‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ on Broadway: 5 things to know before journeying into the Upside Down

Break out your Dungeons & Dragons dice and heat up those Eggo waffles! Broadway is about to be taken over by the Upside Down. After winning the U.K.'s Olivier Award for Best New Play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is opening in New York City at the Marquis Theatre on April 22.

This prequel story, which is set decades prior to the events of the Netflix series, packages the sci-fi storytelling that has thrilled millions of fans with a visual-effects heavy spectacle of stagecraft. There are also Easter eggs aplenty, as the production is chock-full of references to all four seasons of the hit show. Since Stranger Things hasn’t released a new episode since 2022, you'll be forgiven if you forgot why Christmas lights are so important or why anyone was “Running Up That Hill.” Here's a quick catch-up guide on everything you need to know.

Help! It’s been three years since Season 4 and I’ve forgotten everything! 

The series opens in Hawkins, Ind., in 1983. Young Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is abducted by nefarious beings into an alternate realm called the Upside Down. While Will’s friends and family search for him, a mysterious girl known only as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) arrives in town with telekinetic powers. The group ultimately rescues Will with the help of Eleven’s abilities, but a gate between our world and the Upside Down is established. An evil entity called the Mind Flayer maintains a psychic bond with Will and grows in strength thanks to an army of human hosts. The kids fight and defeat this demon in the ultimate '80s setting: the mall. Unbeknownst to most, Soviet operatives worked beneath the mall to study and exploit a gate into the Upside Down. Police Chief Hopper (David Harbour) foils their plan but is captured and held prisoner in a Russian camp. Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) embarks on an international mission to free Hopper, while the kids in Hawkins grow suspicious that a series of grisly murders is the work of a new supernatural foe. The killer turns out to be Vecna, the terrifying “Big Bad” of the Upside Down who has been the secret mastermind behind every sinister plot.

What's the play about?

The play follows a teenage Henry Creel, portrayed by Louis McCartney who originated the role in the West End. (The adult version of the character is played by Jamie Campbell Bower on Season 4 of the TV show.) In 1959, this Hawkins resident used unprecedented psionic powers to murder his mother and sister, while torturing his father and framing him for the deaths. Henry then becomes the first test subject at Hawkins Lab. There, a young Eleven uses her powers to unknowingly banish Henry to the Upside Down where he transforms into the villain Vecna. With the tagline “Are monsters born… or made?,” the play invites audiences to consider the true nature of this sinister figure as they witness his origin story.

When does The First Shadow take place within the series’ timeline?

The play is set in 1959, 24 years before the present timeline of the series. The Creel family has just moved to Hawkins in search of a fresh start. This places the majority of the action in the play prior to the Season 4 flashbacks, and long before Eleven battles an older version of Henry in the lab.

Will any other characters from the Netflix series appear in the play?

Yes. Henry’s parents Virginia and Victor will be played by Rosie Benton and T.R. Knight, respectively. Younger versions of Hopper (Burke Swanson) and Joyce (Alison Jaye) will be investigating some mysterious events in town. Joyce’s doomed lover Bob Newby, played by Sean Astin in the series, will make an appearance with Juan Carlos taking on the role. Finally, Alex Breaux will portray Dr. Brenner (or “Papa” to Eleven). This baddie is played by Matthew Modine on screen and his appearance here promises that audiences will get a glimpse of some of his early experiments on Henry.

Are the events of the play canon to the TV series?

Kate Trefry wrote the play. She served as a staff writer for Season 2 of the Netflix drama, then became a story editor for Season 3, and wrote the script for Season 4’s “The Nina Project.” Trefry is well-versed in Stranger Things lore, and has stated on many occasions that the events of the play are canon to the TV series. So watching the stage production will enrich the overall Stranger Things experience for audiences. The play is meant to serve as a bridge between Season 4 and forthcoming Season 5. So be sure to make your way to the Marquis Theatre and check out this Broadway show before the Netflix series returns later in 2025.

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