Did you ever wonder what life was like before the Upsidedown? The Stranger Things Broadway play, which is heading to the Great White Way in spring 2025, is about to show us.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow will give Midtown visitors a taste of Hawkins, Indiana in 1959 through the eyes of Henry Creel a.k.a. Vecna (played by Louis McCartney) in a prequel that diehard fans of the sci-fi series and newbies to the mythical story can appreciate. But if you ask McCartney, the stakes are higher on stage.
“It’s a new playground,” he told the Associated Press. “Imagine what we’ve done now but times 10. If the illusions go up, then the story has to go up. I think there’s more story to tell. And I think we can go deeper.”
The play took place across the pond in London and is headed for NYC’s Maquis Theatre in mid-April 2025, however, previews will kick off in March 2025. Judging from the success of the Netflix series, we’re willing to bet the play will soon become one of the best shows on Broadway. Additionally, the play was the winner of two Olivier Awards, including Best Entertainment.
Broadway producer Sonia Friedman Productions, director Stephen Daldry, co-director Justin Martin, and of course, Netflix and the Duffer Brothers are behind the theatrical prequel.
“The world and mythology of Stranger Things has enabled a rich and fertile ground for creating an incredible story for the stage,” Friedman said in a Netflix press release. “The Duffer Brothers have built a huge global following for good reason, and a world-class creative team has built on their boundless imagination to dream up an unbelievably exciting theatrical event for our audiences.”
If you need us, we’ll be reserving our seats for the spring arrival. Catch you in Hawkins.
📅 Previews: March 28, 2025
📅 Opening: April 22, 2025
📍 Marquis Theatre: 210 W. 46th Street
💵 From $89
Visit Broadway.com for more information on the forthcoming show. In the meantime, check out other hits on Broadway, including Wicked and Hamilton.