The Secret Broadway History of the Stars of Stranger Things

Netflix's cultural juggernaut Stranger Things is coming to close after five seasons, with fans across the globe gearing up for an epic finale that will premiere on New Year’s Eve. The legacy of the series lives on in the form of Strangers Things: The First Shadow, a wholly unique Broadway experience playing at the Marquis Theatre. Jamie Campbell Bower (a.k.a. Vecna himself) delighted fans when he made a surprise appearance at a recent performance of the production on Broadway. Conceived by the Duffer Brothers, the original stage play is a prequel to the Netflix series, providing a fleshed-out origin story for the character of Henry Creel. Bower is far from the only Hawkins resident to have graced the Broadway stage. Read on to learn about more Stranger Things cast members who got their start in theater.

Gaten Matarazzo

Fan favorite Gaten Matarazzo already had an impressive résum​​é before stepping into the role of Dustin in Stranger Things. At nine years old, he played the son of an Australian drag performer in the Broadway adaptation of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. In 2013, he joined the North American tour of Les Misérables and returned to the barricade a year later on Broadway. Post-Stranger Things, Matarazzo has shown a commitment to musical theater, with recent Broadway engagements in Dear Evan Hansen and Sweeney Todd.

Caleb McLaughlin

Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas on Stranger Things, is no stranger to the stage, having performed in a lauded production of the opera Lost in the Stars at age 10. Shortly thereafter, McLaughlin made his Broadway debut as Young Simba in The Lion King. McLaughlin is now old enough to be King of Pride Rock and we just can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon for the gifted performer.

Sadie Sink

Before she fought demogorgons, Sadie Sink belted out “Tomorrow” on Broadway in the 2012 revival of Annie (first as an alternate for the title role and eventually as a full-time replacement). In 2015, she played a young Queen Elizabeth in Peter Morgan’s drama The Audience, which starred Helen Mirren. Last season, Sink dazzled Broadway audiences in Kimberly Belflower’s comedy John Proctor is the Villain. For her performance as a tempestuous high school student reckoning with the #MeToo movement, Sink received a Tony nomination. She will reprise the role in a forthcoming film adaptation, for which she will also serve as an executive producer.

David Harbour

Though the world may know him as disgruntled police officer Jim Hopper on Stranger Things, David Harbour’s career began on stage. The celebrated actor starred in the Tom Stoppard play The Invention of Love in 2001. In 2005, he received a Tony nomination for playing Nick in the 2005 revival of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Harbor was also cast in the original Broadway production of Stoppard’s epic trilogy The Coast of Utopia in 2006. He returned to Broadway in 2010 to play Bassanio in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, which starred Al Pacino. Harbour was last seen on the Great White Way in a 2012 revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross.

Alex Breaux

Is there anyone more immersed in the Stranger Things universe then Alex Breaux? On top of performing in The First Shadow, Breaux has a recurring role on the final season of the Netflix series as Lieutenant Robert Akers. A decade earlier, Breaux made his Broadway debut opposite Cynthia Nixon in the 2014 revival of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing.

Jamie Campbell Bower

Outside of making his surprise Broadway debut in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the British actor and singer has performed in productions of Honk!, The Dreaming and Bend It Like Beckham across the pond. Musical theater aficionados will also recognize Bower for playing Anthony in Tim Burton’s 2007 film adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.

Matthew Modine

Matthew Modine has recieved acclaim for his performance as Dr. Martin Brenner on Stranger Things and has worked with the greats, from Stanley Kubrick to Christopher Nolan. His accomplishments extend beyond the camera, with a stint on Broadway as Captain Keller in the 2010 revival of The Miracle Worker. He also joined the West End cast of To Kill a Mockingbird in 2022 in the iconic role of Atticus Finch. 

Cara Buono

Television royalty Cara Buono had recurring roles in The Sopranos and Mad Men before joining the Stranger Things universe as Karen Wheeler. She is also a theater veteran, most notably playing Mercedes Ruehl's daughter in a 1995 Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo.

Winona Ryder (Sort of!)

While Winona Ryder hasn’t been in any professional stage productions (yet!), her impact on contemporary theater is undeniable. The Oscar nominee and perennial It Girl starred as OG goth queen Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice, which was adapted into a popular Broadway musical—the third iteration wraps up its run this week. Heathers, another Certified Winona Classic, was also adapted into a musical, currently playing off-Broadway. In the '90s, Ryder successfully spearheaded a campaign to adapt Susanna Kaysen’s memoir Girl, Interrupted into a feature film. Now, Kaysen’s book has been reworked into a play by Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok, set to have its world premiere at the Public Theater in May 2026. Did we mention that Edward Scissorhands was staged as a dance piece in the oughts? If you count The First Shadow, Girl, Interrupted marks the fifth piece of Ryder-related material to be adapted for the stage. Why stop there? We always thought Autumn in New York needed a kickline.

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