STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW Previews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/27/25 at 12:00am

Broadway, welcome to The Upside Down.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow starts previews tomorrow (March 28) at the Marquis Theatre. The visually stunning stage prequel to the Netflix series — already a hot ticket in London — takes place in 1959, when many of the series’ adult characters were teenagers in Hawkins, Indiana. Standout Louis McCartney leads a 34-person ensemble cast as Henry Creel, reprising his West End role. With an original story by Jack Thorne, Kate Trefry, and The Duffer Brothers and direction by Justin Martin and Stephen Daldry, Stranger Things: The First Shadow officially opens on April 22.

“In 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, the Creel family seeks a fresh start, especially their teenage son Henry, who is eager to escape his troubled past. Initially, things go well — he finds friendship and joins the school play. But when a wave of shocking crimes strikes the town, Henry is forced to confront a terrifying truth: is something inside him that connects him to the horrors unfolding around him? As this thrilling mystery races forward, shadows of the past are unleashed, relationships are tested, and the town of Hawkins faces the ultimate question: can the power of friendship outshine the darkness within?”

Who’s ready?!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/27/25 at 10:01am

Loved this in London and can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts. I have never seen the show and just so engaged. Some incredible stage magic going on. 

[Cowboysfan84]

Posted: 3/27/25 at 10:34am

Any news on a lottery/rush for the show?

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 3/27/25 at 10:46am

Dug this in London as well and am excited to revisit/see the adjustments.

Asked the box and nothing was confirmed but it sounded like a lottery is likely. 

Updated On: 3/27/25 at 10:46 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/27/25 at 11:52am

$45 digital lottery confirmed, launching April 2.

$40 in-person rush begins tomorrow.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 9:12am

‘Stranger Things’ Play ‘The First Shadow’ Getting Netflix Behind-the-Scenes Doc as Broadway Previews Begin

https://variety.com/2025/film/global/stranger-things-play-first-shadow-netflix-doc-1236350817/

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 9:16am

New pic on Instagram

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Seems like an upgraded version of the same scene from London if I remember correctly. 

 

[60'splayoff]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 11:52am

Coooool!! Looking at IG, they’ve installed an EPIC buildout in the Marquis lobby:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHq5yWKOonH/?igsh=ZXlwMzlrZ3Z4a3p4

[MezzA101]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 11:57am

'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' Documentary Goes Inside Making of Play

https://people.com/stranger-things-the-first-shadow-documentary-goes-inside-making-of-play-11704926

 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 2:03pm

The play's official website lists a 2:45 runtime, including an intermission. 

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 3/28/25 at 11:02pm

Not too far off from London but curious where it came in/comes in tonight.

I know they cut around 30 min in those previews. 

Updated On: 3/28/25 at 11:02 PM

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 12:57am

The show tonight was incredible.  It’s up there with Harry Potter with its stagecraft.  But the story itself was really the star here especially for those who are fans of the series.

It was a bit chaotic getting into the theater.  Show started about 8:10 I think after an intro from director Daldry.  There were no tech holds which is quite an accomplishment for this behemoth of a production.  I only noticed one minor issue with a set piece at the top of Act 2.  The intermission was close to 30 minutes and the show did not end until after 11.  I am sure everything will be tightened up during the preview period and the front of house staff will get their act together for the entry into the theater.

The producers have spared no expense here.  From the minute you get off the escalator you are immersed in the world of Hawkins.  And there are multiple jaw-dropping moments of spectacle in the show that were met with thunderous ovations.

Now tonight was full of mega-fans so the reaction was always going to be over-the-top from the audience.  I would consider myself an avid fan.  It was a fun and thrilling night.  As a theater mega-fan what they are doing is must-see.  I left the theater and wanted to buy my next ticket to see it again.

I predict this will be a massive hit.  Congrats to all involved.

WARNING - the show is not for young kids.  It has multiple terrifying moments.  There are loud noises, gunshots, jump scares, lots of peril and even some gore that most definitely goes beyond the cartoonish.  Way more intense than anything in CURSED CHILD.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 1:20am

Yes.  This will have Tony nominations, and very possible wins, for Best Director of a Play (Stephen Daldry & co-director Justin Martin), Best Set Design of a Play (Miriam Buether), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Jon Clark) & Best Sound Design of a Play (Paul Arditti).

Updated On: 3/29/25 at 01:20 AM

[suzycat]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 8:36am

Any advice on where to sit?

[workgottawork]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 10:37am

anyone take note of how high the stage is?  We are looking at seats upfront but worried the stage could be too high...

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 10:38am

suzycat said: "Any advice on where to sit?"

I was Orchestra Row P on the aisle and it was perfect.  There is action in the aisles that was fun being near.  

I would recommend trying to be near the center to take in everything.  I would imagine the mezz also would be great for this big, big show.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 10:47am

suzycat said: "Any advice on where to sit?"

I would definitely say to watch this from the Mezzanine to fully enjoy the staging and effects.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 11:56am

Sounds like the Marquee will finally have a hit again.

[pupscotch]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 12:01pm

Where in the Stranger Things timeline is this set? Is it pre-series (based on the title)? Should I refresh myself on the plot before I go?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 12:35pm

It’s pre the series. Never saw an episode and was very entertained. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 1:08pm

Behind-the-scenes documentary to be released on Netflix April 15

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 3/29/25 at 1:35pm

pupscotch said: "Where in the Stranger Things timeline is this set? Is it pre-series (based on the title)? Should I refresh myself on the plot before I go?"

If you've seen the most recent season of the TV series, it will make a lot more sense -- the play is set when Hopper and Joyce and their cohort were in highschool, in 1959. The other main thrust of the story is the origin of Vecna, tying in Henry Creel and other characters on the series. (Maybe some justice for Barb?!)

ETA: To be more precise, it is totally accessible and enjoyable on its own. But from what I've heard from friends who have seen it in London, you'll appreciate a lot more if you're familiar with the series.

Updated On: 3/29/25 at 01:35 PM

[surferbro24]

Posted: 3/30/25 at 2:00am

Let’s start with the good news: nobody tripped over a Demogorgon. The show ran smoothly (if long), the effects occasionally impressed, and there are projections aplenty if that’s your thing. Unfortunately, that’s about where the upside ends—and not in the cool, alternate-dimension kind of way.

As both a longtime Stranger Things fan and a seasoned theatre-goer, I went into The First Shadow hoping for something thrilling, inventive, and emotionally rich. Instead, I left wondering if the real horror was just how long it all dragged on. At over three hours (with an intermission), the show throws a lot at the audience—except, curiously, a satisfying story.

Let’s talk about the cast. Bless them, truly. They scream for their lives for nearly the entire runtime. I’m sure it’s exhausting for them—but it’s equally exhausting for us. Whisper. Monologue. Anything. The emotional range desperately needs more variety than just “loud.”

The writing is flimsy—thin on plot, thinner on character. It lacks the wit, warmth, and cleverness that made the original series shine. Instead, it relies on trotting out younger versions of familiar faces (Young Joyce! Baby Hopper! Teenage Bob Newby!) without really giving them a purpose. It’s fan service without substance.

Visually, the technical elements offer occasional bursts of creativity—clever lightwork, motion-tracking, and staging that, at times, deliver real theatrical flair. But those moments are scattered. Most of the time, the production leans too heavily on layered projections and digital effects that feel flat and emotionally disconnected. The Upside Down, in particular, is shockingly unscary, stripped of any sense of threat or atmosphere. Instead of an eerie parallel world, it feels like someone dimmed the lights and started flipping through a screensaver slideshow.

In the end, this doesn’t feel like a show made for the stage—it feels like a streaming brand experiment dressed up for Broadway. It may evolve over the preview period (and I truly hope it does), but right now, it plays like Netflix accidentally pressed “stage adaptation” instead of “skip intro.”

[TBFL]

Posted: 3/30/25 at 9:05am

I don't recall there being that much screaming in at all.

I thought the stagecraft was excellent and as someoone who hasn't followed the Netflix series that closely, really enjoyd the story. Sure, you'll get more out of it with familiarity, but still enjoyable.

[ajh]

Posted: 3/30/25 at 9:15am

I’d never watched the TV show so my prep for this was just reading an online synopsis of the various seasons - and I was absolutely knocked out. It’s just thrilling theatrical storytelling, involving, inventive and chilling. Some of the effects are stunning and Louis McCartney as Henry Creel delivers a star-making performance. I saw it in London at the Phoenix (a mid-sized house) and I think it may all ‘breathe’ a little better in the Marquis. Such an exciting, occasionally terrifying, piece of theatre.