Spectacle Over Substance: A Newcomer’s Take on ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’

Walking into Back to the Future: The Musical without any prior knowledge of the film series is an interesting experience. There’s an undeniable sense that this show is steeped in nostalgia, winking constantly at an audience that already loves the source material. Yet as a newcomer, I approached it like any other piece of original theatre — and found myself both entertained and puzzled by its choices.

At its best, Back to the Future: The Musical is a buoyant, cleverly staged piece of entertainment. The central premise — an impulsive teenager using a time machine to fix his own past — is inherently compelling. The staging makes excellent use of modern theatrical technology, including projections, lighting sequences, and sound effects that create a convincing sense of motion and time travel. The climactic sequences, especially those involving the DeLorean, are spectacular and easily among the most technically impressive moments I’ve seen in a touring production.

However, while the show dazzles visually, it doesn’t always succeed emotionally. The biggest surprise for me was how little the music contributed to the overall storytelling. Many of the songs felt generic — pleasant but interchangeable, as if lifted from a different show entirely. Rather than deepening character or advancing plot, several numbers seemed to pause the story for a burst of spectacle. The result is a production that feels constantly entertaining but rarely moving.

This is where I think Back to the Future might actually have been more powerful as a straight play (or even a musical with fewer, more purposeful songs). The story’s built-in dramatic tension — a boy trying to save his family and fix time itself — is strong enough to stand on its own. The humor and emotional potential are naturally there. Without the constant interruptions for songs, there would be more room to explore character relationships: Marty’s panic and guilt, his awkward encounters with his parents, and his unlikely friendship with Doc. Instead, the musical often races from moment to moment, sometimes mistaking noise and movement for emotional payoff.

The pacing also assumes some familiarity with the original movie’s logic. As someone new to the franchise, I occasionally felt like an outsider — expected to cheer at moments that were clearly nostalgic callbacks but meant little to me. The show’s tone vacillates between heartfelt storytelling and fan celebration, and it sometimes struggles to balance the two.

That said, there’s no denying the craftsmanship on display. The production design is clever and immersive, and the ensemble’s enthusiasm keeps the momentum going even when the songs themselves falter. The humor — particularly from Doc Brown — lands reliably, and the final sequence is exhilarating in its technical execution. It’s easy to see why audiences familiar with the movie adore it.

Still, I left thinking the show could have been a bigger critical and artistic hit had it leaned less on musical form and more on its story. Back to the Future already contains everything that makes great theatre: high stakes, emotional resonance, and big imaginative set pieces. But by forcing the narrative into a traditional “song every few minutes” structure, the creative team may have diluted the intensity that makes the concept shine.

As a newcomer, I was impressed by the spectacle but not swept away by the songs. It’s a fun ride, certainly — an entertaining night out with some jaw-dropping visuals and a genuinely charming lead duo. But it feels like a show torn between being a musical and being a theatrical thrill ride. Much like something I would attend at Disney World or Las Vegas.

Due to what seemed like lackluster writing, there weren’t many opportunities for the cast to shine, but there was one standout. Cartreze Tucker brought the house down with his rendition of “Gotta Start Somewhere”. Immediately after the song finished a friend to my right said, “he’s giving Elphaba vibes” and only a moment later, the friend to my left said ” Defying Gravity”. His vocal performance was stunning, and the role seemingly fit his range perfectly.

Verdict:
A visually stunning, high-energy production that delivers plenty of fun but not quite enough heart. For fans, it’s nostalgia made live. For newcomers, it’s an enjoyable spectacle that might have soared higher if it had trusted the story instead of the songs.

Rating: 3.5/5

Back to the Future: The Musical is currently running at the Detroit Opera House, now through November 9th, so get your tickets now from Broadway in Detroit! Want to catch it when it arrives in a city near you? Check out future tour dates so you can go back to the future, too!