Great Scott! That 'Back To The Future' Musical Is Finally Happening, Will Open In London Next Year
We've been hearing rumblings about a Back to the Future musical for about seven years, but after a long wait, the show has finally ramped up to 88 mph and is ready to make its debut. Robert Zemeckis, the film's co-writer/director, and Bob Gale, its co-writer/producer, are still involved in this musical, as is the movie's composer, Alan Silvestri. Here's everything we know about the upcoming stage show.
Back to the Future Musical
Playbill.com reports that Back to the Future: The Musical will play at the Manchester Opera House in the U.K. from February 20, 2020, through May 17, 2020, before shifting to a West End location that hasn't been determined yet. Bob Gale wrote the book for this musical, and the score comes from Silvestri and Glen Ballard (Jagged Little Pill). Zemeckis is on board as a producer, John Rando (On the Town) will direct (taking over from Jamie Lloyd, who was originally hired in that position), and Olly Dobson (Bat Out of Hell, Matilda) has been cast as Marty McFly, the role originated by Michael J. Fox in the movie. The Emmett "Doc" Brown role has yet to be filled, but here's a photo of Dobson as Marty:
As you might expect, this show will feature rousing musical moments from the 1985 movie, including "The Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode." Frankly, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner, because the screenplay's perfect structure also lends itself very well to the stage and those musical moments are organically baked in to the story, so they shouldn't feel remotely forced.
Here's a statement from Gale:
"Bob Zemeckis and I have been trying to get this project off the ground for years, but good things take time and finally, the time is right. Our cast is outstanding, the songs are fantastic, and director John Rando is doing an amazing job ensuring the show truly captures the magic of the movie. We're thrilled that we can retell our story on stage in a brand-new way, and we're certain that Back to the Future fans all over the world will share our enthusiasm. In the words of Marty McFly, 'your kids are gonna love it'—and so will you and your parents."
The remaining credits include choreography by Chris Bailey, sets and costumes by Tim Hatley, lighting design by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Gareth Owen, video design by Finn Ross, illusions by Paul Kieve, orchestrations by Ethan Popp, and musical supervision by Nick Finlow.
The production may eventually come to the United States, but it's still too early to know when or where it could play. In the meantime, you can sign up for priority tickets at the show's official website.