Review: Great Scott! Back to the Future: The Musical Has Landed at DPAC
Directed by John Rando, Back to the Future: The Musical is based on the 1985 film of the same name and tells the story of teenage Marty McFly (Lucas Hallauer) as he seeks the help of the eccentric Doc Brown (Don Stephenson) after he is accidentally sent back to the year 1955 in Doc’s experimental time machine, created from a DeLorean car. As he struggles to get back to the future, he realizes he must also reunite his now-teenage parents after accidentally ruining the moment they meet, threatening his very existence.
Pictured (L-R): Don Stephenson (Doc Brown) and Lucas Hallauer (Marty McFly); Photo by McLeod9 Creative
From the moment the curtain goes up, Hallauer is electric as Marty. He is effortlessly cool and brings all of the suave 80s charm we’ve come to expect from our heroes of that generation as he glides across the stage with both high energy and charismatic ease. From start to finish, he epitomizes the old expression “Acting is Reacting,” with faces and a physical presence that light up the room.
But his rendition of “Johnny B. Goode” (originally sung by Chuck Barry) is his standout vocal moment. He hits the original musical theater-y notes in the rest of the show just fine, but the rock and roll notes and tone are his vocal sweet spot.
Pictured (L-R): Lucas Hallauer (Marty McFly) and Zan Berube (Lorraine Baines); Photo by McLeod9 Creative
Compared to Marty’s casual nonchalance, Doc has a wild glint in his eye and moves at breakneck pace. His songs don’t add much in terms of plot, but are some of the most visually entertaining dance numbers in the show. With a crack early on about dancers showing up every time he sings, numbers like “It Works” and “21st Century” are full of fabulous costumes and choreography (thanks to choreographer Chris Bailey), flawlessly delivered by the ensemble as they twirl, flip, and kick their way around the stage. It is not until Act II that we finally see a deeper, more emotional side of Doc in his number “For the Dreamers.” For all of Doc’s rapid fire, zealous energy, “For the Dreamers” is a classically slower, hopeful “I Want” song full of promises as the number gives helpful insight into Doc and his past that is missing from the original film.
Zan Berube shines as Lorraine, Marty’s mother that he meets when she is a teenager in 1955. Unaware the new boy she is aggressively flirting with is her future son, Berube’s performance is a masterclass in both comedic timing and vocal technique. Her numbers “Pretty Baby” and “Something About That Boy” are far more sexually aggressive than the original character, and her chemistry with Hallauer is electric as they play off of each other’s energy. With vocals that fill the room with power and technique, Berube strikes the delicate balance of giggly girl and powerful assertiveness .
Pictured (L-R): Lucas Hallauer (Marty McFly) and Mike Bindeman (George McFly); Photo by McLeod9 Creative
Rounding out the leading players are Ethan Rogers as Biff Tannen, who brings a brutish, Gaston (a la Beauty and the Beast) energy to the role, Mike Bindeman as the quivering and classily 80s nerd George McFly, Cartreze Tucker as Goldie Wilson (whose performance of “Gotta Start Somewhere” is one of the best vocal moments in the show), and Kiara Lee as Marty’s sunshine of girlfriend Jennifer back in 1985.
Fans of the movie franchise will be happy to see that the musical script is almost verbatim to the film, minus a few changes for modern audiences and a clever new surprise at each new tour stop, thanks to book writer Bob Gale, who also helped write the original movie. That being said, familiarity with the movie and it’s general plot flow will be very helpful in following the plot of this stage adaptation, as the scenes (and Stephenson’s line delivery) fly fast and furious, often lacking some of the expositional dialogue of the film. Instead, many of the more explanatory scenes are often replaced with a high energy dance number, rather than a long sequence full of dialogue.
But it is the technical elements that make Back to the Future a jubilant spectacle. Sound designer Gareth Owen, lighting designers Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone, video designer Finn Ross, illusion designer Chris Fisher, and set/costume designer Tim Hatley bring the magic of the DeLorean time machine to life in a truly epic feat. The magic and visual effects of time travel (and all the preparation that comes with it) become real and tangible in this nostalgic, flawlessly recreated triumph.
Don Stephenson (Doc Brown); Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The production also features music and lyrics from Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard.
Back to the Future: The Musical runs at the Durham Performing Arts Center through Sunday, May 25, 2025 and is not recommended for young children, due to mature content. The production also features bright/strobe lights and theatrical fog.
Feature Photo credit: McLeod9 Creative
