Netflix has released a trailer for its new documentary about the making of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage adaptation that was a hit on the West End and begins Broadway previews tonight.
Check out the Netflix trailer above, and some first-look images from the Broadway play below. The Broadway production officially opens April 22 at the Marquis Theater.
Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow will debut on Netflix on April 15, and goes backstage to detail the creation of the play during its 2023 development in London.
The documentary, directed by Jon Halperin, depicts the cast and crew of the London production as they prepare for the play’s debut at the Phoenix Theatre in London. The film’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 doc is produced by Angus Wall, Kent Kubena, Terry Leonard, and exec produced by Matt Bell.
“The challenge is to create a visceral experience for the audience, where they feel shock and awe, surprise and delight,” says Stephen Daldry, the director of the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. “You have to deliver that. The fusion of television and theater is about the speed of narrative and how you create it … There are moments in the show where you will think, “I don’t understand how they did that.”
“The first time we saw the play, we were blown away,” says Ross Duffer, who created TV’s Stranger Things with brother Matt Duffer, who adds about the stage show, “They pulled everything off, and then some. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of our lives.”
Here are some first-look images from the Broadway production. Both photos depicted actor Louis McCartney as Henry Creel.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
