Music Theatre International (MTI) has announced its acquisition of the stage licensing rights to “Back to the Future.” The musical will be made available for licensing to professional, amateur and student theater companies at a later date. Additional information is available on MTI’s website.
Based on the 1985 science-fiction comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the musical adaptation of “Back to the Future” follows teenager Marty McFly as he is transported back in time from the 1980s to the 1950s. Marty accidentally changes the course of history by preventing his then-high-school-age parents from falling in love, jeopardizing his own existence. With the help of his eccentric mentor, Doc Brown, Marty must race against the clock to rebuild a time machine, reunite his parents and return home.
“‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ delivers all of the thrills, laughs and heart of the beloved classic film, but brought to life right in front of you on the stage,” said MTI president and CEO Drew Cohen in a statement. “Groups at all levels — from schools to community theaters to professionals — will bring audiences to their feet with this incredible show.”
“Back to the Future” features a book by Gale, with original music and lyrics by Glen Ballard and the film’s composer Alan Silvestri. The musical had its West End premiere in 2021. “Back to the Future” opened at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre on Aug. 3, 2023, where it ran through Jan. 5, 2025. It was nominated for two Tony Awards — best featured actor in a musical for Roger Bart’s performance as Doc Brown and Best Scenic Design of a Musical. The musical recently completed its North American tour, and can currently be seen in Tokyo, Hamburg and Paris, on tour in the U.K. and on Royal Caribbean’s ship Star of the Seas.
MTI was founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker. The licensor provides scripts, musical materials and other theatrical resources to professional, amateur and school theaters worldwide. MTI’s other recent acquisitions and releases include "Girl from the North Country," “Kimberly Akimbo” and “Les Misérables.”
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