Back to the Futureis a perfect movie. It carefully connects its disparate elements together and weaves them into a film that is funny, heartfelt, and exciting. From iconic performances to an iconic vehicle, the impact of Back to the Future on pop culture cannot be understated and choosing to make a musical version ofBack to the Futurewas sure to be a challenge for anyone.
Playing now at the San Diego Civic Theatre and currently touring around the US,Back to the Future The Musicalis a mostly successful adaptation of the Robert Zemeckis film. It stumbles in a few key areas, but its technical aspects mirror the impressive effects on display in the original. Casting is where things are the most inconsistent, and some of the musical numbers are more engaging than others, but what Back to the Future The Musical does offer is a fun time at the theatre – and an experience whose highs certainly overshadow its lows.
With a longer runtime,Back to the Future The Musicaltakes a few opportunities to expand on the motivations and experiences of its main and side characters. It’s nothing that superfans would call sacrilegious, but it also doesn’t feel essential either. Goldie Wilson’s deeper aspirations to be mayor are more an opportunity to show off Cartreze Tucker’s incredible vocal range, for example, than some revelation about the character. Perhaps the most successful part of the musical not explored in the film centers on a a scene/duet with Marty and his dad, George McFly (Mike Bindeman), about instilling confidence in yourself. But overall, the musical hits all the right narrative beats and to do that in a stage performance is an accomplishment all its own.
Meeting the same energy of Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly andChristopher Lloyd’s Doc Emmett Brown was sure to be a challenge for anyone, let alone someone that needs also to sing and dance. Caden Brunch (as Marty) and Don Stephenson (as Doc) are decent facsimiles for their on-screen counterparts. Stephenson has the bigger obstacle in that he needs to be scatterbrained and still project for a live audience. He has to navigate complex dance numbers and still look bumbling. Overall, Stephenson is fine as Doc but he lacks some of the frenetic energy that makes the character tick. Brunch is solid as Marty and is at his best when playing into the awkwardly incestuous relationship with his mother, Lorraine (Zan Berube) or letting Marty’s love of Rock N Roll shine through.
Berube and Bindeman are great as Marty’s mom and dad, both are incredibly funny and play their characters for the big moments. Bindeman is especially noteworthy for how he brings the awkwardness of George to life as both an homage to Crispin Glover and in his musical/dance numbers. The rest of the cast are enjoyable but hardly memorable - there aren’t any major standouts.
In some ways, that’s also true of the music inBack to the Future The Musical. You expect to hear some Huey Lewis and the News and Chuck Berry, and you do. But there are few memorable songs in the production. It’s not predictable by any means, and the comedic elements do come through, but few of the songs left an impression on me. They are less about wowing with clever lyrics and more focused on doing so with the visuals.
And that’s whereBack to the Future The Musicalclears the bar by a wide margin. The dance numbers feature some intricate choreography and a lot of fun moving stage elements, from a rotating turnstile in the center of the stage, to the DeLorean itself. The former gets a lot of play, as the cast uses the full scope of the stage to keep your eyes darting every which way. Swing dance numbers are just as exciting as the action/fight sequences, which use the music to create tension and are wonderfully elaborate.
But it’s the iconic DeLorean that steals the show inBack to the Future The Musical. Using a rear screen projection and some good old live stage magic, the DeLorean literally moves before your eyes, bringing energy to the production in a way I’ve never seen before. The key moments involving the DeLorean are simply stunning and are well worth the price of admission.
For fans of the original film,Back to the Future The Musicalhits enough of the right notes that it’s enjoyable. The music isn’t exceptional on the same level asHadestown, for example, but it’s also not bad, by any means. The way the numbers incorporate Alan Silvestri’s work also deserves a nod, especially when the lyrical elements match those memorable musical cues. Casting was always going to be a challenge and overall the cast is decent, with some highs and some lows. But for me, the DeLorean showcases a level of technical magic that you don’t often see at the theatre. The choreography and dance numbers in the show are great, but that antiquated car is its biggest star.
