BACK TO THE FUTURE - The Musical

[TheOrpheumCircuit]

Posted: 9/28/22 at 11:10am

So, just posting that I saw the production of BACK TO THE FUTURE at the Adelphi in London about 2 weeks ago. My partner and I are huge fans of the movie, so we would be the ideal audience for it, I'm guessing. I knew going into it that there were some big plot changes, so I wasn't surprised by that. While it's a fairly slick production, I thought it was really bad. The songs are forgettable. Everything feels really rushed. The plot changes sort of make no sense, as if they are hoping you don't notice it. I did feel that Roger Bart as Doc Brown was the perfect choice. He has a lot of fun with it, and the show is far more about Doc Brown than Marty McFly. The other real standout was Jordan Benjamin as Goldie Wilson. Of course, most people will be left talking about the DeLorean and the special effects, which are fun, but it feels more like a theme park ride than real stagecraft. In my opinion, it's a bad show, but it's still easy to have fun at it. I'm sure it will do well on Broadway, especially with family and tourist audiences in NYC.

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 9/28/22 at 6:44pm

Agreed with your review.  I saw it right before Labor Day and thought it was horrendous. The songs are forgettable.  The "jokes" about the mother (as a teen) flirting with her son were just in bad taste, I don't remember the movie stooping that low.  

I also thought the guy playing Marty's father was good, even though he essentially coping the movie, he still stood out in a good way.

I'm really surprised it's coming to Bway, it would need a lot of changes including lots of new songs.  If it does make it, I don't see it lasting long, it's was just bad.

The special effects were good and the preshow curtain laser/show was cool but that was it.  It went downhill once the curtain went up.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 9/28/22 at 11:36pm

I've never seen the movie and thought it was just fine, entertaining enough for the running time with the effects to make it worth it, and maybe 2 catchy songs (though I could not recall the tunes of them now).  It seems to me that the more that people know and love the movie, the less they like the show, which I guess makes sense if you know what's been changed whereas someone coming in fresh would just take everything at face value.

I'm curious to see how it's received in NYC, as there seems to be quite a bit of buzz around it.  One of my friends enjoyed it quite a bit but was still shocked it won Best Musical at the Oliviers, though I think it's very possible it gets passed over in the Tony noms.

[BETTY22]

Posted: 9/29/22 at 9:40am

I saw it in London and wanted to love it - but....

Reminded my of Rocky the musical for some strange reason

[Dolly80]

Posted: 9/29/22 at 3:40pm

This is going to the Winter Garden. Announcement will be made VERY soon

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 9/29/22 at 3:47pm

Dolly80 said: "This is going to the Winter Garden. Announcement will be made VERY soon"

As great as the Winter Garden will be, I really wish they would go with the Broadway Theatre instead. Larger stage, larger lobbies to decorate, it's perfect for that show!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/29/22 at 3:54pm

The Broadway Theater is just a huge space. I do not remember the last time a show there recouped. The Color Purple in 2005? I'm serious. 

Updated On: 9/29/22 at 03:54 PM

[binau]

Posted: 9/29/22 at 4:00pm

The show does seem a bit bad/mediocre but (as I think I posted a couple months or years ago - who knows how fast time has gone). I feel like there might be a diamond in a rough if they are prepared to make some extensive changes to the writing (book AND score) - (I think the staging is perfect, however, and requires very little change). And usually I think it's a given they'll find the perfect cast in New York City compared to the West End because the talent standards for musicals are so much higher, which might elevate things further (not that there was anything terrible wrong with the West End Cast, in fact I thought they were rather charming - realise the irony/contradiction of Roger Bart not being from the West End). 

 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 10:13am

I got an email today from the Broadway Student Summit with Back to the Future as the featured show for March 18-19 and April 15-16 so it will have to be open by then? But no official announcement has been made, right?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 10:59am

I have a feeling that this is gonna be one of those big musicals that starts out with strong grosses, but doesn't end up doing well in the long run.

[GoldenGiggery]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 11:11am

The Broadway Theater is just a huge space. I do not remember the last time a show there recouped. The Color Purple in 2005? I'm serious.

 

If it were legally possible, i feel like it would be in the Broadway Theatre’s best interest to permanently remove the back half of their Rear Mezzanine. Those seats are almost never fully occupied and when they are, they’re dirt cheap bc the theatre knows it’s impossible to see anything from back there, so you just end up with ticked off patrons who give bad word of mouth.

If nothing else, Phantom should’ve transferred there instead of closing. Or the LED-screen version should be placed there.  

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 11:36am

If the HERE LIES LOVE rumors are true then most of the Broadway’s balcony issues will be solved because that will be the primary “normal” seating area. 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 11:37am

GoldenGiggery said: "The Broadway Theater is just a huge space. I do not remember the last time a show there recouped.The Color Purplein 2005? I'm serious.



If it were legally possible, i feel like it would be in the Broadway Theatre’s best interest to permanently remove the back half of their Rear Mezzanine. Those seats are almost never fully occupied and when they are, they’re dirt cheap bc the theatre knows it’s impossible to see anything from back there, so you just end up with ticked off patrons who give bad word of mouth.

Or, they can close the curtain that blocks the rear mezzanine from view and just not sell those seats. 

If nothing else, Phantom should’ve transferred there instead of closing. Or the LED-screen version should be placed there. "

That would not have resolved the issue that it wasn't earning enough to meet its weekly costs. And add onto it tge cost of a transfer and the likely new set that would have been created for such a transfer. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 12:19pm

“ If the HERE LIES LOVE rumors are true then most of the Broadway’s balcony issues will be solved because that will be the primary “normal” seating area.”

how so? Are you saying that because the orchestra would be the standing seats, leaving only the mezz as the seating? 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 12:48pm

Because they’ll likely create stadium seating and cover most of the orchestra. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 1:47pm

Ah, Holler if ya Hear me style (completely forgot that did that as well). 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 2:12pm

Just got back from New York Comic Con and there were people outside handing out flyers and then the DeLorean setup inside. Pictures from Yesterday showed the DeLorean covered and it has been uncovered, but there was still no theatre or date listed anywhere. 

Winter Garden is also what I've heard and March seems like a likely start. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 5:54pm

The HERE LIES LOVE plan I had previously heard was not stadium seating — it was building an entire stage deck over the orchestra section, upon which there would also be some standing & banquette/immersive seating. And then the traditional theatre seats would be what’s currently the mezz.

But that could have changed. And that explanation sounds CRAZY when typed out like this…but that’s what Timbers and Korins wanted when they were trying to make it happen pre-Covid. 

[dented146]

Posted: 10/7/22 at 7:58pm

I realize that there is a difference between good and wildly popular. But having seen Back To The Future in August, I believe it is both. 

I am a big fan of the movie and I believe that the artistic team did a fabulous job making the transition from movie to musical while capturing the spirit of the story. I also felt that the performances were very good. I happened to think that Hugh Cotes as George McFly stole the show. And I had no problem at all with the music. To me it seemed to fit very well with the time period and I found it very clever.

The stagecraft, of course, was over the top and, I felt it was brilliant. It is easy to say and think that the stagecraft is the main thing that made the audience go wild at the end and maybe that is partially true in this case. But even before the mind blowing finale, I felt they nailed it.

I have no idea how long anything will last on Broadway these days. But I like the chances for this one regardless of where they put it.

It was clear from the audience re 

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/19/22 at 9:37am

An ad in the upcoming Arts & Leisure announces Back to the Future for the Winter Garden, starting June 30, 2023. 

Updated On: 10/19/22 at 09:37 AM

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/19/22 at 11:01am

The PR team sent emails to some Broadway content creators (or at least that is where I saw it) that there is an annoucement coming Friday (Oct 21) at 10am. I would be shocked if it wasn't an announcement of the Winter Garden.

[bdn223]

Posted: 10/19/22 at 11:55am

fashionguru_23 said: "The PR team sent emails to some Broadway content creators (or at least that is where I saw it) that there is an annoucement coming Friday (Oct 21) at 10am. I would be shocked if it wasn't an announcement of the Winter Garden."

They send out an email blast on Monday to anyone who signed up to their email list that an "announcement" will be made at 10AM on Friday...so this isn't really that hush hush. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/19/22 at 12:13pm

Wonder why the June opening?

[bdn223]

Posted: 10/19/22 at 12:32pm

ACL2006 said: "Wonder why the June opening?"

There are already 10 new musical likely opening this season... 6 this fall then, Bad Cinderella, Shucked, Sing Street, and New York, New York likely opening this Spring with The Nothebook, Suffs, and Once Upon a One More Time waiting in the wings, and that's in addition to 4 revivals.  Producers likely don't want it to get lost in the massive chaos that will be this years awards season. I am just amazed the Shubert organization is allowing The Winder Garden to be dark for 6 months when it is such a highly desirable theater, unless it requires some retrofitting for the production?

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 10/19/22 at 1:12pm

I've also seen the rumor about the Winter Garden. And I've heard other rumors (that to me seem credible) that the show won't open until late summer or early fall 2023. I think the reason given is the incredible amount of on-site construction they'll have to do re the technology of the show.