Is a Casey Nicholaw-Helmed Tuck Everlasting Musical Taking Aim at Broadway?

A musical adaptation of beloved children’s novel Tuck Everlasting may hit Broadway next season, according to the New York Times. Tony-winning director Casey Nicholaw is reportedly in talks to helm the musical, which features a book by Claudia Shear (Dirty Blonde) and music and lyrics by Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen (The Burnt Part Boys).

Tuck Everlasting, a 1975 book by Natalie Babbitt, tells the story of a young girl named Winnie Foster and her friendship with a boy named Jesse Tuck and his family, who become immortal after drinking from an enchanted spring. Recent industry presentations of the piece starred Carolee Carmello (Sister Act) and Michael Park (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) as Ma and Pa Tuck, Rozi Baker (Bonnie & Clyde) as Winnie and Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Mary Poppins) as Jesse.

Nicholaw, who won a Tony for his work on The Book of Mormon, is reportedly also in talks to helm a stage version of Austin Powers, though no timeline for that project has been announced.

Tuck Everlasting has twice been adapted for the screen. A 1981 film version starred Margaret Chamberlain, Paul Flessa, Fred A. Keller, James McGuire and Sonia Raimi. A Disney production, released in 2002, starred Alexis Bledel, Jonathan Jackson, William Hurt, Sissy Spacek and Ben Kingsley.