Proving that time-travel is indeed possible, one of the 1980s most beloved movies has soared onto the Main Stem. The Olivier-winning production of Back to the Future: the Musical officially opened on Broadway August 3 after beginning previews June 30 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Read the reviews here.
The cast and creative team of the new musical walked the red carpet July 25 at a gala performance benefitting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson, stars of the original 1985 film, were in attendance on that special gala night along with several other original cast members. Even filmmakers Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg and the soundtrack's star musician Huey Lewis stopped for photos with the famous time-traveling DeLorean. Check out red carpet photos in the gallery below.
Playbill was on the red carpet for the gala performance to chat with the cast and creators about the new musical and what makes Back to the Future so timeless.
"The most important thing in a great musical is to have a great story, a great mountain to climb. And Marty McFly has that," says director John Rando, who has been with the production since 2018. "His family's in disarray because somebody's bullying his father, and has bullied his father all of his father's life. Mom's a drunk. His sister's unhappy. His brother works at McDonald's. His family's a mess. And then he goes back in time through the help of this brilliant friend, and he sees his parents and he has to help them help themselves. It's a beautiful story."
Marty McFly, made famous by Michael J. Fox, is played by Casey Likes on Broadway. Back to the Future is Likes's second Main Stem show, following last season's Almost Famous. "I've been a part of two stories that have really, really resonated with so many people throughout time," says Likes. "There's not a lot of people we know that have an older friend who's a mad scientist that invents a time machine. But I think what's timeless about that is the story of friendship, the story of family and what that means to us, and what we're willing to fight to get back to."
That mad scientist is, of course, Doc Brown. The character, originated in the film by Christopher Lloyd, is being brought to life on stage by Roger Bart. He says of the show, "It's such an extraordinary and unique story that I've never seen before, and I don't think I've ever seen really since. I always remember, as a kid, I found a clarinet in my house. And I didn't know who it belonged to. It turned out that my father played clarinet. And had I gone back in time and met him, I would have seen him practicing clarinet and realized, 'oh, you know, he's a musician, and I never knew that about him.' That's just one of the multitude of facets that I think wakes the imagination for families when they watch this musical."
"Going back in time" was fun for the songwriters. They were tasked with creating a modern musical for a 2020s audience, based on a 1980s movie, with a plot that travels back to the 1950s. But they insist it was an easy task. "We had his iconic score from the movie. That was always the glue," says Glen Ballard, who wrote music and lyrics with the film's composer Alan Silvestri. The musical's book is by Bob Gale, who co-wrote the film with Zemeckis.
The movie's special effects have been a large part of the buzz surrounding the stage musical. How will the DeLorean fly? Is there a flux capacitor? Producer Colin Ingram made sure of it. "I love working on high tech shows. I was brought up with all these Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Macintosh musicals. I love the big pieces," he says. And even though he's seen the show hundreds of times, there is still a moment that blows his mind. "The clocktower scene. What we do there is incredible. It's never been done before. And it's so technical and so complicated, that my heart starts beating at that point, until it's over. It's really wonderful."
The cast also includes Olivier nominee Hugh Coles as George McFly, Liana Hunt as Lorraine Baines, Jelani Remy as Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry, Nathaniel Hackmann as Biff Tannen, Merritt David Janes as Strickland, and Mikaela Secada as Jennifer Parker.
The ensemble includes Amber Ardolino, Will Branner, Victoria Byrd, Brendon Chan, Kevin Curtis, Nick Drake, Samuel Gerber, Marc Heitzman, Kimberly Immanuel, Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson, Hannah Kevitt, JJ Niemann, Becca Petersen, Emma Pittman, Jonalyn Saxer, Blakely Slaybaugh, Gabi Stapula, and Daryl Tofa. Rounding out the company as swings are Samuel Gerber, Kimberly Immanuel, Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson, Blakely Slaybaugh, and Gabi Stapula.
The production features set and costume design by Tim Hatley, lighting design by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Gareth Owen, video design by Finn Ross, choreography by Chris Bailey, musical supervision and arrangements by Nick Finlow, music direction by Ted Arthur, illusions by Chris Fisher, orchestrations by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, and dance arrangements by David Chase.
Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Roger Bart, and Huey Lewis
Creative Team, cast, and special guests of Back to the Future
Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Roger Bart, and Huey Lewis
Bob Gale, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Michael J. Fox, Casey Likes, and Roger Bart
Bob Gale, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Michael J. Fox, Casey Likes, and Roger Bart
Lea Thompson
Michael J. Fox, Casey Likes, Christopher Lloyd, and Roger Bart
Casey Likes
Casey Likes and Roger Bart
Creative team, cast, and special guests of Back to the Future
Creative team, cast, and special guests of Back to the Future
Colin Ingram and guests
Colin Ingram and guests
Casey Likes and Roger Bart
Jacquelyn Bell and guest
Tom Viertel
Erich Bergen
Erich Bergen
Schele Williams
Schele Williams
James Tolkan
James Tolkan
Adrienne Warren
Adrienne Warren
Tony Yazbeck
Tony Yazbeck
Kerry Butler
Kerry Butler
Tim Hatley
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
David Chase and Paula Leggett Chase
Harry Waters Jr. and Don Fullilove
Bernadette Peters
Bernadette Peters
Jelani Alladin
Jelani Alladin
Harry Waters Jr. and guests
Judy McLane
Tuluv Price and Don Fullilove
Skylar Fox and Chris Fisher
Harry Waters Jr. and Marc McClure
Harry Waters Jr. and Marc McClure
The DeLorean
John Rando
John Rando
Bob Gale
Bob Gale
Beth Crandall
Beth Crandall
Beth Crandal and Gabi Stapula
Blakely Slaybaugh
Blakely Slaybaugh
Blakely Slaybaugh and Beth Crandall
Alan Silvestri, Sandra Silvestri, Steph Whittier, and Glen Ballard
Glen Ballard and Steph Whittier
Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard
Bob Gale and guests
Bob Gale and Colin Ingram
Colin Ingram
Colin Ingram
Colin Ingram, Glen Ballard, Bob Gale, and Alan Silvestri
Colin Ingram, Glen Ballard, Bob Gale, and Alan Silvestri
Glen Ballard, Bob Gale, and Alan Silvestri
Glen Ballard, Bob Gale, and Alan Silvestri
Alan Silvestri
Alan Silvestri
Glen Ballard
Glen Ballard
Roger Bart
Roger Bart
Roger Bart
Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson
Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson
Victoria Byrd
Victoria Byrd
Will Branner
Daryl Tofa, Kimberly Immanuel, Hannah Kevitt, and Brendon Chan
Daryl Tofa, Kimberly Immanuel, Hannah Kevitt, and Brendon Chan
Will Branner
Company of Back to the Future
Company of Back to the Future
Kimberly Immanuel
Kimberly Immanuel
Casey Likes, Hugh Coles, and Liana Hunt
Casey Likes, Hugh Coles, and Liana Hunt
Casey Likes, Hugh Coles, and Liana Hunt
Hugh Coles and Liana Hunt
Hugh Coles and Liana Hunt
Hugh Coles
Hugh Coles
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher
Chris Bailey
Chris Bailey
Nathaniel Hackmann
Nathaniel Hackmann
Merritt David Janes
Merritt David Janes
Julia Udine
Julia Udine
Julia Udine and Merritt David Janes
Julia Udine and Merritt David Janes
JJ Niemann
JJ Niemann
Emma Pittman
Emma Pittman
Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Jelani Remy
Jelani Remy
Liana Hunt
Liana Hunt
Casey Likes and Liana Hunt
Casey Likes and Liana Hunt
Casey Likes and Liana Hunt
Amber Ardolino
Amber Ardolino
Casey Likes
Casey Likes
Samuel Gerber
Samuel Gerber
Kevin Curtis
Kevin Curtis
Becca Petersen
Becca Petersen
Daryl Tofa
Daryl Tofa
Marc Heitzman
Marc Heitzman
Brendon Chan
Brendon Chan
Gabi Stapula
Gabi Stapula
Jonalyn Saxer
Jonalyn Saxer
Hannah Kevitt
Hannah Kevitt
Will Branner
Will Branner
Mikaela Secada
Mikaela Secada
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Cast of Back to the Future: The Musical
Mikaela Secada
Nathaniel Hackmann
Jelani Remy
Liana Hunt
Liana Hunt and Hugh Coles
Roger Bart and Casey Likes
Roger Bart and Casey Likes
Roger Bart and Casey Likes
Casey Likes
Roger Bart
Roger Bart
Steven Spielberg
Cast of Back to the Future: The Musical
Roger Bart
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Liana Hunt
Casey Likes and company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Casey Likes, Roger Bart, and company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Creative team and company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Lea Thompson and company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd, and company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical
Company of Back to the Future: The Musical