forest with subtle sound effects and the perfect combination of lighting playing to the strengths of the set.
From Winnie’s exuberant Nana, played by Karen Baird to Brett Griffeth as Constable Joe and Weston Wright as his son and deputy Hugo, not to mention the many dancers and unique fair employees, even the actors that spent less time in the spotlight were expertly cast and brought life and dimension to the show.
Plenty of praise should also go to young Ava Hoekstra, who brought to life the character of Winnie, making her relatable and intriguing, as well as the entirety of the Tuck family, which made me take a few minutes to question my own mortality and just how well I’ve been using the gift of time I’ve been given.
Even the villainous Man in the Yellow Suit, played by Matt Kohler, added a richness to the production that kept me fully engaged throughout, though I have to say that Angus’ chat with Winnie in a boat on the water was one of the most magical moments for me, as fog rolled across the floor of the room and the boat gently maneuvered around the stage, giving the full appearance of actually floating.
Combining that with the seriousness of the chat, it was no wonder Winnie soon found herself questioning the way her life should go.
“There are two ways home down one long road: One clear path to two conclusions,” she sings. “Does the story end or never end? Does the secret fade? Or is it everlasting?”
If you’ve never seen the show, I certainly don’t want to spoil the ending for you, but I will say that it was so potently presented as to draw out even the most unwilling of tears. Ultimately, it was a beautiful show, and one that fully stands as an example of the impressive quality of art we’re so lucky to have in this community.
TUCK EVERLASTING
What: The Hale Center Theater Orem’s take on the musical Broadway adaptation of the beloved children’s book
When: Through June 15 with performances nightly excluding Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with matinees each Saturday
Where: Hale Center Theater Orem, 225 W. 400 North in Orem
Cost: $19-$27
Info: (801) 226-8600, hcto.org