Broadway Trooper Tim Federle's Novel "Better Nate Than Ever," About Kids and Showbiz, Will Hit Shelves in 2013

By Adam Hetrick
06 Nov 2012

Cover art
Cover art

"Better Nate Than Ever," about a young show-tune fanatic who gets the chance of a lifetime to audition for a Broadway musical of "E.T.," will be released by Simon & Schuster in early 2013. The novel for young adults is penned by Broadway performer Tim Federle.

Federle made his Broadway debut in the 2003 Broadway revival of Gypsy with Bernadette Peters. He went on to perform in the Broadway casts of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Little Mermaid and Billy Elliot. "Better Nate Than Ever" marks his debut as a novelist.

Federle was a swing, dance captain and associate choreographer for the Broadway production of Billy Elliot, and the novel is inspired by the young performers who auditioned for the show – one in particular who carried a lucky rabbit's foot behind his back during his audition.

"I was struck by how these teenagers had to carry such a gigantic show on their shoulders—it was like Hamlet with acne—and then come offstage and be expected to finish their science homework. Ultimately, 'Better Nate Than Ever' is for anyone who knows that the fastest way to star in your own life story is to dream big, no matter how small you are," Federle said in a statement.

Here's how it's described: "'Better Nate Than Ever' invites readers on an adventure with Nate Foster, a small-town eighth grader with big-city dreams. For Nate's whole life, all he’s wanted is to be in a Broadway show. (Heck, he'd settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he's stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby's help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There's an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom."

Prior to its release on Feb. 5, 2013, "Better Nate Than Ever" will launch at the MTI Junior Theater Festival in January, which is attended by over 4,500 young theatre lovers. The book is currently available for pre-order.

Visit TimFederle.com.