Marblehead Little Theatre's 'Tuck Everlasting' Conquers a Reflective Moral

Live your best life. Don’t be afraid of it.

Marblehead Little Theatre presents Tuck Everlasting: The Musical. 11-year-old Winnie Foster meets the Tuck family. They’re hiding a secret. They have the ability to live forever. If she drinks from a stream, Winnie could also live an eternity.

Tuck Everlasting was the first stage performance I saw when I was 6-years old. I was so excited to see the show again. Marblehead Little Theatre did an excellent job with their rendition of the show. It was a moving performance. If you were allowed to live forever, would you take it?

Emilia Tagliani conquered the charisma of Winnie Foster. Her enthusiastic spirit was the best part of her performance. Her singing voice was lovely, obtaining well-deserved applause. Winnie is a curious young girl still learning about the world. Inquisitive about this family’s power, the young girl realizes how fragile life is.

As the Tuck family, the actors accomplished genuine relationships. They worked closely on their interactions. Having been alive for quite some time, they have witnessed more of the dark sides of the world than intended. Close as a family, they can’t be together without raising suspicion.

Jesse Tuck (Braden Foley) loves to travel the world, using the gift to his advantage. Foley had excellent comedic timing. As for Miles (AJ Macrina), this gift has destroyed his chance to live the life he wanted. Mae and Angus (Allison Russel and Andrew Hankinson) recount their love story in a fabulous dance number.

No role in theater ever goes unnoticed. Speaking of which, the ensemble for Tuck Everlasting did a great job. Playing an assortment of roles, the entire ensemble had fun. The cast did a notable job with dance numbers.

Linda Jones was funny as Winnie’s grandmother. Dom Pappagallo was humorous in his performance as the man in the yellow suit. And Constable Joe and Hugo (David Foye and Brendan Johnson) were a memorable comedic team.

Onstage sits three significant sets of Tuck Everlasting. A fence represents Winnie’s house, the tree holding the magic stream, and the Tuck’s house. Using minimal sets and props, I knew where we were at every moment. That’s the power of imagination. One unforgettable moment was a child whispering to their parent asking if a boat was real.

Get ready for a fun collection of song numbers. Song numbers to include are ‘Good Girl Winnie Foster’, ‘Partner in Crime’, ‘Story of the Tucks’, and a poignant score in the climax.

The ending of Tuck Everlasting is a moving sediment exploring the circle of life. This scene is what the play is all about. With no spoken dialogue and only done in actions, the ensemble performed a powerful enactment.

Death is a prominent theme. Trudi Olivetti studied the moral of the show, figuring out the right technique to talk about a serious subject. While it may not be a happy topic, the theater is a time to come together to express emotions and discuss themes.

It’s easy to say that the audience was moved, paying close attention. Young children were present. Seeing their reactions brought back memories of when I saw the show when I was six.

Quoting from the show, ‘You don’t have to live forever. You just have to live.’ Tuck Everlasting beckons audiences to live each day to the fullest. Don’t be afraid of life. Be friends with it. You never know what adventures you’ll have.

Performances of Tuck Everlasting at Marblehead Little Theatre end on March 5. I highly recommend that you go see a show. I will cherish this experience.