After expanding the Stranger Things universe through novels, comics and video games, Netflix has decided to develop a play that looks back at the youth of Jim Hopper, Joyce Maldonado and Henry Creel, three key characters in the series.
The play, called Stranger Things: The First Shadow and based on a story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, will take place in Hawkins, 1959, “a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.”
While the synopsis of the play was revealed by Netflix many months ago, the names that will make up the cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway have been kept under wraps. After revealing that Louis McCartney will play the role of Henry Creel, Netflix has now lifted the veil on the identities of the actors who will portray 8 of the play’s characters. It was announced that T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) and Rosie Benton (Betty) will play Victor and Virgina Creel, Henry’s parents.
Burke Swanson (Harlem) and Alison Jaye (The Beautiful Liar) will play Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado. The Newby family, consisting of Bob, Patty and Principal Newby, will be played by Nicky Eldridge, Andrew Hovelson (Stranger in the Dunes) and Gabrielle Nevaeh (That Girl Lay Lay). Finally, Dr. Brenner will be played by Alex Breaux. The latter is no stranger to the Stranger Things universe, as he will be appearing in Season 5 of the Netflix series. According to the official website, new names will be revealed in January 2025.
