海角大神

Another beloved children鈥檚 book is getting the stage treatment.

Natalie Babbitt鈥檚 book 鈥淭uck Everlasting,鈥� first published in 1975, is being adapted into a stage musical that will premiere in Boston at the Citi Emerson Colonial Theatre in July. The show, which is taking place with Babbitt鈥檚 approval, was adapted by writer Claudia Shearer and is being directed by Casey Nicholaw, who snagged a Tony for Best Direction of a Musical for his work on the enormously successful show 鈥淭he Book of Mormon.鈥� Music is by Chris Miller and lyrics are by Nathan Tysen.

鈥淭uck Everlasting鈥� was planned to premiere in May, but production delays have pushed that date back to July.聽

The novel follows Winnie Foster, a young girl who meets a family, the Tucks, who drank from an enchanted spring and can now live forever. Winnie must choose whether to drink from the spring as well and stay with them or pursue a normal life.

In discussing the show, Babbitt says that she often got concerned questions from parents who couldn鈥檛 believe her novel, with its serious themes, was aimed at children.

鈥淎dults say to me, 鈥榃hat, you鈥檙e writing a book for children about death?鈥� 鈥� the author said. 鈥� 'They don鈥檛 know anything about death.鈥� Of course they do.鈥� She mentioned circumstances such as a pet or grandparent dying in which children would have come face-to-face with it.

She said she was very happy with the musical.

鈥淚t all is magic to me,鈥� Babbitt said. 鈥淸The creative team is] doing a beautiful job.鈥澛�

The role of Winnie will be played by actress Sadie Sink, while the Tuck son she befriends, Jesse, will be portrayed by Andrew Keenan-Bolger and his mother, Mae, will be played by actress Carolee Carmello.

The show will premiere July 28. "Tuck" was previously adapted into a film which was released in 2002 and starred "Gilmore Girls" actress Alexis Bledel as Winnie; William Hurt as the Tuck patriarch, Angus; and Sissy Spacek as Mae.