Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school.

The show was directed by Jeremy Sams and starred Graham Phillips as Evan Goldman and Allie Trimm as Patrice.

It also starred Corey Snide as Evan on the matinee performances, Aaron Simon Gross as Archie, Eric Nelsen as Brett, and Delaney Moro as Kendra.

The 2008 Broadway production is notable for being the professional debuts of Ariana Grande as Charlotte and Elizabeth Gillies as Lucy, who would later go on to star together in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious.

He wants his party to be amazing, but that might not happen because his parents are splitting up as his father starts to fall in love with a stewardess, causing his mother to file a divorce against her husband ("Thirteen/Becoming a Man").

As the other kids express their excitement over Evan's party, Archie, a boy with muscular dystrophy, enters and introduces himself.

Later, at cheerleading practice, Kendra teaches a new cheer while Lucy resolves to make Brett her boyfriend ("Opportunity").

Archie tries to talk Patrice into giving Evan a second chance, especially since she has a crush on him, but she has lost faith in him and is still upset at what he did to her ("What It Means To Be A Friend").

Evan has his Bar Mitzvah party after all; he is starting to understand what growing up means, and the characters tell of what surprises turning thirteen brought for each of them ("A Little More Homework").

The song "Here I Come" originally came after "Good Enough", followed by "Opportunity", which was retooled and included in the MTI Version with new lyrics and a new spot in the show.

The musical premiered on January 7, 2007 at The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, California, and ran through February 18, 2007.

[6] This production received a nomination for the 2007 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, World Premiere Musical.

[7] The cast and band for the Mark Taper Forum production: Ricky Ashley, Caitlin Baunoch, Molly Bernstein, Jenáe Burrows, Emma Degerstedt, Jamie Eblen, Julia Harriman, Jordan Johnson, Tinashe Kachingwe, Tyler Mann, Sara Niemietz, Ryan Ogburn, J.D.

Phillips, Ellington Ratliff, Chris Raymond, Charlie Rosen, Alex Scolari, Chloé Smith, Christian Vandal, Nehemiah Williams and Seth Zibalese.

It starred most of the original Broadway cast, except that it featured Ashton Smalling as Kendra, Taylor Bright as Cassie, and Kyle Crews as Malcolm.

[citation needed] Revivals featuring revisions to the show made by Brown, Dan Elish and Robert Horn were staged at French Woods Performing Arts Camp in summer 2009, Theatre Under the Stars, Houston, in the fall 2009, and Indian Head camp in summer 2010.

[11] In 2010, Ransom Everglades Theatre staged a revival in Miami from March 19–22, directed and choreographed by Angelica Torres.

[citation needed] The musical opened Off-Broadway at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre on April 23, 2011, in a production by the Children's Acting Company.

[17] The premiere of the Cantonese version took place at Jockey Club Auditorium, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 7 October 2011.

[23] The musical was adapted into a children's novel written by Dan Elish and Jason Robert Brown and released in June 2009 (Broadway production had already closed) by publisher Harper Collins.

[26] In October 2020, Neil Meron issued an open casting call for the teen roles, with rehearsals set to begin in March 2021.

[27] In April 2021, it was announced that Davis, Jason Robert Brown, Horn, Bob Boyett and Mark Nicholson will produce the film with Eli Golden (Evan), Gabriella Uhl (Patrice), JD McCrary (Brett), Frankie McNellis (Lucy), Lindsey Blackwell (Kendra), Jonathan Lengel (Archie), Ramon Reed (Eddie), Nolen Dubuc (Malcolm), Luke Islam (Carlos), Shechinah Mpumlwana (Cassie), Kayleigh Cerezo (Molly), Wyatt Moss (Zee), Liam Wignall (KC), and Khiyla Aynne (Charlotte) set to star.

[29] In June, they cast Rhea Perlman (Grandma Ruth), Josh Peck (Rabbi Shaperio) and Peter Hermann (Joel Goldman).