Is Back to the Future The Musical a Hit or a Miss? You Won’t Believe What Critics Are Saying!

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The film “Back to the Future” is simply fantastic. It skillfully combines its diverse aspects, resulting in a movie that is humorous, emotional, and thrilling. From memorable acting to an instantly recognizable vehicle, the influence of Back to the Future on popular culture is undeniable, and creating a musical adaptation of this classic was undoubtedly a difficult task for any artist.

Currently performing at the San Diego Civic Theatre and touring across the United States, “Back to the Future The Musical” is generally a well-executed version of the Robert Zemeckis film. However, it trips up in some crucial spots. Despite this, the technical elements echo the impressive special effects seen in the original movie. The casting varies, and some musical numbers are more captivating than others, but “Back to the Future The Musical” provides an enjoyable theater experience – with its peaks significantly outweighing its troughs.

In “Back to the Future The Musical,” they’ve used a longer running time to delve deeper into the motivations and experiences of the main and supporting characters. While this isn’t necessarily groundbreaking for superfans, it doesn’t feel absolutely necessary either. For instance, Goldie Wilson’s ambition to become mayor serves more as a platform to showcase Cartreze Tucker’s impressive vocal abilities than revealing new aspects about the character. However, one of the musical’s most effective parts not present in the movie is a duet between Marty and his father, George McFly (Mike Bindeman), focusing on building self-confidence. Overall, the musical manages to hit all the necessary narrative points, which is quite an achievement for any stage production.

As a movie critic, I must admit that emulating the vibrant characters of Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Emmett Brown was no easy task, especially for someone who also had to sing, dance, and captivate an audience. Caden Brunch as Marty and Don Stephenson as Doc made commendable attempts at portraying their screen personas.

Don Stephenson faced a particularly tough challenge in portraying the scatterbrained yet powerful Doc character live on stage. He had to balance complex dance routines with maintaining an air of clumsiness, which he managed fairly well. However, he seemed to lack some of the electrifying energy that truly brings the character to life.

Caden Brunch, on the other hand, delivered a solid performance as Marty. He excelled in portraying the awkward relationship with his mother, Lorraine (Zan Berube), and showcasing Marty’s love for Rock N Roll. Overall, both actors put forth decent efforts, but there is always room for improvement to truly bring the iconic characters to life on stage.

Berube and Bindeman deliver outstanding performances, particularly in their humorous portrayals of Marty’s parents. Notably, Bindeman excels in embodying the awkwardness of George, both as a tribute to Crispin Glover and in his musical and dance sequences. The remainder of the cast is entertaining, but no individual performances stand out as particularly memorable.

In a sense, the music in “Back to the Future The Musical” follows a similar pattern. You’d anticipate tunes from Huey Lewis and the News and Chuck Berry, and you get them. However, unlike what one might expect, there aren’t many standout songs within the show. It’s not entirely predictable, and the comedic aspects are indeed present, but very few of the melodies left a lasting impact on me. Instead of relying heavily on clever lyrics, they seem to prioritize visual spectacle for their impact.

As a movie enthusiast, let me tell you that “Back to the Future The Musical” sets the bar exceptionally high. The dance routines showcase inventive choreography and an array of engaging stage mechanics, such as a revolving turnstile at the center and the iconic DeLorean car itself. The turnstile is frequently utilized, keeping your gaze constantly shifting across the expansive stage. The swing dance numbers are equally thrilling as the action/fight sequences, which skillfully employ music to build tension and offer elaborate spectacles.

However, it’s the legendary DeLorean that takes center stage in “Back to the Future The Musical“. Using rear screen projections and classic live theater tricks, the DeLorean appears to move right before your eyes, adding a unique energy to the performance that I’ve never experienced. The pivotal scenes with the DeLorean are breathtakingly amazing and more than justify the ticket price.

For enthusiasts of the classic movie, “Back to the Future: The Musical” strikes a pleasing balance that makes it entertaining. While the music may not reach the same heights as “Hadestown“, it certainly doesn’t disappoint either. The way the songs seamlessly incorporate Alan Silvestri’s work is worth noting, particularly when the lyrics align with those iconic musical cues. Casting was always going to be a tough task, and overall, the cast is satisfactory, with its share of strong performances and some room for improvement. However, the DeLorean steals the show with its impressive stage magic, a rarity in theatre. The choreography and dance numbers are excellent, but the antiquated car takes center stage as the undeniable star.

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2025-01-17 10:54