Hit musical still thriving in London and North America, with upcoming shows in Japan and on a cruise ship.
“Back to the Future,” the beloved 1985 film turned into a nostalgic and visually stunning musical, will be concluding its Broadway run on January 5th due to the challenging financial realities of the commercial theater industry. Despite a successful start with performances beginning on June 30, 2023, and consistent grosses of over $1 million most weeks for over a year, the show faced high production and maintenance costs. The decline in grosses during late summer and early fall, followed by a partial recovery, was not sufficient to sustain the production. Over the course of its run at the Winter Garden Theater, the musical has been enjoyed by 720,000 audience members.
Originally developed in England, “Back to the Future” received critical acclaim and won the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical during its successful run in London’s West End, which has continued for over three years. However, the show did not achieve similar recognition on Broadway, failing to secure any Tony Awards. With a capitalization cost of $23.5 million, as reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the show was unable to run long enough or generate sufficient weekly revenue to cover its expenses in New York.
Despite its closure on Broadway, “Back to the Future” will live on through various international productions. The Broadway set will be transported to Germany for an open-ended run starting in the upcoming season. The show continues its successful run in London, with a North American tour currently in progress, and plans for productions in Japan and on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
“Back to the Future” follows the story of a teenager who time travels with the help of a eccentric scientist and a modified DeLorean car, navigating the unintended consequences of altering the past. The musical, helmed by director John Rando, features a book by Bob Gale, co-writer of the original movie with Robert Zemeckis, and songs by Alan Silvestri, composer of the film’s score, and Glen Ballard. The lead producer, Colin Ingram, is a prominent British theater producer.
While the London production and international tours have garnered success, American critics have been less enthusiastic. The New York Times’ chief theater critic, Jesse Green, described the show as “less a full-scale new work than a semi-operable souvenir.”
“Back to the Future” joins a list of recent Broadway musical closures, including “Lempicka,” “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “The Notebook,” “Water for Elephants,” and “Suffs.” Despite its closure on Broadway, the show’s legacy will continue to thrive through international productions and tours, ensuring that fans of the iconic film can still experience its magic on stage.
Source: The NY Times
