The theater department is turning upside down and bringing the world of “Stranger Things” to life this fall, as Las Positas Theater opens the semester with its production of Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical. The award-winning musical puts a comedic twist on the hit Netflix sensation “Stranger Things,” and is slated to be performed by LPC students from Oct. 29 through Nov. 8.
Originally premiering in 2018 as an off-Broadway production, the musical has already won seven BroadwayWorld awards–including Best New Musical in 2023–and is now set to take center stage at Las Positas.
The Netflix show “Stranger Things,” known for its lovable characters and 80s nostalgia, follows a group of kids in the fictional small town of Hawkins, Indiana. Throughout the show, the main kids–Eleven, Dustin, Lucas, Mike and Will–unravel the town’s mysteries, uncovering monsters and supernatural government secrets.
As it is a parody, the musical is quite different from the show. Following the main kids, the musical takes place all in one night in Hawkins, filled with adventure and song and focuses on season one of Stranger Things instead of encapsulating all five seasons of the show.
“It’s perfect timing because it’s right before Halloween,” said Vinh Nguyen, director of the production.
Offering atmospheric imagery and high-energy fun, it’s set to be a timely blend of seasonal spookiness and nostalgic comfort.
The show will also feature many interesting technical elements, including a 360 stage and large-scale puppetry.
“There will be a lot of puppetry in this production,” explained Nguyen. “Las Positas has done puppetry in the past, but this time it will be life-sized.” Nguyen, who is also a professional puppet master, will provide valuable expertise for the show’s new elements.
The show will also take place in a hybrid black box theater, with the audience surrounding the stage on all sides.
“There’ll be a minimalist stage, so a simple stage platform, and you won’t see them changing sets or things like that. It’ll just be the people coming in and out,” said Cynthia Lagodzinski, who is the producer for the show.
This 360-degree stage provides an interesting viewing experience for the audience, with closer seating proximity to the actors and an unobstructed view. “It can present a challenge, but it’s also fun for the audience because they get a unique experience depending on where they sit around the stage,” said Nguyen.
Along with these technical additions, the Stranger Sings musical will also debut a new accessibility feature that’s been added to the theatre. For the first time ever, there will be two TV screens showing the script alongside the production for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“I’m really excited,” said Lagodzinski. “(There) will be two TV screens in the theater that will have the subtext of all the lines at all times that are happening … We will actually put the script as it’s going along up on big TV screens.”
Often referred to as open caption screens, devices like these can be crucial to audience members by displaying live text and allowing them to fully absorb wordplay, pacing, and sound effects without the distraction of traditional handheld assistive devices.
By combining this pop-culture sensation with technical innovation, Stranger Things has never been more vibrant — or welcoming! So grab your Eggo waffles and join Las Positas Theater for an ambitious night of nostalgia and campy fun, as they turn live theater into a delightfully strange performance.
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TOP PHOTO: The cast members practiced their vocals on sep 9 during rehearsal bringing the sci-fi drama of Hawkins ind. To life and to Las Positas. Performance of stranger sings the parody musical will run from Oct. 29 through Nov 8.
Nuha Maflahi is the Campus Life Editor for The Express. Follow her on X @NuhaMaflahiLPC.
