Back to the Future The Musical Review

Back to the future is a perfect film. It carefully combines its disparate elements and weaves them together into a film that is funny, heartfelt and exciting. From iconic performances to an iconic vehicle, Back to the Future's influence on pop culture cannot be underestimated, and the decision to make a musical version of it cannot be underestimated Back to the future was certainly a challenge for everyone.

He now plays at the San Diego Civic Theater and is currently touring the United States. Back to the Future The Musical is a largely successful adaptation of the Robert Zemeckis film. It stumbles in a few key areas, but its technical aspects reflect the impressive effects showcased in the original. The cast is where things are most inconsistent, and some of the musical numbers are more compelling than others, but what Back to the Future: The Musical offers is a fun time at the theater – and an experience whose highs are sure to outweigh the lows provide shade.

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With a longer term, Back to the Future The Musical takes several opportunities to delve into the motivations and experiences of its main and supporting characters. It's not something superfans would call sacrilege, but it doesn't feel essential either. Goldie Wilson's deeper ambitions to become mayor, for example, are more of an opportunity to showcase Cartreze Tucker's incredible vocal range than a revelation about the character. Perhaps the most successful part of the musical, which is not covered in the film, revolves around a scene/duet with Marty and his father George McFly (Mike Bindeman) about inspiring self-confidence. But overall the musical hits all the right narrative beats and to achieve that in a stage performance is a feat all its own.

Matching the same energy of Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd's Doc Emmett Brown was certainly a challenge for anyone, let alone someone who also has to sing and dance. Caden Brunch (as Marty) and Don Stephenson (as Doc) are good replicas of their on-screen counterparts. The bigger obstacle for Stephenson is that he has to be absent-minded and still project for a live audience. He has to navigate complex dance numbers while still appearing awkward. Overall, Stephenson is fine as Doc, but he lacks some of the frenetic energy that defines the character. Brunch is a solid Marty and is at his best when he gets involved in the awkward incestuous relationship with his mother Lorraine (Zan Berube) or lets Marty's love of rock 'n' roll shine through.

Berube and Bindeman are great as Marty's mom and dad, both incredibly funny and playing their characters for the big moments. Bindeman is particularly notable for how he brings George's awkwardness to life both as a tribute to Crispin Glover and in his music/dance numbers. The rest of the cast is entertaining but hardly memorable – there are no major standouts.

In a way, this also applies to music Back to the Future The Musical. You expect to hear Huey Lewis and the News and Chuck Berry, and you do. But there are few memorable songs in the production. It's by no means predictable and the comedic elements certainly come through, but only a few of the songs left an impression on me. They are less concerned with inspiring people with clever texts and more concerned with achieving this with visual impact.

And there it is Back to the Future The Musical clears the bar with a big lead. The dance routines feature intricate choreography and lots of fun moving stage elements, from a rotating turnstile in the middle of the stage to the DeLorean itself. The former plays a big role, as the cast uses the entire stage to get a view of everyone to let the directions wander. Swing dance numbers are just as exciting as the action/fight sequences, which create tension through the music and are beautifully crafted.

But it's the iconic DeLorean that steals the show Back to the Future The Musical. Using rear projection and some good old live stage magic, the DeLorean literally moves before your eyes, bringing energy to the production like I've never seen before. The key moments with the DeLorean are simply breathtaking and well worth the price of admission.

For fans of the original film: Back to the Future The Musical hits enough of the right notes to make it fun. The music is not exceptional at the same level Hadestownfor example, but it's not bad by any means. The way the numbers embody Alan Silvestri's work also deserves praise, especially when the lyrical elements match these memorable musical cues. Casting has always been a challenge and overall the cast is decent, with some ups and downs. But to me, the DeLorean shows a level of engineering magic that you don't often see in the theater. The show's choreography and dance routines are great, but the antiquated car is its biggest star.

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