The First Shadow’ on Broadway With First Meet-and-Greet Rehearsal Images

Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions have officially confirmed the full cast for Stranger Things: The First Shadow which is coming to Broadway from Friday, March 28, 2025 for previews, and unveiled the first images of the cast in rehearsals, bringing Hawkins to life on the Broadway stage for the first time. Following a hugely successful run on London’s West End, where it won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, the new play — which serves as a sequel to the hit Netflix series — is crossing the pond, with the official opening night set for Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

The full cast for the play has also been announced and it’s full of some huge names we already knew, including Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux (Stranger Things Season 5) as Dr. Brenner, Alison Jaye (Shameless) as Joyce Maldonado, Emmy nominee T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) as Victor Creel, Gabrielle Nevaeh (That Girl Lay Lay) as Patty Newby, Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper, Jr. and Louis McCartney, who is reprising his role from the West End production as Henry Creel, the young man who would turn into the villainous Vecna. The photos show the cast in “meet and greet” mode during rehearsals. The play is written by Kate Trefry, and is based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Trefry herself, while three-time Tony Award winner Stephen Daldry (The Inheritance) serves as director.

The Broadway debut follows a record-breaking West End run at London’s Phoenix Theatre. Dubbed “a game-changing experience” by The Daily Telegraph, the production received widespread critical acclaim, with The Observer praising its ability to “take theatre to the next dimension.” In addition to its Olivier win, it secured awards for Best Set Design, Most Promising Newcomer, and Best New Play.

What is ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ About?

Set three decades before the events of Stranger Things, The First Shadow is an origin story of the Creel family and the dark entities that seem to plague the town of Hawkins, Indiana. The story follows a teenage Henry Creel as he attempts to get a fresh start, but he finds himself inexplicably drawn to a wave of shocking crimes that force him to confront whether he’s connected to the horrors unfolding around him. And, like Stranger Things, it will explore those key themes like darkness, loss, community and the one ship that can never, ever sink — friendship.

Fans eager to experience the world of Stranger Things on stage can secure tickets starting at $59.75 through StrangerThingsBroadway.com. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Stranger Things.