We did a Quick 5 interview with Allyson Tierney, the Director for CTA’s upcoming production of Tuck Everlasting the Musical. The show is based on the novel “Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbitt.

SYNOPSIS: What would you do if you had all eternity? Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure beyond her white picket fence, but not until she becomes unexpectedly entwined with the Tuck Family does she get more than she could have imagined. When Winnie learns of the magic behind the Tuck’s unending youth, she must fight to protect their secret from those who would do anything for a chance at eternal life. As her adventure unfolds, Winnie faces an extraordinary choice: return to her life, or continue with the Tucks on their infinite journey.

CTA: How did you get your start in theater?

ALLYSON: I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and the highlight every year was attending the high school theatre productions.  I remember seeing a production of Godspell and wanted so badly to be on that stage!  I auditioned as soon as I could and, after a few tries (well lots of tries), I got cast in a production of West Side Story.  That was it for me!

CTA: What attracted you to want to direct this production?

ALLYSON: I feel like things come along in life for a reason.  If you know me, you know that musicals aren’t necessarily my favorite.  Don’t hate me!!  I am naturally drawn to non-musicals, especially the classics.  As Executive Producer for CTA, it is my job to research the chosen plays, help create the budgets, and assess the needs of the play.  While diving into Tuck, I fell in love with this story and its message.  My dad died last year and, as you can imagine, it was a difficult time for me.  At its core, this play is a celebration of life.  It encourages us all to live our lives to the fullest and celebrate life even when we are experiencing loss.  After losing my dad, I needed that reminder and this play did that for me.

CTA: What makes your team’s production of ‘Tuck Everlasting the Musical’ unique?

ALLYSON: We are not approaching this show differently or uniquely.  We want to tell this story authentically and with purpose.  We have worked very hard to create a production that everyone can relate to and learn from.

CTA: What is the most important theme of the play? How do the character, blocking, and design choices help explore that theme?

ALLYSON: This production is a journey of self-discovery, a celebration of the beauty of life, and a reminder that even in our fleeting moments, we can create something extraordinary!

Visually, I wanted to focus on the contrasts in the play.  For example, Winnie’s house is very crisp, sterile, and in sharp contrast to the Tuck home which is very homey and cluttered.  We emphasized the contrast with colors as well, using browns and neutrals for the Tuck family,  bright vibrant colors for the fair and carnival workers, and light blues for Winnie to emphasize her innocence and cheerfulness.

CTA’s Tuck Everlasting the Musical runs October 18 through November 3, 2024 (weekends only). Run time is approximately 120 minutes (2 hours) plus a 15-minute intermission. Special events include a Relaxed Performance on Saturday, October 26 @ 11:00 a.m. and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, October 26 at 4:00 p.m. Get your tickets at cta.ticketleap.com. Questions? Email boxoffice@childrenstheatreofannapolis.org.