Hawkins is set to take the stage in a brand new way.
What’s Happening?
A play called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, set in 1959 Hawkins, premiered on London’s West End at the Phoenix Theatre on Dec. 14. It’s been extended to run until April 6, 2025. This prequel might just reveal what happens next…
Here’s the scoop for all you Stranger Things fans:
Are the Duffer Brothers Involved?
Yes! The Duffer brothers, along with Kate Trefry and Jack Thorne, crafted this original story. Trefry wrote the play, directed by Tony Award winner Stephen Daldry with co-direction by Justin Martin. Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions produced it, with the Duffer brothers as creative producers.
“Expanding our world beyond the TV series is a thrilling experience, and collaborating with this incredible team, led by the inspiring Stephen Daldry, is a joyous process of discovery,” said Matt and Ross Duffer. “Bringing this new Stranger Things story to the stage, with live audiences, is a prospect that we find enormously exciting, and we are delighted that a city with such a rich theater culture as London will receive the world premiere of our new story. We can’t wait to share it with you.”
Is the Play Canon?
Absolutely. The play dives into the history and mythology of Stranger Things. Set in the past, it acts as an origin story, connecting the past, present, and future of Hawkins.
Before the world turned upside down, the Creel Family arrived in the seemingly normal Midwestern town of Hawkins, Indiana, for a fresh start. The year was 1959.
Twenty-four years later, a boy vanishes into thin air. His close-knit group of friends and family search for answers and are pulled into a high-stakes and deadly series of events. Beneath the surface of their sleepy town lurks an extraordinary supernatural mystery, along with top-secret government experiments and a dangerous gateway that connects our world to a powerful yet sinister realm. What they discover will change Hawkins and possibly the world — forever.
As the end nears, let’s return to the beginning of the Stranger Things story and uncover the origins in the new original stage play — Stranger Things: The First Shadow. It may hold the key to the end…
We can’t wait to see how everything ties together!
Can I Watch the Trailer?
Yes! Check out the trailer for Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the video above. And remember, if Henry Creel gets upset, remind him it’s just a play.
Who’s in the Play?
The play includes characters like young Joyce Byers (Isabella Pappas), Jim Hopper (Oscar Lloyd), Bob Newby (Christopher Buckley), and Henry Creel (Louis McCartney).
“We just never had the time in the show to explore Henry’s backstory in that kind of depth,” Ross Duffer told Tudum at the show’s premiere on Dec. 14. “So the first idea was to explore Henry’s backstory and then we realized he would be the same age as a teenage Joyce and Hopper and Bob, which is something we always wanted to do. We love the ’50s almost as much, if not more than the ’80s. So it was an excuse to do something in this time period and to explore what they were up to in high school.”
Other characters include Dr. Brenner (Patrick Vaill), Victor (Michael Jibson), Virginia Creel (Lauren Ward), Ted Wheeler (Gilles Gear), Karen Childress (Florence Guy), Lonnie Byers (Chase Brown), Charles Sinclair (Ammar Duffus), Sue Anderson (Kemi Awoderu), and Claudia Yount (Maisie Norma Seaton).
Photos from the Show?
Sure! Check out some first look photos from Stranger Things: The First Shadow below.
What’s the Plot?
The play’s story takes us back to 1959 in Hawkins. The town seems normal, but shadows of the past reach far. Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously, and Joyce wants to leave. New student Henry Creel and his family find that starting fresh isn’t easy.
Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story — and to the beginning of the end.
What’s the Title of the First Act?
The first act is called “Chapter One: The Girl from Nowhere.”
How Old Are They?
Hopper, Joyce, and Bob are seniors, while Henry Creel is a freshman. “The only support that Joyce really finds is with Bob and Hopper, and I think that that’s why they have such a strong bond and a strong relationship that carries through later into the TV show,” Pappas said.
Who’s in the Cast?
You can read the full cast list for Stranger Things: The First Shadow here.
New Faces Joining the Cast?
Starting Nov. 14, new actors will join the West End cast. Full casting details will be announced later.
“As we enter our second year, we are thrilled to have assembled an incredible cast with new and familiar faces to take us back to Hawkins 1959,” said Daldry and Martin. “We look forward to getting into the rehearsal room with them and exploring the characters anew.”
Meet the New Actors
- Louis Healy plays Henry Creel. He’s been in The Full Monty and Hotel Portofino.
- Callum Maxwell plays Bob Newby. Maxwell’s been in Peter Pan and The Joyce.
- Miranda Mufema plays Patty Newby. She’s been in Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth.
- Luke Mullins plays Dr. Brenner. Mullins has acted in The Tempest and The Maids.
- Jessica Rhodes plays Joyce Maldonado. Rhodes’ credits include The Tempest and Doubt; a Parable.
- George Smale plays James Hopper Jr. Smale has been in AS-NT and Honest Poverty.
Who is Patty Newby?
Patty is Bob’s sister. You’ll also meet other characters like Chief Hopper, Principal Newby, Alan Munson, and Walter Henderson.
Where Can I See the Play?
Stranger Things: The First Shadow is playing at the Phoenix Theatre on London’s West End now.
Coming to Broadway?
Yes! Starting Spring 2025, it will be at the Marquis Theatre in New York City. Learn more about tickets here.
Is Jamie Campbell Bower in the Play?
No, but he attended a preview and took a photo with Louis McCartney, who plays Young Henry Creel. McCartney said, “It’s like Jamie’s given me his baby and he’s asked me to nurture it and see what I can do with it.”
Have Any Cast Members Seen the Play?
Yes! David Harbour, Matthew Modine, Cara Buono, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin have all seen it.
Has the Play Won Awards?
Yes, it won the Olivier Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Set Design in April 2024. It also won Best New Play at the WhatsOnStage Awards and received accolades at the U.K. Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards.
Where to Buy Tickets?
Tickets are available at strangerthingsonstage.com. Follow their Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter for updates.
And while you plan your trip to London and wait for Season 5, you may as well give Season 4 another rewatch, and see if you and your party can uncover any hidden meanings to the Easter eggs in the key art below. Tick, tock.
With reporting by Lucy Ford.