Stranger Things: The First Shadow is now in performances at the Marquis Theatre.
By Elazar Abrahams
Let’s get this out of the way: Stranger Things: The First Shadow isn’t exactly a great play if you judge it based purely on its script, character development, or thematic weight. But if you’re a fan of the Netflix megahit going for a fun night out and hoping to see some jaw-dropping stagecraft, then this show delivers in spades.
Taking place in 1959 Hawkins, Indiana, The First Shadow is a prequel to the 80s-set Netflix phenomenon, and it plays like a two-part bonus episode to the series. The story follows younger versions of the adult characters we know from the show, like Joyce, Hopper, and Bob, and introduces us to a young Henry Creel, the boy who we know will eventually become Vecna, the main antagonist of the Stranger Things universe. Seeing these familiar faces reimagined onstage is a treat, and the cast leans into it. Is the actress playing Joyce just doing a full-on Winona Ryder impression? Absolutely, but it’s a damn good impression.
However, the real star here is the production. The special effects are genuinely spectacular, with the closest thing to compare it to being the other big fantasy IP to embrace the world of live theater, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I hate to admit it, but among other jump scares, the final effect of the night actually made me jolt in my seat. My two roommates came with me, one of whom had never been to a Broadway show before, despite living in NYC for years. He’s more of a sports guy, not exactly the typical theatergoer, but he walked away impressed!
That’s one of the most exciting things about The First Shadow: the audience. This was, hands down, the most diverse crowd I’ve ever seen in a Broadway theater. In age, in race, in vibe. There were even tourists who didn’t speak English as a first language (shoutout to the lovely women in our row who loaded up on merch and said they “loved every minute”), alongside lifelong theater fans and Broadway first-timers.
Yes, there’s a conversation to be had about limited Broadway real estate and how much of it is getting eaten up by big IP and dumb musicals based on movies instead of new voices and original stories. But if Stranger Things is the thing that finally convinces someone to buy a ticket to a show, any show, I’m for it. The theater needs fresh young blood, and this is one of the first productions I’ve seen that feels like it’s genuinely bringing in new people.
Plot-wise, the show does a smart balancing act. It builds out the lore just enough to deepen your understanding of the Stranger Things universe, especially when it comes to Vecna, without making it feel like required viewing for future seasons. I’m very curious to watch the upcoming fifth and final season with Henry Creel’s backstory fresh in my mind, but of course being that access to The First Shadow is locked behind hefty ticket prices and visiting New York or London, the details of the script can’t be too key to understand the lore that millions upon millions of viewers all get to experience on streaming.
So while The First Shadow might not be groundbreaking theater, it absolutely succeeds on its own terms. This is a polished, thrilling, and wildly entertaining spectacle, built for fans who want to experience more Stranger Things. A spinoff that can hopefully remind or teach them what makes live theater so exciting.
Find tickets and more information HERE.
TV and City 