Lyrics Glen Ballard | Adapted from Back to the Future | |
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Book Robert ZemeckisBob Gale Basis Back to the Futureby Robert ZemeckisBob Gale Playwrights Bob Gale, Robert Zemeckis, Jamie Lloyd Lyricists Alan Silvestri, Glen Ballard Composers Alan Silvestri, Glen Ballard Similar Matilda the Musical, The Book of Mormon (musical), Mary Poppins (musical) | ||
Back to the Future is an upcoming musical with music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard and a book by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, adapted from their original screenplay. Based on the 1985 film of the same name, the show will feature original music alongside hits from the film, including "The Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode".
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The musical was originally slated to make its world première in London's West End in 2015, the year to which the trilogy's characters travelled in Part II. However, after director Jamie Lloyd left the production in August 2014 due to "creative differences" with original trilogy creator Robert Zemeckis, the production's release date was pushed back to 2016.
Back to the future musical coming in 2015
Background
During a question and answer session at a 2004 DeLorean convention, Bob Gale said that "It seems like Back to the Future would make a great Broadway show. So someday, maybe that'll happen. That's something I'd like to see." In February 2012, it was first revealed that a musical adaption of the 1985 film Back to the Future was being developed and had been explored for around eight years prior. Workshops for the musical took place in 2014, in July in London and the following month in Los Angeles, with the intention to open the show in the West End in 2015, in time for the 30th anniversary of the film.
The movie achieved success at the box office, taking over $380 million and was nominated for four Golden Globes, five Baftas and four Oscars, winning Best Sound Editing. It follows Marty McFly, a teenager who is accidentally sent back in time in a DeLorean to 1955. He meets his future parents in high school and accidentally attracts his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by causing his parents-to-be to fall in love, and with the help of scientist Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown (Lloyd), he must find a way to return to 1985. Back to the Future marked the start of a successful franchise, ultimately becoming a trilogy, with the total income for the three films taking over $936 million.
The show will reunite some of the team behind the series. It will be adapted by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale from their 1985 screenplay, with set and costume design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting by Jon Clark, illusions by Paul Kieve, musical supervision by Alan Williams and Andrew Willis, the designer of a sustainable skatepark in east London will be a consultant for the skating scenes.Jamie Lloyd was initially scheduled to direct the show, but withdrew from the project in September 2014, citing creative differences with Bob Gale. The films' composer Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard will compose a new score, with the addition of original songs from the film, including "The Power of Love", "Johnny B. Goode", "Earth Angel" and "Mr. Sandman".
Whilst discussing the project, writer Bob Gale said the stage version would be "true to the spirit of the film without being a slavish remake", with Jamie Lloyd adding that "the production will include illusions, skateboarding and many other surprises that will capture the spirit of the film but freshly interpret it for a new audience." Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd—who played Marty McFly and Emmett "Doc" Brown in the film—are supportive of the musical and reportedly plan to attend the première.