Review: BACK TO THE FUTURE : THE MUSICAL at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre

The 1980’s were a great era for blockbuster movies..TOOTSIE, MRS DOUBTFIRE, PRETTY WOMAN, and DIRTY DANCING, to name a few . And who doesn't want to capitalize on a beloved classic. Broadway producers love a familiar title and composers have taken a shining to transform these gems of yesteryear into Broadway musicals. You can now add BACK TO THE FUTURE to that list, as the musical version is now playing on Shea’s Buffalo stage. That title alone assured for sell out crowds this week in the Queen city, but like  those other musical adaptations, the results are vapid crowd pleasers that suffer in translation to the musical stage.

Michael J. Fox starred in the film of the time traveling teen Marty McFly, who speeds from 1985 back to 1955 in a souped  up DeLorean car that is powered by radioactive plutonium. The crazy scientist Doc Brown has devised the plan, but Marty ends up in the car accidentally. Now stuck in 1955, he must now figure out how to get “ back to the future.” The plot is brilliant and stemmed multiple sequel films. Marty’s parents are a weak,nerdy father and a drunken mother. The joy comes with Marty interacting with them as teens, changing their history.

The music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard are utterly forgettable, adding little to the familiar story, and often slows it down.Songs like “21st Century” and “It Works” add a bevy of ensemble members in an attempt to say “look, this is a song and dance musical!” The end results are only mildly amusing.

Happily the book by Bob Gale sticks near verbatim to the film, so movie lovers get all of their favorite lines. But  the freshness of the jokes often seems stale. The highlights come from  the brilliant stage effects that occur during the time traveling scenes, with video projections by Finn Ross, Illusion Designs by Chris Fisher and lighting by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone. 

The joy of time traveling allows for quirky anachronisms that only fit in this situation. The styles of the 50’s and 80’s are captured by the colorful designs by Tim Hatley, although some of those 80’s outfits were cartoony in their combinations of colors and patterns. Choreography by Chris Bailey was appropriate for the periods and allowed for a stark contrast of styles, all executed well by the ensemble.

Happily the cast is super charged, let by young Lucas Hallauer as Marty. It’s clear that he has paid homage to Fox in his portrayal, and it works. Hallauer is adorably innocent and lands the comedy, while endearing himself to the audience. The best scenes work as he interacts with his parents as teenagers. Mike Bindeman is the ultra nerdy dad George McFly and his tall, lanky awkward  portrayal is wonderful. His song ”My Myopia,” sung perched high atop a tree was strangely silly.

Meanwhile Marty’s mother as a teen, Lorraine, elicits some of the best laughs as she quite literally falls in love (and lust) with her own son. Zan Berube shines as the horny Lorraine, and  beautifully sings and dances her way into some comically uncomfortable situations.

David Josefsberg is a hoot as Doc Brown, the daffy white haired mad scientist. Josefsberg's endearing portrayal somehow centers the silliness with his earnestness. The bond he develops with Hallauer is palpable, even if he does break out into song and dance more frequently than is needed.

Ethan Rogers digs his teeth into the juicy role of Buff Tannen, the school bully. The large buffoon with more muscle than smarts is the perfect villain, and Rogers  is picture perfect.

Director John Rando moves the action along at a good clip, but it is tough trying to reinterpret a movie to the stage. There were a few glints of freshness, especially in the number “For the Dreamers ” that  Doc sings of his predecessor scientists who forged a path to future inventions. Adding touches of grounded reality like that to the comedic groundwork of the film’s script would have helped create something more creative than the literal retelling now on stage.

The finale includes the beloved hits by Huey Lewis,  “The Power of Love” and “Back in Time” that the film lovers cherish. The rousing concert  led by Hallauer on guitar assured the crowd that Marty and Doc’s time traveling adventures still put a huge smile of nostalgia for the 1980’s.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL plays at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre through June 29, 2025. Contact sheas.com for more information.