There will be screams and SPOILERS
by Sydney Carlisle on 7/7/25Rating: 5 out of 5First thoughts lol...starting with the marketing/lobby area. Walking through the house to get to the auditorium. The adoOorable mini demagorgon flower plushie was top notch. The later one with Prancer was hysterical and perfect one to have as an additional plushie. The New York hat embroidered upside-down. Just all really great choices and money well spent on merchandising ideas. My dad and I got the matching t-shirts to wear in the theatre. The radio playing 50's music and then doing the dedications to the characters we will eventually meet. All top notch also the choice of Purple People Eater to have as an allusion to a monster type story. All Really well executed!!! The Actual Show The use of the stage ESPECIALLY the first scene with the war ship...no notes!! Flawless and the Stranger Things intro like the TV show and the title screens...chef's kiss! The story... I could have taken three more hours with Henry's backstory because that to me is the m0st intriguing thing about the show. The highschool drama was fine it's just to me personally never the appeal of the show. But anything with the monster story and origin I'm glued to stage/screen. The Acting, omg give Henry his Tony! I can't stress enough how I just adored his performance. I felt the same way with a specific scene with Tom Holland in Spider-Man Homecoming that he deserved an Oscar for that. Henry jumping into Dr. Brenner's arms and just staying there like a little Spider monkey...was heartbreaking and soOo talented!! I love those pure moments. The rest of the cast...loved Patty, Bob, Alan, anytime Oklahoma was brought up Dr. Brenner, all the Creels... T.R. Knight from Grey's Anatomy was a little flat in the first half and then exploded the second half and I loved that slow burn for him. The scenery... yea...it definitely deserved that Tony it almost felt like a no-Brainer. It's almost hard to praise it because it earned the recognition and accolades it won and almost feels disingenuous to comment on it. But I will say the enormity of the monster and the taking over the stage was unreal and I just want to hug that moment!!!!!!! <3 The jump scares were terrifying and everything I hoped it would be. Truly such an incredible experience that I cannot wait to go again! Everyone (not kids) should see it if they want to be scared and delighted simultaneously!!!!!!! 5/5 stars clearly!!! Notable mentions: We met at stage door Karen, Bob, some ensemble members and Joyce. I said to Joyce how she made the character her own and how I appreciated her doing that!! The Vegas showgirls visually representing the demagorgon with its feathers. The usage of the body doubles! The uniformed masked people going through the audience...that is how you do audience participation and make it believable but also comfortable for everyone unlike Cats where they get all up in your face lol!!!