In 2023, Broadway came out with a new show, Back to the Future: The Musical. This show felt like it had big shoes to fill, as it was based on the famous movie of the same name, which came out in the 1980s. There were so many fans, I included, who were unsure how the musical would look when it was first announced that it was being made. That included the songs and numbers that would be in the show and how the story would be told if it would be like the movie or have some changes.
I love musicals, and every year, when I go to New York to visit my family, we have this tradition where we go into the city to see a Broadway Musical. This year, that musical was Back to the Future. I was very hesitant and nervous but excited to watch it because Back to the Future has been my favorite movie ever since I was little. I was especially nervous when I saw the show’s cast performing one of their songs during the Thanksgiving Parade. It seemed cringy when I watched the performance, and I was a bit let down because I held this movie so close to my heart.
When I went to New York during December break, it was time to go to the city to see the show. I was still pretty nervous to see it, and I set my bar pretty low so I wouldn’t be upset if it turned out to be a flop.
When we got inside, I was hit with blasts from the past. The lobby was playing 80s music over the speakers, but it felt like we were listening to the radio as there were radio hosts, which made me feel like I was transported through time. It made me feel somewhat lighter as they were playing the right music from that decade. When we entered the doors for our seats, it felt different from any other Broadway show I had been to. It felt like I was on a Disney World ride with all of the blue lights that looked technological, moving all around the walls and the robotic-sounding voice on the speakers telling the audience to silence their phones.
When the show started, I remember how excited I got when Marty McFly stepped on stage. I was so happy because he sounded, dressed, and acted like Marty in the movie; in fact, all of the characters looked and sounded like the characters from the movie. There were so many parts that I found to love about the show, such as using some of the same lines from the movie, the chemistry between characters, the songs, and, of course, the DeLorean. There were some things, of course, that they had to change to somewhat relate to today’s generations, as well as change some scenes because they couldn’t reenact what was done in the movie in the show.
All in all, I think Back to the Future: The Musical was a hit. I found myself smiling and laughing the whole way through the show and dancing in my seat. I loved the songs, dances, and any scene that had the DeLorean car in it. I walked out of the theatre, happy to see the show. After seeing it, it has become my favorite musical out of the others I have seen.