BACK TO THE FUTURE ON BROADWAY

BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL

Back to the Future: The Musical will not disappoint fans of 1985's hit Michael J. Fox starrer, Back to the Future and this show is a musical adaptation of that film. The two central roles in the new play are the characters of Doc (Roger Bart) and Marty McFly (Casey Likes). Bart and Likes are charismatic and keep the action moving in a fun, entertaining fashion. The real surprise, though, is Hugh Coles as George McFly, Marty's dad. Coles is a terrific physical performer who is able to do some clever movements with his body which is flexible enough to make us laugh under different circumstances within the show.  The premise of the show is that in traveling back in time, Marty may interfere with his parents meeting and falling in love which would erase Marty's very existence. Doc is the inventor of a time machine which is able to go back and forth between years. The action jumps from 1985 initially to 1955 and the clap and cheer musical numbers are in high doses here. The movie lifts the "Johnny B. Goode," and "The Power of Love" songs from the movie to very good effect at the conclusion but there are several songs earlier on which are also standout numbers. "It's Only a Matter of Time" is done twice within the musical. The really great thing about this production is the use of the time traveling car which moves around the stage against effects that ultimately lead to a fine ending that will be a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. Another terrific performance was that of Liana Hunt as Marty's mom, Lorraine who almost falls in love with Marty in 1955 and thinks his name is Calvin Klein because of his underwear. It was a great idea to bring this story to Broadway for a new generation of fans which will certainly admire the high-caliber production that this is.  Likes and Bart are both terrific actors and do former stars who played their roles, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd proud.