Some shows you attend out of curiosity. Others you attend out of nostalgia. And then there are the productions that manage to surprise you so completely that you spend the entire night exchanging wide-eyed looks with the person next to you, silently asking, “Are you seeing this too?”
That was “Back to the Future: The Musical” for us and many members in the audience at the performance’s opening night at Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
My close friend and guest for the evening and I walked into the theater with open minds and very few expectations. We love the film, and who doesn’t? We were excited and curious to see how this electric movie would translate on stage with the same heart and passion that has made fans love the film for years.
What we didn’t expect was to be pulled in almost immediately, not just as audience members, but as participants in a shared emotional reaction unfolding row by row.
“Back to the Future” centers on the story of Marty McFly, a teenager from the ’80s who accidentally travels back to 1955 in Doc Brown’s DeLorean and has to fix the timeline before erasing his own future. It’s a story that’s always balanced big sci-fi ideas with humor and heart, and that balance translates surprisingly well onstage.
The musical keeps the soul of the film intact while letting live performance do what it does best, and that’s expanding the setting of Hill Valley, making it feel active and alive rather than nostalgic.
From the opening moments, the energy in the room was unmistakable. You could feel it in the way the audience leaned forward, in the laughter that landed often, and their wide eyes when they were presented with familiar images and moments from the film appearing in unexpected and inventive ways.
What stood out right away was how immersive the show felt from the opening moments as the movement, sound and visuals surround you. The production doesn’t ask you to simply remember the movie; it invites you to step into it, and not only watch it, but to really feel like an extra or quiet side character of the cinematic scenes and upbeat performances.
Instead of watching the movie play out, it feels like you’ve stepped into an electric show, full of fast-paced rhythms and energy, like you’re a side character watching the chaos, humor, and heart of the story unfold up close. This makes it the type of show that even those who have not watched the movie will enjoy, and it might even make them curious to pick up the 80s film after experiencing the musical.
Between the fun choreography, the bold lighting, and the seamless movement of the set, there were moments where it genuinely felt like we had crossed some invisible line between watching a show and being inside the story.
The dance sequences were a highlight. They were big, joyful, and perfectly tuned to the spirit of the era, bursting with personality and momentum. Each number felt purposeful and decorative, building excitement and grounding the show in that unmistakable ’80s energy.
And then there are the special effects, all smart, playful, and often jaw-dropping. Without giving anything away, there are moments that feel downright impossible for a stage production, yet they unfold with confidence and precision.
One of the most satisfying elements of “Back to the Future: The Musical” is how well it captures the heart of the story through Doc Brown, the DeLorean, and the relationship with Marty McFly. Doc’s larger-than-life energy and his comedic moments, many with Marty, are captured perfectly onstage as the character balances eccentric humor with genuine warmth, making him feel both wildly unpredictable and deeply human.
The DeLorean itself becomes more than a prop, but it’s a character, drawing audible reactions from the audience the moment it appears and anchoring some of the show’s most thrilling moments.
By the time the show reached its climax, the room felt unified by a sense of joy and disbelief, like we were all in on the same exhilarating secret.
“Back to the Future: The Musical” doesn’t rely solely on nostalgia, but it earns its excitement through spectacle, heart, and a clear understanding of why this story still resonates.
“Back to the Future: The Musical” is now at the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale through Feb. 15. Visit fortlauderdale.broadway.com/shows/back-to-the-future/.
