‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ to transfer to Broadway

The critically acclaimed West End play, whose run is ongoing at the Phoenix Theatre, is a prequel to the worldwide hit Netflix series Stranger Things.

New York is turning Upside Down, too! Stranger Things: The First Shadow has announced a Broadway transfer, which will begin performances on 28 March 2025.

As with the world-premiere West End run at the Phoenix Theatre, Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin co-direct the story of how Henry Creel, a new arrival in the sleepy town of Hawkins, Indiana, becomes the sinister Vecna and unleashes darkness into the community. Stranger Things: The First Shadow takes place in 1959, serving as a prequel to the acclaimed Netflix series Stranger Things.

The script is by Kate Trefry, adapted from an original story by Trefry, the Duffer Brothers (creators of the Stranger Things series), and Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

The London run of the play, which began in November 2023, is ongoing, with tickets currently available through 16 February 2025. London Theatre's five-star review of Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the West End reads, "Writer Kate Trefry, in consultation with Jack Thorne and the Duffer Brothers, perfectly matches the series’ blend of horror and humour. Stephen Daldry likewise combines digital and theatrical magic to create otherworldly effects [...] without ever losing sight of the human drama."

The Broadway cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow has yet to be announced. The main London cast includes Shane Attwooll (Chief Hopper), Kemi Awoderu (Sue Anderson), Chase Brown (Lonnie Byers), Christopher Buckley (Bob Newby), Ammar Duffus (Charles Sinclair), Gilles Geary (Ted Wheeler), Florence Guy (Karen Childress), Max Harwood (Alan Munson), Michael Jibson (Victor Creel), Oscar Lloyd (James Hopper Jr.), Louis McCartney (Henry Creel), Isabella Pappas (Joyce Maldonado), Matthew Pidgeon (Principal Newby), Calum Ross (Walter Henderson), Maisie Norma Seaton (Claudia Yount), Patrick Vaill (Dr Brenner), Alex Young (Virginia Creel), Ella Karuna Williams (Patty Newby), and Anika Boyle, Lily Crawford, Faith Delaney, and Imogen Turner (alternating the role of Alice Creel).

Learn more about Stranger Things: The First Shadow on New York Theatre Guide.

Book Stranger Things tickets in the West End on London Theatre.

Photo credit: Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the West End. (Photo courtesy of production)