Doc Brown and Marty McFly take a journey to the past in Barbara B. Mann’s “Back to the Future: The Musical.” -COURTESY POHOTO

Great Scott! The Broadway hit and winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical in London, “Back to the Future: The Musical,” proves that you don’t need a flux capacitor to relive the magic. Premiering in southwest Florida, this National Touring Broadway show is a part of the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW’s 2025-2026 Fifth Third Bank Broadway Series, opening on Feb. 17 and running through Feb. 22.

Originally stemming from the 1985 blockbuster movie that became a trilogy featuring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as the unlikely friend duo, the award-winning musical blends nostalgia, new music and jaw-dropping theatrical effects, complete with a flying DeLorean. The production stays grounded in the friendship between time-traveling and iconic scientist Doc Brown and skateboard-loving teen Marty McFly.

Back to the Future: The Musical takes Marty McFly on a mission to return to his time. -COURTESY POHOTO

“When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history,” as stated in collateral from the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW. “Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When Back to the Future hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.”

“Back to the Future” is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”

“Whether you’re a fan of the 1985 film or are experiencing this story for the first time on stage, this show has an incredibly nostalgic, fun-filled energy that you can’t ignore,” believes Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW’s communications & PR Manager, Melody Johnson. “Get ready to travel back in time, Fort Myers!

Portraying the eccentric inventor Doc Brown is David Josefsberg and the resourceful and energetic Marty McFly is Lucas Hallauer.

“As a 50-something-year-old man who was 15 when the movie first came out, it is a dream come true to play the wacky, energetic, awesome and very deep (yep) Doc Brown,” Josefsberg reflects. “I get to be a rockstar, I get to be a teacher, and I get to fly in a DeLorean! The coolest! Standing up on the clock tower while Marty is in the car, and the celestial music from the movie is playing, always almost brings a tear to my eye. It’s so cool.”

Barbara B. Mann’s “Back to the Future: The Musical” follows Marty McFly on his journey to the past. -COURTESY POHOTO

Recreating a role that embodies Christopher Lloyd’s original role is challenging.

“As far as the challenges, I think it could’ve been trying to mimic Christopher Lloyd’s performance from the movie. Of course, you have to give the ‘roads, where we’re going, we don’t need roads!’ and the ‘great Scott!’ (lines),” according to Josefsberg. “But the best part of playing Doc Brown in the musical has been having the original creator Bob Gale and the awesome director John Rando allow all the actors to bring who they are to the characters. So yes, the challenge is creating a character that the audience remembers but bringing a sense of newness to him as well.”

Beyond Doc’s “mad scientist” characterization with zany energy and wild white hair, Josefsberg provides insight into Doc’s emotional depth and backstory.

“One of my favorite moments in the show is when he gets to sing the song ‘For the Dreamers.’ It’s a song where he’s explaining to Marty how we all fail and get back up and fail and get back up. We keep dreaming,” he said. “And it’s my favorite moment because it shows how Doc needs Marty to believe in him before he can succeed. If he does succeed. No spoilers here.”

Doc’s energy is famously larger than life. Sustaining that level of physicality and intensity over the course of a live performance is possible due to a combination of a few things.

“Firstly, it’s the energy that I get from both the audience and my fellow classmates. Although it’s seemingly the same every single night, the excitement comes from being in the moment and making it new each time,” Josefsberg described. “Now, workout, stretching, gym, PT and steaming also help!”

Beyond Doc’s entertaining and chaotic nature, he is also seen as supportive, kind and loyal to his friend Marty. To build the chemistry between Doc and Marty, Josefsberg credits “Listening to each other, being open to being playful and just having fun. Lucas is a fantastic scene partner. He is always ready to try anything, and I really appreciate that about him,” he continued. “He might say I’m ‘glazing’ him, but he truly is a very talented kid who works hard and is willing to go with the flow.”

Barbara B. Mann’s “Back to the Future: The Musical” takes the audience on a trip back in time filled with music, action and surprises. -COURTESY POHOTO

Josefsberg, who, while not acting, is a breath work instructor, teaches people to find their joy and what’s important in life through breathing and positivity and hopes the audiences take away the following from the performance. “I’ll say that you should take away that this life is short even if you live to Doc’s age,” he advises. “So, dream big, follow your dreams, fail at your dreams, and don’t be afraid to keep failing…until you succeed! Failure is part of success, not the opposite of it!”

Johnson explains why Back to the Future was selected when curating the 2025-26 season.

“When we discovered that this smash-hit title was going on the road, we were very excited. Each Season, our goal at the Hall is to offer a variety of shows that appeal to all interests,” Johnson continued. “This production truly elevates our 2025-26 Series and is a perfect fit for this market.”

More than a faithful adaptation, “Back to the Future” taps into the thrill of possibility, the bonds that shape us and the idea that the future is still ours to write. With its blend of heart, humor, friendship and theatrical spectacle, the production invites audiences to hop in the DeLorean once more and rediscover that some journeys through time never go out of style and no matter what the era, the power to change what comes next is always in our hands.

Tickets for Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW can be purchased in-person at the Box Office, by phone at 239 481-4849, or online at BBMANNPAH.com. Back to the Future: The Musical runs from Feb. 17-22, 2026.

COURTESY POHOTO