Everything you need to know about ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ on Broadway

The stage adaptation of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things is making its U.S. premiere after winning numerous honors for its 2023 world premiere in London.

Ready for a trip to Hawkins, Indiana? Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway is a theatrical prequel to the critically acclaimed Netflix TV show Stranger Things, set before the world turned upside down.

The award-winning play will begin New York performances in March 2025 after a hugely successful world premiere in London’s West End. An origin story to the 1980s-set TV show, the play introduces us to teenage versions of characters like Jim Hopper, Bob Newby, and Joyce Maldonado in 1959, right as new student Henry Creel and his family arrive in Hawkins.

Written by Kate Trefry (a writer on the Stranger Things TV Series) from an original story by Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and Trefry, the award-winning show is set to dazzle crowds with fantastical stagecraft, dazzling effects, and a theatrical reimagining of the other side. Learn more about the highly anticipated Broadway play below.

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What is Stranger Things: The First Shadow about?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set in the Stranger Things universe long before the events of the Netflix series. Set in 1959, the play focuses on a group of teenagers including Jim Hopper, Joyce Byers (then Maldonado), and Henry Creel — all names fans of the show will recognize.

The play explores the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, during a period when it is still a seemingly normal place. Jim is the rebellious son of the police chief, Joyce is an outgoing theatre lover, and Henry Creel is just the new kid in town looking for a fresh start. But of course, it wouldn't be Stranger Things without dark twists and turns, bloody noses, and telekinetic powers as the Upside Down — a sinister alternate universe — creeps in.

Where is Stranger Things: The First Shadow playing?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is playing at the Marquis Theatre at 210 W. 46th St situated between Broadway and Eighth Avenues. Located inside the Marriott Marquis Hotel, the Marquis Theatre opened in 1986 and is recognized as one of the newest Broadway theatres.

Shows that have recently run at the 1,611-seat venue include The Wiz, Beetlejuice, Once Upon a One More Time, and On Your Feet!

How long is Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow runs approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, which includes one intermission. This is on the longer side for a Broadway play; plays tend to range from 90 minutes to 3 hours.

What days is Stranger Things: The First Shadow playing?

Most weeks, Stranger Things: The First Shadow will play eight performances a week, with two performances each on Saturday and Sunday and no performances on Monday. Please visit the Stranger Things: The First Shadow page for the most up-to-date schedule.

When did Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiere?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered in November 2023 in London’s West End before the stage adaptation of the 12-time Emmy Award-winning Netflix series hopped across the pond. Check out a full timeline of the show below.

• July 2016: Matt and Ross Duffer’s television series Stranger Things premieres worldwide on Netflix to critical acclaim.
• March 2023: The official Stranger Things Instagram teases “a new story live on stage,” set to arrive in London.
• November 2023: Stranger Things: The First Shadow begins performances at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End.
• March 2025: Stranger Things: The First Shadow begins performances at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway.

Who wrote Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is written by Kate Trefry, a writer on the Stranger Things TV show. She adapted her script from an originaly story co-created by Trefry; the Duffer Brothers, who created the TV show; and Jack Thorne, the playwright and co-conceiver of the award-winning play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow characters

Audiences can spot many of the beloved characters from the Stranger Things TV series in Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Here’s a little more information about the primary characters.

• James Hopper Jr: A rebellious teen and the police chief’s son who can’t seem to do anything right.
• Joyce Maldonado: A spunky young teen with a soft spot for bad boys and theatre.
• Bob Newby: A teenage boy who's hopelessly in love with Joyce and has a knack for problem-solving.
• Henry Creel: A new student with a mysterious and troubled background who has just arrived in town.
• Dr. Brenner: A secretive and authoritative scientist.
• Patty Newby: Bob's adopted sister who wants to find her birth mother.
• Victor Creel: Henry’s father and a newcomer to the town of Hawkins.
• Virginia Creel: Henry’s mother who faces the eerie changes in Hawkins.

What awards has Stranger Things: The First Shadow won?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a relatively new play, but it's already followed in the TV show's footsteps and racked up numerous honors. Here are all the major awards the play and TV show have each won.

• Laurence Olivier Awards: At the 2024 Olivier Awards, which annually honor the best of London Theatre, Stranger Things: The First Shadow won Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Set Design. It was also nominated for Best Director (Stephen Daldry), Best Lighting Design (Jon Clark), and Best Sound Design (Paul Arditti).
• WhatsOnStage Awards: The show won Best New Play and was also up for seven additional awards, including Best Lighting Design, Best Sound Design, and Best Professional Debut Performance.
• Emmy Awards: The Stranger Things Netflix TV series has been nominated for a total 57 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 12, including Outstanding Music Supervision in 2022 and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series in 2017.

Major productions of Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Thus far, Stranger Things: The First Shadow has had two major productions: the world premiere in London's West End in November 2023 and the U.S. premiere on Broadway in March 2025. If the play is as much of a success on Broadway as it was in the West End, this production could leading to future iterations around the world — and maybe on the other side!

Celebrities who have performed in Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Stranger Things: The First Shadow has yet to feature any celebrity cast members, but the Netflix series has propelled several of its stars into highly successful careers. Learn more about the stars of Stranger Things below.

This list will be updated with celebrity cast members featured in the Broadway play if any are announced.

• Winona Ryder: Ryder plays Joyce Byers in Stranger Things on Netflix. She earned a Golden Globe nomination and two SAG nominations, winning a SAG as part of the show’s ensemble in 2017.
• David Harbour: He plays Chief Jim Hopper and is also known for his role as CIA agent Gregg Beam in Quantum of Solace. No stranger to theatre, he was nominated for a 2005 Tony Award for his role in the Broadway revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• Millie Bobby Brown: Since landing her breakout role as Eleven in Stranger Things, Brown continues to work closely with Netflix, starring in the Sherlock Holmes spinoff series Enola Holmes and the fantasy adventure Damsel.
• Finn Wolfhard - He plays Mike Wheeler on Stranger Things and is also known for starring in movies like It.
• Gaten Matarazzo - He plays Dustin Henderson in the Stranger Things TV series and has appeared on Broadway multiple times, most recently in the 2023 revival of Sweeney Todd opposite Josh Groban.
• Caleb McLaughlin: He plays Lucas Sinclair on Stranger Things, but he began his acting career on stage in the Broadway production of The Lion King as Young Simba.
• Noah Schnapp: He stars as Will Byers on the Stranger Things, the son of Ryder's character.
• Natalia Dyer: She plays Nancy Wheeler on the Stranger Things TV show and has appeared in the films Yes, God, Yes; Velvet Buzzsaw; and Things Heard & Seen.
• Cara Buono: The Mad Men Emmy Award nominee plays Karen Wheeler on the Stranger Things TV show.

Onscreen adaptations of Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Before Stranger Things: The First Shadow, there was the TV show Stranger Things, a hit TV show blending science fiction, horror, and nostalgic pop culture. The show centers on a group of 1980s teenagers who discover a dark, otherworldly realm called the Upside Down in Hawkins, Indiana. Likewise, Stranger Things: The First Shadow focuses on teenage versions of their parents dealing with unusual happenings in the fictional, quiet town decades earlier.

The critically acclaimed Netflix series premiered in July 2016, and has released four successful seasons, with a highly anticipated fifth season currently in development as of 2024. Stranger Things has won 12 Primetime Emmy Awards and become a global phenomenon, consistently topping Netflix’s viewership charts.

Fun facts about Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Stranger Things: The First Shadow delivers an action-packed universe filled with familiar faces from the Upside Down, along with new plot twists, heart-stopping jump scares, and moments of soul-stirring cheer. Learn more details about Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

• Stranger Things: The First Shadow marks Netflix’s second foray into the theatrical world. In spring 2024, the streaming platform produced the Broadway play Patriots by Peter Morgan, who created Netflix's The Crown.
• The Duffer Brothers, creators of the original series, are creative producers of both the West End and Broadway productions of Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
• Louis McCartney (who originated the role of Henry Creel in Stranger Things: The First Shadow in London), said in a London Theatre interview that Jamie Campbell Bower (who played Creel on screen), was vital in his process of creating the onstage character. Double the trouble!
• In an interview with London Theatre, costume designer Brigitte Reiffenstuel said she "studied the Netflix series and learned that the costumes were stylised, and that the actual characters were enhanced, helping their personality shine through. I approached the play the same way."

How to get Stranger Things: The First Shadow tickets

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is not only the perfect way to get your Stranger Things until the TV show's fifth season drops, but it also stands as a compelling standalone addition to the beloved Stranger Things universe.

Get Stranger Things: The First Shadow tickets now.

Photo credit: Stranger Things: The First Shadow in London. (Photos by Manuel Harlan)