STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW Previews — Page 2

My goodness drama at the Marquis last night! I had a friend there (+ plenty of reports on IG and Reddit) and apparently the line for the escalators reached 8th avenue and took forever. Hundreds of patrons were held in the lobby while the show started (with little to no communication...) and after the unmissable opening it was chaos in the theatre while the masses tried to find their seats for what some are saying went on for 30mins. Woof.

For this 5/10min before curtain theatre goer, I guess I'll be arriving 45mins before Stranger Things?!

That’s odd. Did people not know it was a 7:30 start time? Did the ticket scanners break down?

I was there! It was so poorly handled. I arrived a little after 7 from the 45th Street side - walk into the hotel and the escalators on that side are both going down. I walk over to the otherside where both escalators are going up, but are blocked by an usher. She tells me there's a line to get in that starts by the box office. I go out to the box office area - empty other than 1 person picking up tickets - and look outside to find a line extending almost all the way down 46th Street. I walk to the end which at that point is just past the Imperial.

The line finally starts moving around 7:10. I finally get in the building and up the escalator around 7:25. TONS of people milling about, and someone yelling "go to the other side" as if anybody understands what that means.

I get in a group that I assumed was people going to the show (why else would they be lined up here???) but I notice many of them have suitcases ... turns out they were actually waiting to check in to the hotel. There were temporary desks and a big HOTEL CHECK IN sign behind the up escalators. So then I was able to figure out that "go to the other side" meant walk AWAY from the theater entrance, around the elevators, and then get in a line to enter the theater that starts at the top of the DOWN escalators.

I get in around 7:33 and figure there's no way they'll start any time soon with the number of people that were behind me ... but no, the show starts at 7:35. After about 10 minutes they let in all the "late" people. They are clogging the aisles (and blocking my view) because there aren't enough ushers to show them where to go and it's dark so they can't see the row/seat numbers or someone took their seats and now those people have to get up and move. Tons of talking. Ushers shining flashlights all over the place. It was so distracting, I could barely pay attention to what was happening on stage.

Kudos to the actors I guess for soldiering on as if nothing was happening but this entire situation was completely unfair to everyone onstage and in the audience.

To avoid paying overtime if they exceed a 3 hour runtime

That's truly appalling. Not that I really wanted to see the show, but I would never go knowing that they disrespected the audience like this - the ones who lined up on time and were forced to miss the start of the show, and for the audience inside that had to have their experience disturbed on such a large scale. Honestly I'd just give everyone in the audience a partial or full refund. Netflix has the money.

theatergoer3 said: "As of intermission - it’s a streamlined version oftheshow from London. I don’t know if it’s as good but it’s still worth seeing."

I'd love to hear your full thoughts after the show. Having seen it in London and finding the staging impressive but the script overlong and indulgent, I'm delighted to hear it's been streamlined. But that assumes they've streamlined the right bits...

Bobster159 said: "theatergoer3 said: "As of intermission - it’s a streamlined version oftheshow from London. I don’t know if it’s as good but it’s still worth seeing."

I'd love to hear your full thoughts after the show. Having seen it in London and finding the stagingimpressive but the script overlong and indulgent, I'm delighted to hear it's been streamlined. But that assumes they've streamlined the right bits..."

I will say the 2nd act was more similar to the one in London and I preferred it to the first.

The stagecraft is still excellent with some new tricks along with the expected ones. McCartney is terrific.

The other teens are good even though I would’ve loved if the originals also could’ve transferred but I understand why that didn’t happen.

The show ran 2:50 with a 20 min intermission starting at 7:35 which I think accounts for some of the streamlining feeling. Largely the cuts in Act 1 are moments/scenes around the other teens.

Updated On: 4/3/25 at 11:19 PM

rosscoe(au) said: "If I missed the start I would have beenback to the box office saying swapmy tickets to another night. I’m never late, always early, can’t stand delays when companies are unorganized."

If you miss the first five minutes of this one, you've missed one of the best bits... I'd be livid, too.

Thanks for the comments theatergoer3. The scenes that followed the opening in London were the first I'd have cut, so I'm glad to hear they have.

‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’: What to Know About the Broadway Show

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/theater/stranger-things-first-shadow-broadway.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-U4.FhPa.D5saTbKB1R0o&smid=nytcore-android-share

Netflix has released a documentary following rehearsals for the London production. The playwright is candid about the stress of rehearsals, previews and rewrites. It makes the play look exciting. But it’s a safe film overall. I doubt a theatrical producer will allow something as raw as the Company Cast Album documentary any time soon

MrsSallyAdams said: "Netflix has released a documentary following rehearsals for the London production. The playwright is candid about the stress of rehearsals, previews and rewrites. It makes the play look exciting. But it’s a safe film overall. I doubt a theatrical producer will allow something as raw as the Company Cast Album documentary any time soon"

I never took Sonia Friedman as a smoker!

Thank you so much for the review (of the seat and the show!) I also am behind on the show which is giving me pause...but I think the theatricality of it will win out and convince my group to go :)

Again, thank you :)