The New York Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...Still, you might hope that something in the musical, for instance music, would change the way the material lands. It doesn’t. The numbers carried over from the movie and performed by Marty at that high school dance — including Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and Huey Lewis and the News’s “The Power of Love” — are of course effective as ensemble opportunities. But neither they nor most of the 17 new songs by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, though tuneful and in a few cases rousing, do anything different from what the movie did anyway."
New York Theater - Somewhat Recommended
"...There are some two dozen musical numbers in “Back to the Future,” only four of which were also in the movie. These, written by Chuck Berry and Huey Lewis and the News, happen to be the most memorable, but there are any number of appealing musical moments. I was partial to a few of the quieter numbers, such as “Put Your Mind to It” a father-and-son duet with Casey Likes and Hugh Coles, especially since it’s one of the few times that Coles doesn’t have to play a cartoonish loser."
Variety - Somewhat Recommended
"...The Broadway arrival of the West End hit “Back to the Future” continues the march of Hollywood brand extensions to the musical stage. The production, based on the 1985 film hit that spun off two sequels, arrives with a flourish: LED lights flashing, sound system blaring and special effects blazing."
New York Post - Somewhat Recommended
"...“Back To The Future: The Musical,” which opened Thursday night on Broadway, doesn’t have much going for it in the way of tuneful songs, show-stopping dances or enthralling storytelling. But it does have a star vehicle."
Entertainment Weekly - Recommended
"...That feeling of intentional déjà vu extends to the production casting as well, where Hugh Coles does a remarkable Crispin Glover impersonation for his George McFly, and Nathaniel Hackmann completely nails Biff's bully-without-a-brain vibe. Both accomplish their mission of ably replicating the characters fans fell in love with, but don't attempt to add their own spin. As Marty's mom, Lorraine, Liana Hunt is also asked to pretty much do exactly what has already been done in the movie by Lea Thompson."
amNY - Not Recommended
"...As impressive as the special effects can be, wouldn't it have been a lot better to just watch the film on a big screen with a live orchestra playing the score - the kind of thing that the New York Philharmonic does in its "Art of the Score" concerts? Or, how about an arena spectacular with no songs? I would have also preferred the now defunct "Back to the Future: The Ride" at Universal Studios, which simulated the experience of riding and time-traveling in the DeLorean."
Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...Frenetically paced, relentlessly comedic and visually chaotic, “Back to the Future” is aimed squarely at middle America; at the performance I saw, it was very clear many had never before been inside a Broadway theater. God bless it for that — not everything should have to be Stephen Sondheim or “Parade,” and “Back to the Future” is an iconic American film with the kind of pre-awareness drawing power that will put plenty of butts in seats whatever some churlish critic writes — but the show still misses opportunity after opportunity to make people actually feel."
The Observer - Somewhat Recommended
"...Instead, we have this ungainly Frankenstein stitched together from a soundtrack concert, a theme park ride, and a meta-showbiz goof. The only reason to make a musical out of the beloved time-travel rom-com would be if the songs were, you know, really good."
Total Theater - Recommended
"...Back to the Future is easy, familiar fun, and by the end of the evening, I was rooting for Marty and his family, even as I was aware of the show’s shortcomings."
