A Stranger Things parody musical, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, debuts its run in Toronto this week.
If you are in Toronto this week, be sure to check out a new parody musical based on Netflix’s Stranger Things series. Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical has begun taking over Toronto at the Randolph Theatre on January 28th. The whole run in Toronto takes place between January 28th-April 26th; performances are currently scheduled weekly on Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 PM. We will also be sharing our impressions of the show over the weekend, so be sure to come back to hear some of our highlights.
If the premise of Stranger Things still has not peaked your interest, Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical had a lot of success in its Off-Broadway run, winning seven BroadwayWorld Awards (including Best Musical). This Toronto debut will feature an all-Canadian cast, which also performed at Oshawa’s Regent Theatre this past summer.
The musical is described as a “fun, campy, and nostalgic romp with the TV series’ memorable characters, catchy songs, and plenty of humour for both superfans and newcomers alike.” Audiences will be transported back to 1983 in Hawkins, Indiana where children cycled everywhere, and could easily get kidnapped by inter-dimensional creatures.
This sci-fi adventure will have Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Dustin and the whole Hawkings gang a thrilling night for everyone to experience. The website description promises “thrills, pubescent angst, heavy synth, poor parenting, convoluted love triangles, cheap effects, dancing monsters, and maybe, just maybe… justice for everyone’s favourite missing ginger, Barb Holland.” Oh, Barb!
Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical was brought to life with Michael Kaish, Jonathan Hogue, Ashley Marinelli, and Nick Flatto heading the whole creative team. Hogue and Kaish also wrote and arranged the songs; the cast recording is out now on streaming services where it is available.
Here is a list of the performing artists in the Canadian production:
- Charlie Clements as Lucas
- Jean Blandon as Dustin
- Rebecca Rodley as Joyce/Will
- Alekzander Rosolowski as Mike
- Dante Toccacelli as Steve/Jonathan
- Paulina Luciani as Eleven/Nancy
- Sydney Gauvin as Barb
- Duncan Lang as Hopper
- Alyssa Lyn (Standby)
- Clark J. Burger (Standby)
- Dario Dvon (Standby)
This can be a fun watch for superfans and those who have not seen the Netflix series. This could not have come at a better time, as Stranger Things Season 5 will be coming out later this year. Tickets are on sale now on the Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical official website. Again, be sure to read about our impressions this weekend after we see it.
[UPDATED Sunday, February 2, 2025]
What a fun time at the Randolph Theatre for Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical. As someone who has kept up with Stranger Things from the beginning, it was a trip down memory lane. The best part was the commentary on memory lane because some things that happened in the earlier seasons were not well-written in retrospect.
Many fans took to the internet to get #justiceforbarb trending so the writers could explain her fate that night she got taken into the Upside Down. Without spoiling too much, let us just say, this stage version of Barbara Holland did not go down swinging. Everyone’s voices were sonorous and belted out perfectly, but a special moment was the thunderous applause for Gauvin’s Barb holding a wondrously long-note so well. The impact of holding that note hit, and everyone in the audience loved it.
The other show stealer was the scary Demogorgon, and not for its terror. It busted out some voluptuous moves that would make many go weak in the knees from how impressive it moved so smoothly. A close third standout was Lang’s Hopper and Rodley’s double role for Will and Joyce. Lang was like a spitting of David Harbour with his mannerisms. Rodley’s ability to puppeteer Will and act for herself was a masterclass performance.
Major credits to Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical‘s creative team who decided to depict Will as a puppet in this stage production versus getting an actor. The way this concept worked into the story was a creative, unique choice. Overall, the satire and storytelling worked harmoniously together. The double roles were amazing. The show was also great for theatre heads in general, even if they have not watched the Netflix series. But if you have watched it, you will abundantly appreciate this musical parody.
