(Photo courtesy of Ponderosa Players)
Ponderosa Players, known for their immersive and engaging youth productions, is bringing the musical version of Tuck Everlasting to Bend this June! Based on Natalie Babbitt’s cherished novel of the same name, Tuck Everlasting follows young Winnie Foster as she uncovers the secret of the immortal Tuck family and faces a life-altering choice: to join the Tucks at seventeen or stay on the wheel of life. This will be the premiere production of this musical in Central Oregon.
Featuring 15 young actors between the ages of 11 and 18, Tuck Everlasting will have five outdoor performances at The Hayshed, outside of Tumalo. Directors and founders of Ponderosa Players, Grey Conant they/them and Kisky Holwerda she/her, are continuing their innovative approach to staging by using the venue’s natural outdoor setting to help create Treegap Wood, where the musical takes place. Set designer Liz Uhazy she/they is employing the use of pulleys, which allows the forest canopy to rise and fall around the audience as the cast moves throughout the story.
This production follows Ponderosa Players’ inaugural MainStage show — The Addams Family: A New Musical — which boasted a sold out run at Open Space Event Studios in October. Having cemented their place in Bend’s theater scene with a reputation for excellent pre-professional youth theater, Ponderosa Players is excited to continue bringing high-caliber productions to Bend with Tuck Everlasting.
Holwerda shares the work of choreography with Dora Novak she/her while music direction by Angelina Anello-Dennee she/her further helps to weave the magical, heartfelt story of Winnie Foster. “Rehearsals are so great, everyone works so hard and has such a great attitude!” Anello-Dennee gushed about the cast, “And they know their stuff. I am just so proud of them.” Conant supports this statement wholeheartedly, raving further about their incredible talent and positive attitude. “They all support one another’s successes. They’re 100% on the same team and back up all of that humility with incredibly hard work,” Conant says, “they are putting together a truly beautiful show.”
Ponderosa Players is sure to uphold its reputation for high-caliber productions with Tuck Everlasting and they’re not slowing down anytime soon. They have already announced a full menu of classes through March of 2025 and two MainStage productions: Ride the Cyclone (High School Edition) and Guys and Dolls, performing in February and June of 2025, respectively. Information on their entire 2024-25 season can be found on their website: ponderosaplayers.com!
Don’t miss Tuck Everlasting, produced by Ponderosa Players and performing at The Hayshed, June 26-28 at 7pm and June 29 at 2pm and 7pm! Tickets available now at ponderosaplayers.com/tickets.