'Back to the Future' musical opening on Broadway next summer

The Broadway run of "Back to the Future: The Musical," the London West End hit based on the classic science-fiction comedy, will play the Winter Garden Theatre with previews beginning June 30 and opening night set for Aug. 3.

"I don't know. A used car, huh," says dubious scientist Doc Brown (Roger Bart, reprising his West End role) as he looks over a DeLorean automobile in a new 40-second teaser accompanying the announcement. "Looks like it's got about three million miles on it." He wonders if the stainless-steel bucket of bolts can reach a speed of 88 miles per hour, the threshold for time travel.

A familiar face and voice assures, "Trust me." Christopher Lloyd, the movie's Doc Brown, cameos as a used-car salesperson inviting the stage Doc to take a test drive. Climbing into the driver's seat, Bart's Doc Brown says he'll drive to "the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway — I'll be back in no time." With a knowing smile, Lloyd's character tells him that might not be the case.

General-public tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at Telecharge.com/Broadway or via Telecharge phone at 212-239-6200.

In addition to Bart, a Tony Award winner for the 1999 revival of the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and a nominee in 2001 for "The Producers," the show features Hugh Coles importing his role as George McFly, the beleaguered father of Marty McFly. Michael J. Fox immortalized the role of time-traveling teenager Marty in the 1985-90 movie trilogy directed by Robert Zemeckis and co-written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Olly Dobson originated the West End role. No casting has been announced for the part on Broadway.

“To paraphrase Marty McFly, you guys are ready for this, and your kids are gonna love it (too)!" said Gale in a statement. "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. Well, sometimes, crazy ideas give birth to great entertainment … ."

"Back to the Future: The Musical" opened in Manchester, England, in previews in February 2020 and officially that March 11 before closing after a few performances due to the coronavirus pandemic. In August of last year, the show began previews on London's West End, where it opened that Sept. 13 and won the Olivier Award, the West End equivalent of the Tony, for best new musical. It has been extended there through July 23.

The announcement of the Broadway show came on Oct. 21 — which fans consider “Back to the Future Day” — the day in 2015 when Marty McFly touched down in Hill Valley, California, after blasting through the space-time continuum in "Back to the Future Part II."