DPAC's Production of Back to the Future: The Musical is a Feel-Good Race Through Time and Space

Pictured (L-R): Don Stephenson (Doc Brown) and Lucas Hallauer (Marty McFly). Photo by McLeod9 Creative, 2025.

Way back in 1985, a teen named Marty McFly, portrayed by a young Michael J. Fox, time-traveled to thirty years in the past in a little film called Back to the Future. That film, written by Robert Zemeckis, who also directed, and Bob Gale, has since gone on to become a beloved cultural icon of sorts, and, like many such icons, it’s recently been reimagined. The latest reimagining is the aptly named Back to the Future: The Musical, onstage now at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC).

This musical version, directed by John Rando, is very closely adapted from the original work by none other than its original creators, Gale and Zemeckis, and features both classic songs from the movie and brand new ones by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. With such a powerhouse team behind it, it’d be almost impossible for this musical to fail, and luckily, it lives up to all the hype of the movie and then some. In fact, it exceeds expectations in every way.

From the very first minutes, viewers know they’re in for a wild ride down memory lane. They are quickly introduced to a very charming Marty, portrayed by Fox lookalike Lucas Hallauer, as he listens to a message from his mad scientist friend, Doc Brown (Don Stephenson). They also see him at home with his troubled family—his dad, George (Mike Bindeman) is a real pushover who gets bullied by his boss, Biff (Ethan Rogers)—around town with his girlfriend, Jennifer (Kiara Lee), and at his bustling high school. All of these settings are portrayed by an impressive projection screen that pans and zooms as needed for a cool movie-esque feel. However, that’s just the beginning of the amazing effects.

When Doc gets injured and Marty accidentally transports himself backward in time, the effects really pick up. Not only does Doc’s DeLorean-turned-time-machine appear onstage out of nowhere, but it flashes and zooms in a fantastically believable and wonderfully enthralling way. Viewers will feel like they’re actually taking the journey with Marty . . . and like they’re on an interactive, gripping amusement park ride. This trippy, in-the-show feeling happens more than once as the story progresses, and it just gets better and more intense each time.

Things calm down when Marty lands in 1955, but the comedy ramps up. Here, he’s greeted by younger versions of his parents. Unfortunately for Marty, his mother, Lorraine (Zan Berube), develops a (gross but funny) crush on him, which Berube hilariously sings about in the hysterical “Pretty Baby” number. Luckily, Marty is able to find the younger version of Doc, explain the situation, and start developing a plan to get home. However, there’s a problem. If Marty can’t resolve his mother’s little crush, he might change history and erase his own life in the process. As Doc and Marty scramble around, trying to set things right, all kinds of calamity ensues, and each moment is funnier and more nostalgic than the last.

Time-perfect costumes and parody-laden songs both bring to life and criticize the 1950s era in which Marty finds himself, and Chris Bailey’s punchy choreography keeps the action up at all times. Plus, Stephenson and Hallauer share a wonderful synergistic chemistry that adds a lot of heart and humor. They bounce jokes off one another with always-perfect timing, and both know when to ham it up. Hallauer repeatedly makes an endearing “surprise” face, and Stephenson's Doc comes across as crazy, lovable, and, most of all, as an indomitable dreamer. Stephenson’s heartfelt rendering of the song “For the Dreamers” and the kooky-but-intricate design of Doc’s home also add to the character’s depth and likeability. 

While their chemistry enables most of the show’s emotional depth, there are other heartfelt storylines and characters as well. Viewers cheer along as Marty helps his father assert himself and as they watch a young hopeful, Goldie Wilson (Cartreze Tucker), reach toward his future dreams. Tucker’s role is small, but he milks every onstage moment and frequently steals the show with his powerful singing voice. Likewise, Bindeman and Berube are hilarious and engaging as both the younger and older versions of Marty’s parents, and even the bullying Biff is made humorous by Rogers’ goofy antics. And, while her stage time is somewhat limited, Lee gives her all in creating a bubbly, adorable Jennifer.

The richly-written characters, over-the-top action, and feel-good story—all the things people love about the movie—are here in full force, but with the added benefit of great songs and the joyful energy of a live performance. It’s a magical, action-packed race to the future, with a hefty dose of nostalgia sprinkled in, and viewers are sure to love every second.

-Susie Potter