Broadway musicals have been essential to New York’s entertainment industry, one of the most popular being “Back to the Future.” With several of shows playing each day, it is no surprise that San Francisco has also chosen to bring the performance to the city.
On Febuary 15th, I had the opportunity to experience the show one day after their grand opening. I had previously seen “Back to the Future” on Broadway in New York City over Winter break. I was captivated by the production’s special effects as well as the performance of the cast.
A friend and I chose to see the 1 pm viewing of the show at the Orpheum Theatre on Market Street.
Parking was straight forward as we had planned to arrive early. This was different from the New York show as we easily took the subway into the city. Comfort wise, car transportation is always ideal.
The walk from the parking garage was simple, taking at most, five minutes from the lot to the entrance of the theater. Posters were hung outside the auditorium and were welcoming to all visitors of the day.
The inside of the building was crowded with hundreds of excited fans, ready to hear and see the performance.
Friendly crew members were extremely helpful as they helped us find our seats in the theatre.
The musical started closer to 1:15; however, there was a screen with exciting graphics and visuals, keeping audience members engaged throughout the waiting process. This introduction mirrored New York’s pre-production intro as well.
As for the show itself, scenes were almost exact replicas as the Broadway show. One of the differences I noticed was in the McFly’s kitchen setup. New York had more items/visuals compared to San Francisco but I did not find it impacted the storytelling.
My favorite scene was definitely the ending number where Marty McFly sings “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News. That part of the musical is similar to New York, with both capturing the excitement and energy characters experience after solving the problem. My friend’s favorite part was when Marty sang “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry at the Under the Enchantment Dance
Overall, both plays had exciting music and visuals, while casting characters who embodied those in the movie. If given the opportunity, I would love to attend the show again, and I would recommend the experience to all those looking for something different but fun in San Francisco.
