The time-traveling hit introduces us to Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox in the film) who finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown. When he accidentally changes the course of history, he’s then in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself back to the future.
The Broadway show was the winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical. In addition to hearing hit songs from the movie (“The Power Of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel”) a number of new songs have been added for the stage.
It’s a family show that will be here just in time to kick off the holidays. Bob Gale, one of the film’s creators who also adapted it for the stage, has apparently asked that theaters have booster seats available to ensure that the little ones have a good view.
Portraying the bully
“Generations of people love this film, hardly a performance goes by without us having multiple people dressed up as Marty or Doc or Lorraine, ” said Nathaniel Hackmann, who created the role of Biff Tanner on Broadway and will also play bully Biff in Dayton. He says it’s fun to play the bad guy.
“Our show is based heavily on the film and many of the lines and moments have been preserved,” said Hackmann who grew up as a fan of the movie and knew before the audition that he wanted to do a Tom Wilson-inspired performance. (Wilson played Biff in the film.)
Hackmann said “Back to the Future” is ubiquitous, an interesting piece of our culture that tickles our fancy.
“There are all kinds of references to it in fictional media—books, television, movies. There’s been time travel for generations and one of the things that makes this story so universal is the number of themes and stories it touches: father and son, David and Goliath, young love, man versus man and man versus himself. Anyone can see themselves in this story."
He said his character, Biff, is the quintessential high school bully. He plays Biff both as a 48-year-old in the 1980s and the high school version in 1950s.
“We all know that power-mad person in high school who took his pain out on the people around him,” Hackmann said. “But I’m also interested in finding the humanity and truth inside that person. No one is 100% good or evil. We can all empathize with having the impulse and feelings that might drive us to consider doing something that might be wrong. If we can empathize with the character on stage who is supposed to be the bad guy, it adds dimensional quality to the storytelling. It shouldn’t just be ‘good guys, bad guys.’ It should be complicated people dealing with complicated situations.”
Hackmann’s favorite song comes when Marty goes back in time and meets his father who is the same age he is.
“Marty has to convince George to become the most fully realized version of himself by asking his mother out on a date; it’s imperative that his parents fall in love with each other,” he said. “It’s a fascinating situation where the son has to teach the father how to be brave. My own son is 13 and as a father myself, I can relate. In the story the son overtakes the father. It’s like my kid catching me up on today’s lingo.”
Calling the shots
Overseeing the entire production is lead stage manager Eric Sprosty.
“The stage manager is the one person looking at the big picture and coordinating all departments,” he said. “You deal with each individual designer and incorporate their work into a cohesive show that supports the vision of the director.”
Sprosty admits his OCD-type personality suits his needs because it helps him keep track and coordinate so many things.
“It’s exciting and challenging. You’re dealing with lighting, sound, carpentry, props and the artistic side in terms of actors and choreographers.”
The difference between working a show on Broadway and on tour, Sprosty said, is that in New York he’s sitting in the same one theater running the show. On tour, he’s playing a city, then packing everything up and coordinating travel to the next. On Broadway, he works with the same stagehands; on tour it’s new local stage hands in each city.
“It’s extremely challenging but if you’re organized and good and coordinating people and teaching a new team how to run a show, it’s very rewarding.”
Travel, he said, isn’t for everyone but can be very freeing.
" I live out of two suitcases and a trunk that travels with the show. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a home. I’m always on the road and when I have time off, I leave the country and travel for pleasure."
Running the show
Sprosty said “Back to the Future” is an extremely complex show technically— with 1,000 light cues, 260 video cues, 400 sound cues, 100 props and 200 automation cues.
During the performances, you’ll find him backstage at the calling desk where he is physically calling all of the cues, surrounded by video monitors displaying all angles of the stage.
“The new technology allows you to drive a car on stage and the driving sequences in this show are magical. Everything from the movie is recreated on stage, like the clock tower where they hook up the cable so lightning can strike the tower and send electricity down the wire to the DeLorean.”
After seeing the musical, he said, those who haven’t seen the movie will fall in love with the story and then want to watch the original film as well.
“The story inspires you to be the best you can be. It’s about heart and love, about being yourself and overcoming obstacles. It’s a great escape and pure entertainment.”
FACTS
- There are 56 people traveling with the show including cast and crew, musicians, stage and company managers, a merchandise person and a physical therapist.
- Travel equipment includes 11 53′-foot tractor trailers weighing 300 tons (or 612,000 pounds).
- The “load in” takes approximately 18 hours throughout two days.
- 100 local stagehands are hired in Dayton.
- There are 1000 light cues, 260 video cues, 400 sound cues, 100 props and 200 automation cures.
- There are: 30 wardrobe gondolas equaling roughly 90 feet of hanging costumes. During the show there are 200 costume changes and 30 quick changes.
- There are 126 wigs, two hair pieces, six mustaches.
- There’s enough copper cable to wrap around the circumference of the earth.
- The famous line from the show, “Great Scott,” is said 12 times.
HOW TO GO
What: “Back to the Future,” presented by Dayton Live
When: Dec. 2- 7
Where: Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton
Tickets: $53 and up. Call the Dayton Live Box Office at 937-228-3630 or visit daytonlive.org/back-to-the-future
RELATED PROGRAMMING
- Background On Broadway. An hour before each performance, ticket holders can learn about the history of the show.
- An after-school intensive will be held from Monday through Friday during run.
- A Stage & Sip is slated for Thursday, Dec. 4
- Dayton Metro Library curates a “Broadway Book Club,” suggesting books related to the production.
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