Netflix is leaning heavily into their hit TV Show, Stranger Things, with the fifth and final season premiering later this year, as well as a Broadway prequel titled Stranger Things: The First Shadow about the Creel family set in 1959. Not only that, but the Broadway show already has a documentary coming soon titled Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is specifically focused on the London iteration of the show.
More About the Stranger Things Documentary
The documentary is set to premiere on April 15th, in just two weeks. This news comes just as Stranger Things: The First Shadow headed into its first Broadway preview at the Marriott Marquis Theatre just a few days ago. Tickets are on sale now for a show as early as April 2nd, though Netflix’s own website states that the play opens on April 22nd.
This play, written by Kate Trefry and directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, will serve as a prequel to the popular television series. Set in 1959, 24 years before the events of Season 1, this play tells the story of the Creel family’s attempt at a fresh start, especially for Henry, their teenage son, who hopes to escape his troubled past. It starts alright, with Henry making friends and even joining the school play, but then he is forced to confront a terrifying reality as horrors shock the town. Henry must ask himself, is he connected to the terrible events happening around him?
Louis McCartney, reprising his role as Henry Creel, leads this production alongside 33 other cast members, including Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight.
The documentary was produced by Angus Wall, Kent Kubena, and Terry Leonard. The documentary’s synopsis: “With special behind-the-scenes access, follow the cast and crew of Stranger Things: The First Shadow as they race against time to prepare the ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show for its West End debut amid mounting fan and critic anticipation.”
“The first time we saw the play, we were blown away,” says Ross Duffer, co-creator of Stranger Things. His co-creator and brother, Matt Duffer, adds, “They pulled everything off and then some. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of our lives.”
The idea to turn Stranger Things into a play began when Stephen Daldry approached the Duffer brothers in 2019. The brothers just assumed Daldry wanted to turn Season 1 into a musical but found out he wanted to tell an original story. Eventually, the creative team decided to focus on the origin story of Season 4’s villain, Henry Creel/Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower.
Henry’s backstory in this play relates to the events of Season 5, or, as the Duffers said, the beginning of the end. Ross Duffer goes on to explain how the plan was always to enhance the upcoming season, and while Season 5 will explore Henry’s backstory, the play provides a deeper understanding of who Henry was and what changed in him to become Vecna.
While the play goes hand-in-hand with the show, it can also be viewed as a standalone experience. “While being familiar with Stranger Things will certainly deepen your understanding of the play, it was designed to work independently, requiring no prior knowledge of the show,” Ross Duffer says. His brother adds that the play, being Henry Creel’s origin story, is the perfect place to start.
While it’s safe to say that fans are excited and eagerly awaiting Season 5, this play and the following documentary might be enough to tide us over until the Season 5 premiere later this year. As of now, there is no date set yet for the final season’s premiere.
