**** Highly Recommended BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical is just awesome! I was more than a bit skeptical going in – how would they, could they, possibly turn a classic adventure movie into a musical? Well, they did, and BACK TO THE FUTURE blew me away! The special effects are, as my friend Al Bresloff says, mindboggling! Hurry, hurry, hurry and get your tickets! 4 Spotlights
The story is the same – Marty McFly (Caden Brauch) accidentally time-travels back to 1955 in a DeLorean invented by Doctor Emmett Brown (Don Stephenson). Of course he happens to be rescued by (gasp) Lorraine Baines, (Zan Berube), his own mother, who thinks he’s hot! Frantic to get back home to his girlfriend Jennifer (Kiara Lee), Marty tracks down Doc Brown to ask for his help.
Worried about altering the future, Doc warns Marty to stay away from people. With a grimace, Marty admits he’s already met his mother. Checking Marty’s photo of his family, Doc discovers that his brother is already fading. So while Doc is working out the formula to get Marty back home, Marty goes off to high school where he sees Biff Tannen (Ethan Rogers) bullying George McFly (Burke Swanson). By the way, the way Swanson moves, he must be part contortionist!
So, Marty has to show George how to stand up to Biff – and how to ask his crush, Lorraine, to dance with him at the Enchantment under the Seas dance. In other works, his parents have to fall in love in order to save Marty’s existence. No Problem!
At times I actually forgot I was watching a play, things happened so fast! Honestly, the special effects are astounding. For example, the DeLorean doesn’t just appear on stage, it literally bursts into the scene with a loud bang! The Flux Capacitor seems to be fully charged, and the DeLorean seems to fly!
The music doesn’t detract from the action either. It fits right into the story line. You’ll love Doc Brown and the ensemble singing It Works. When Marty asks who ‘they’ are, Doc’s answer – he doesn’t know where they come from, they show up when he says It Works! In addition to the new songs, you’ll hear your favorites from the film – The Power of Love, Earth Angel, Johnny B. Goode and Back in Time – too.
Marty’s sister, Linda (Laura Sky Herman), and brother, Dave (Fisher Lane Stewart), reappear as his grandmother, Stella Baines, and buddy Slick respectively. You’ll laugh at Principal Strickland/Mayor Red Thomas (Luke Anthon Neville). Lorraine’s girl posse, Betty (Zoe Brooke Reed) and Babs (Alyssa Carol), are always around. 3D (Will Jewett) is Biff’s minion.
The Clocktower Woman (Jenny Dalrymple) runs through town with petitions to fix the clock tower which was struck by lightning in 1955.
At the dance, Marvin Berry (Cartreze Tucker), Chuck’s cousin, and the Starlighters (Joshua Blackswan Abbott and Dwayne P. Mitchell) entertain – with boring music – until Marty livens things up!
The ensemble includes Tade Biesinger, Ina Black, Luther Brooks IV and Ben Lanham.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical runs through September 1st at Broadway in Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 West Randolph Street, Chicago. Best parking option SpotHero found is the Lake-Franklin Garage, 180 N. Franklin, $10.
Running time is 2 hours, 40 minutes, with an intermission. Remaining performances are Tuesday at 7:00 pm, Wednesdays at 1:00 & 7:00 pm; Thursdays at 7:00 pm; Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 & 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm. Tickets range from $40.00 to $145.00. FYI www.BroadwayInChicago.com