While turning 40 is often jokingly equated with having a midlife crisis and “buying a sports car” cliches, it’s true that many things in life simply get better with age. Such can be said for “Back to the Future,” the 1985 film starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, which has now been adapted into “BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical” for stage and plays at West Herr Auditorium through Sunday as the final show in Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s 2024-25 M&T Bank Broadway Season.
Instead of a sports car, how about a DeLorean?
The plot follows Marty McFly, a high school wanna-be-rockstar who’s befriended a scientist named Emmett “Doc” Brown. When a time traveling experiment goes awry, McFly finds himself back in the past — 1955, to be exact — interacting with his (teen!) parents and desperately trying to find a way back to 1985 before he accidentally rewrites his family history.
It’s a risky venture to transform a beloved film with a cult following into a full-fledged musical, but the stage production had Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, creators of the “Back to the Future” film trilogy, on board for the book, as well as music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Alan Silvestri (who scored the films) and six-time Grammy Award-winning Glen Ballard, including additional period songs from the film including “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode.” Because the original creative team has stayed so intact, the musical feels like a natural, joyful extension of the original film.
“BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical” had its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in March 2020 and opened in the West End a year later, where it continues to break attendance records. It also played for 18 months on Broadway before closing in January 2025, recently played in Tokyo and will soon open in Sydney, Australia and Hamburg, Germany.
The success of “BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical” can be attributed largely to its endearing, talented cast. Marty McFly (played by Lucas Hallauer) is the first onstage during the show, and the audience immediately zeros in on this Michael J. Fox doppelganger and effusive stage presence — it seems Hallauer was born to play this role, from his rocker pipes to his comedic timing and facial expressions. Opposite him is equally loved character Doc Brown (David Josefsberg), who delivers a fabulously awkward but empathetic inventor (his “For the Dreamers” number had some audience members in tears).
As Marty’s parents, Mike Bindeman and Zan Berube give age-defying performances that grow stronger with each scene. As aspiring mayor Goldie Wilson, Cartreze Tucker could have five more numbers and the audience wouldn’t get tired of listening. The whole cast can dance, and with brilliant choreography by Chris Bailey, there’s plenty of swinging and foot stomping to keep the energy moving (the ”Hill Valley School Fight Song” is especially fun to watch).
Overall, the show is wholesome, feel-good theater at its finest — and a perfect choice to end the season. At two hours and 40 minutes (including intermission), it may not hold the youngest of attention spans, but other than a few deliberately placed curse words, “BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical” is a genuinely family friendly night out. Tuesday’s audience was lively and engaged, clapping and dancing throughout a curtain call with the full cast. Outside before and after the show, there was a DeLorean parked for photo and video opportunities.
“BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical” is directed by Tony Award winner John Rando, who’s backed by an award-winning team that includes dazzling, film-like special effects in the form of vivid set design by Tim Hatley (who also designed costumes to perfectly complement each rotating scene — and there are many); neon weatherscape-esque lighting by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone; multifaceted sound — from car engines and flux capacitors to lightning and rock ‘n’ roll concerts — by Gareth Owen; and video by Finn Ross, with illusions (feels right for this production) by Chris Fisher. The cumulative design was so immersive that, at times, the production felt almost like watching a movie or experiencing a simulated ride at a theme park.
But beyond the special effects and the toe-tapping rhythms, there’s a greater reason this show resonates with audiences. It unlocks a longing every human has for a little control over time — one more chance, a redo, a fresh start. Maybe even a 30-years-prior encounter to guide young parents to better choices in the future. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to have second chances in this life. And sometimes, we have a night out at the theater to forget about it all for a few hours.
“BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical” plays through June 22 at West Herr Auditorium. More info and tickets here.
Leah Stacy is the editor of CITY. She can be reached at leah@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
