ARTS & CULTURE
By Anna Buie | Photos by McLeod9 Creative
A Classic Movie Takes the Stage in a Futuristic Way
Synchronize your watches because Back to the Future: The Musical is coming to Walton Arts Center on April 8-13. Experience the classic movie you know and love in a new musical theater production. Marty McFly is a rock ‘n’ roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
Back to the Future: The Musical has a book by Bob Gale, new music and lyrics by Emmy- and Grammy Award winning Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and lyricist Glen Ballard, with additional songs from the film including “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode.” Gale and Robert Zemeckis are the co-creators and co-writers of the Back to the Future film trilogy, and Silvestri composed the iconic film score for the series.
“Regardless of whether you’ve seen the original film, Back to the Future: The Musical, with its outstanding performances and incredible stagecraft, will delight and enthrall you, your kids, your parents and everyone you know,” Gale said.
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“To paraphrase Marty McFly, ‘You guys are ready for this, and your kids are gonna love it too!’” Gale said. “If Bob Zemeckis and I time traveled back to 1980 and told our younger selves that the script they were struggling to write would become a Broadway musical 43 years later, they’d kick us out of their office and call us crazy.”
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“It all began for us with the story and characters that made Back to the Future a much beloved cinematic classic,” Silvestri said. “The magic of musical theater presented us with the possibility of adding new dimension and depth to our familiar Hill Valley residents.”
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Looking to shake up your night? Purchase a cocktail class for $39 to enjoy light appetizers from Fayetteville High School’s Brightwater culinary students while you learn how to mix two specialty cocktails crafted by our in-house team of local mixologists. You’ll leave with recipes, great memories and new friends!
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Have tickets to Back to the Future: The Musical that night? Add-on a cocktail class before your show, and you’ll be in your seat before the theater lights dim. No show tickets? Come anyway for a fun, hands-on experience. Must be 21 or older to participate.
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Tickets are $42-$125 and can be purchased by visiting www.waltonartscenter.org, by calling (479) 443-5600 weekdays 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. or in person at the Walton Arts Center Box Office weekdays 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.  
Show Dates & Times:
April 8 at 7 p.m. 
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April 9 at 7 p.m. 
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April 10 at 1:30 and 7 p.m.|
Cocktail Class at 5:30 p.m. 
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April 11 at 8 p.m. |
Cocktail Class at 6:30 p.m. 
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April 12 at 2 and 8 p.m. |
Cocktail Class at 6:30 p.m.
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April 13 at 2 p.m. 
