Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The appreciative murmurs and cheers that erupt from the audience the moment Marty McFly (Caden Brauch) saunters into Doc Brown’s (Don Stephenson’s) front door is the first clue that this production of “Back to the Future” is built for the excited ‘80’s kids in the room. Indeed, the set—from Doc’s experimental contraptions-strewn lair to the JC Penny’s in the mall parking lot—is the spitting image of the 1985 film, and Brauch—in a puffy red vest and toting a skateboard—absolutely nails the Michael J. Fox look.
It’s clear that the creators of this show were banking on that nostalgia-factor to carry them as far as Doc’s time machine-DeLorean took him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite make it all the way, but it’s an awful lot of fun anyway. Memorable lines from the movie litter the script, with an extra helping or two of “Great Scott!” sprinkled in. Likewise, some of the movie’s most classic songs form the staged version’s best musical numbers, like “Earth Angel” and “Johnny B. Goode” (which features dancing of a caliber I was longing to see earlier in the show). And this production pulls out all the stops with the time machine DeLorean, the rightful centerpiece of a show rich in technical wizardry and masterful special effects.
But there are limits to a car’s ability to be the leading role in a show. As delightful as it is to watch Marty and Doc zip across the stage in it, this reviewer would have liked to see a bit more investment in the show’s main characters—who often seemed overshadowed by the special effects. The role of Marty’s girlfriend, Jennifer (played by Kiara Lee) is so forgettable that it took me a moment to realize who popped up on a bench to sing with Marty in the second act. Some great laugh lines and physical comedy from Doc and from Marty’s father, George McFly (Burke Swanson) are a bit lost in drab melodies of the show’s original songs and too many sound effects. Although there are a couple standout performances in some of the supporting roles—especially Goldie Wilson (Cartreze Tucker) and Marty’s mom, Lorraine (Zan Berube) (whose musical numbers are hilariously on point), Marty never gets a showstopping number of his own. And though Doc’s “For the Dreamers” is a sweet number, the poignancy is undermined a bit by lyrics that are hard to understand (either because of sound design or Stephenson’s otherwise admirable Doc-like affect). Still, the target audience of this show probably doesn’t care much about new songs and character development.
If my calculations are correct, this show may not become the classic its movie counterpart did, but nearly anyone will find it to be a very fun night out with friends. Even if the show occasionally veers off track, I have on good authority that where we’re going, we don’t need roads.
Nostalgia Grade: A
Final Grade: B
Back to the Future: the Musical is currently running in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center to August 11, 2024. Running time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Recommended for age 6 and up.
A limited number of $39 Rush tickets will be available for every performance at the Kennedy Center Box Office the day of the performance. Tickets are subject to availability and have no guaranteed location.
2 tickets max per person. Available to purchase in person only. Void if resold.
Tickets are available at the Kennedy Center box office, www.kennedy-center.org, or by calling 202-467-4600.
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