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A new featurette from Netflix sheds light on the upcoming Stranger Things prequel play, The First Shadow.
Debuting on the West End in London, The First Shadow is set in 1959 and follows young Henry Creel as he begins his life in Hawkins, leading up to his induction into the Hawkins Lab test program as 001. He strikes up a budding romance with new character Patty Newby, played by Ella Karuna Williams. Younger versions of Stranger Things regulars like Joyce, Hopper, and Bob fill out the supporting cast. The featurette showcases interviews with much of the cast and crew as well as rehearsal footage.
Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers introduce the featurette and express their enthusiasm for the project. Matt Duffer said, “The team behind The First Shadow, it’s the ultimate, it’s the dream team.” Stephen Daldry, who directed the Billy Elliot film and its musical version among many other stage and film productions, co-directed the production with long-time collaborator Justin Martin. “I’ve loved Stranger Things,” Daldry said. “The series has been a worldwide success and it’s really been a passion project for me for many years.”
According to the featurette, Daldry leads a team of experienced stage creators. Writer Kate Triffy said, “We had a workshop day, that like half of our team was gone, because they all won Tonys.” As you might expect, the production will feature numerous visual effects, including monsters and gore. The featurette shows rehearsal footage and gestures at what some of these effects might be, but does not show any of them outright.
The First Shadow starts its run on November 17. There are currently no plans to bring the show outside of London.
