MADISON, Wis. \u2014 When \u201cBack to the Future\u201d was first released in theaters in 1985, David Josefsberg was one of the many who saw it.<\/p>\n
Starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett (Doc) Brown, the film follows Marty as he accidentally travels back to 1955 in his scientist friend Doc Brown\u2019s time-traveling DeLorean automobile. When he unintentionally prevents his parents from falling in love, he\u2019s forced to fix it to preserve his own existence and somehow get \u201cback to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the years, the film has become a time-honored classic.<\/p>\n
What Josefsberg didn\u2019t know is that 43 years later, the story would be transformed into a musical for Broadway by the same person who created the entire franchise, Bob Gale.<\/p>\n
David Josefsberg as “Doc” and Lucas Hallauer as “Marty.” (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
So when his opportunity to star in the adaptation in New York came, he took up the chance, starting in the smaller role of Principal Strickland, Marty\u2019s high school principal. About twice a week, he also went on as the infamous Doc Brown. Eventually, he\u2019d take over the role in the touring production.<\/p>\n
He jokes he \u201cjust had to wait 40 years to be Doc Brown.\u201d<\/p>\n
And he had big, Christopher Lloyd-sized shoes to fill.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis role is iconic, so you have to honor what that is,\u201d Josefsberg said.<\/p>\n
David Josefsberg as “Doc Brown” in “Back to the Future: The Musical.” (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Part of honoring that role in the Broadway musical is the inclusion of unforgettable lines like, \u201cRoads? Where we\u2019re going, we don\u2019t need roads.\u201d<\/p>\n
But he said he also gets to bring some of himself to the role.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all just bring the little bits and the little pieces of who we are based on this great roadmap that Christopher Lloyd created for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Given that the show is rooted in the film, there are many similarities, Josefsberg said, aside from one thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou get the friendship, you get Marty seeing his parents, you get all the great things from the film, but just a little more dancing, a little more singing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Zan Berube as “Lorraine Baines,” Mike Bindeman as “George McFly,” Lucas Hallauer as “Marty” and Company of “Back to the Future: The Musical.” (McLeod9 Creative)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Josefsberg said Doc Brown gets to be a \u201crock star in this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a crazy ball of incredible energy. We have one of the hardest-working ensembles in show business, dancing and running around,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n In all the chaos, one moment of calm stands out for Josefsberg.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of the show is high energy and you get all the great Huey Lewis songs and you get all the like \u2018Earth Angel\u2019 and \u2018Johnny B. Goode\u2019 and all these songs, but there is one moment where Doc really lets down his manic craziness,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n That happens during the song \u201cFor The Dreamers.\u201d<\/p>\n Lucas Hallauer as “Marty McFly” rides in the DeLorean. (McLeod9 Creative)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAnd he\u2019s like, \u2018This one\u2019s for the dreamers, whoever tried to make it, though every few ever break through, we celebrate,\u2019 and it\u2019s about them keeping up\u2026 failing and failing and getting back up,\u201d Josefsberg said. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s the part I love best because I\u2019m sort of this positive guy. I teach breathwork and I always think life is so short, so you know, take these experiences and so I think that part of Doc, the trying and creating and the getting back up off the floor and eventually one succeeding.\u201d<\/p>\n Another big part of the show is all the moving parts. From hoverboards to skateboards to the DeLorean, they all help bring the show to life.<\/p>\n Screens, though, play an integral role in showing the full town and building illusion for the audience.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really is pretty incredible, and it really looks like the car is driving,\u201d Josefsberg said, referencing the time-traveling automobile used throughout the show.<\/p>\n Video sequences are crucial in the iconic clock tower scene, another favorite of Josefsberg\u2019s. In that moment, Doc is trying to get the electricity together so that when the lightning bolt strikes, it hits the time-traveling DeLorean to send it back to 1985.<\/p>\n David Josefsberg as “Doc Brown.” (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSo it goes back and forth between that, Marty driving through the streets, me on the clock tower and you hear the music from the movie and it\u2019s a mixture of us and video and the music, the interstitial, amazing music from the film and the first time, even many, many times I got a tear in my eye just for the nostalgia of it all,\u201d Josefsberg said.<\/p>\n Aside from taking in the show’s nostalgia, he said it also provokes you to think about family and how your parents are people too.<\/p>\n \u201cI really do think, like people ask, would you rather go into the past or the future? And I would love to go back in time to see my parents as they were in high school and when they had their hopes and dreams,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The touring company of “Back to the Future: The Musical.” (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Reflecting on his role as Doc, he said he hopes audiences also take away another major message.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you fail, fail hard and keep failing, and the only way that you can fully fail is if you stop trying, so keep going for it and keep trying,\u201d Josefsberg said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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