Second Cast, First Shadow- Meet the Year 2 Cast of STRANGER THINGS on Broadway

Things are so very rightside up right now for dozens of actors who are about to join The Ensemble Company of Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway. The Year 2 cast officially takes the stage at the Marquis Theatre (some for the first time and some in new roles) on March 31. 

Leading the new company are Victor de Paula Rocha as “Henry Creel,” Ayana Cymone as “Patty Newby,” Juan Carlos as “Bob Newby,” Shea Grant as “Joyce Maldonado,” Matthew Erick White as “James Hopper, Jr.” and John Zdrojeski as “Dr. Brenner.” 

"It's interesting because Shea, Ayana, and I have spent the last year being understudies and your job as an understudy or swing is to essentially  be able to step into a role, often times at the drop of a hat," explained de Paula Rocha. "You know, you want to do your thing, make it your own... but at the same time, you have to make sure that you're hitting all the marks.

"I think that's one of the reasons that I feel very grateful. We've spent the last year getting a taste of what it's like to find these characters within ourselves. And now, going into Year 2, we're getting to take a much deeper dive into understanding these characters and loving these characters." 

Stepping into a production as technical and fantastical as The First Shadow is no easy feat. "You never think when you want to become an actor that you're gonna be in a show that requires you to be a magician as much as this one does," said Zdrojeski. "And it really is! The tech is obviously so incredibly impressive, but it's like, the way in which it motivates your dramatic trajectory as an actor is a fascinating challenge. I don't know of any other show where you get this opportunity. And just on a purely dramaturgical level, it helps you so much if you remember what you're supposed to do and don't die!

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is running on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre.

Photo Credit: Tyler Gustin