Critical Review at Hennepin Arts

With the resurgence of 80s fashion, trends, and music in the past few years, it’s no surprise that a Broadway remake of the era’s classic Back to the Future was first in the 2024-25 Broadway on Hennepin season.  Back to the Future is the epitome of a prime 80s movie. Released in 1985, it follows teenager Marty Mcfly as he gets thrown back into the 1950s as a result of his old mad scientist friend’s (Uncle? Grandfather? Relation unknown.) time traveling car, the DeLorean. At first glance, it’s an unexpected choice for a musical adaptation. Time travel is a difficult thing to depict on the stage, and with a movie like Back to the Future , its eighties era practical effects and visuals are essential to its charm. That being said, there is no force big enough to limit the effects of nostalgia-fueled remakes. And Back to the Future the Musical definitely is a nostalgia-fueled remake.  The show’s 26 song tracklist composed by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard packs fun, likable m...

Wanna go for a sweet ride into the past? All you have to do is head to the Orpheum Theater! Sadly, the entire audience can’t squeeze into Doc’s DeLorean, but don’t panic–the stage will stand in as your time machine. Back to the Future: The Musical , produced by Colin Ingram, is a blast from the past twice over. Yes, it takes us to 1955 after Marty McFly accidentally hits 88 mph, but we also go back to the ‘80s, when the original film was released. Each scene makes the 21st century feel more and more distant. You’ll see everything from a beyond adorable ‘50s diner to a couple of 1985 lovebirds taking a Polaroid selfie. Come on, what’s more retro than a Polaroid selfie? With goofy characters, dumb laughs, and a generous amount of cheese, Back to the Future is the perfect light-hearted distraction from the impending autumn gloom. If you’re looking for something profound and serious, this likely isn’t the production for you. Between the cartoonish set design (Frank McCullough), the pl...

I don’t need a time machine to notice how many ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s movies have been adapted into Broadway productions recently. What’s with that? A lot of popular movies- think Beetlejuice , Mean Girls , The Lion King , Clue - have all undergone their musical phase. My biggest takeaway from this stream of adaptations: it’s challenging to adapt a well-known movie for the stage. Expectations are high. Going into Back To The Future , a new tour of the musical currently on Broadway, I’ll admit that my expectations were indeed high. I’d heard about the stunning visual effects, and the car (oh, the car!). The time-traveling sequences are expertly implemented, but honestly, everything else was downright painful to watch. It was half-baked caricatures of the movie’s stellar cast, a set design consisting of static images projected onto an empty stage, and forgettable music that was just plain tiresome. It felt like two very different productions: a blend between a rough high school producti...

Energetic, corny, and nostalgic for many: the stellar musical adaption of the 1985 film Back to the Future arrives at The Orpheum on its North American tour. From the iconic DeLorean car to Marty McFly’s red puffer vest, the stage version has everything fans would expect and more.  Songwriters Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard succeed in creating memorable, vocally dynamic music. Caden Brauch (who plays rockstar teen “Marty McFly”) and Don Stephenson (who plays the scatterbrained “Doc Brown”) have plenty of opportunities in the score to show off their vocal talents. Both actors also have incredible range, fluctuating brilliantly between comedy and emotion. However, many times my eye was drawn to the ensemble, who are incorporated in some way in almost every number. Joy and energy radiate from each performer, so much so that as I was watching I wanted to leap from my balcony seat and go join in on the fun of “Something About That Boy.” Yet, the most impressive number of all has to be ...

Paying homage to the King of Pop, "MJ The Musical" recently stepped out onto the Orpheum’s stage. Written by the remarkable Lynn Nottage, the musical is deeply complex and explores all facets of the famous singer's life. It’s a production that not only entertains but also provides a deeper understanding of the man behind the legend. The musical is set during the rehearsals for Jackson's 1992 Dangerous World Tour, a well-known period in his career. This framing device opens the audience’s eyes to the  behind-the-scenes pressures Jackson faced, while also showcasing his creative process and his relentless perfectionism. Through flashbacks, the show displays the defining moments of Jackson's life, from his early days with the Jackson 5 to his iconic stardom, capturing the evolution of his art. One of the standout features of "MJ The Musical" is its choreography. Numbers like "Billie Jean," are brought to life with precision and charm, showcasing t...