"STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW" ANNOUNCES FULL CAST FOR WEST END WORLD PREMIERE

The original stage play production opens on 14 December at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End, with previews from 17 November.

Photography by Charlie Gray. Clockwise from top left: Ella Karuna Williams (Patty Newby) and Louis McCartney (Henry Creel) Oscar Lloyd (James Hopper, Jr.), Isabella Pappas (Joyce Maldonado), and Christopher Buckley (Bob Newby) Louis McCartney (Henry Creel) and Patrick Vaill (Dr. Brenner) Michael Jibson (Victor Creel), Louis McCartney (Henry Creel) and Lauren Ward (Virginia Creel)

With rehearsals now underway, Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions today announce the full cast for the world premiere of Stranger Things: The First Shadow by Kate Trefry, that brings the world of Stranger Things to life in a completely new way - live on stage. Stranger Things: The First Shadow opens at the Phoenix Theatre on 14 December, with previews beginning in 8 weeks on 17 November.

Directed by Stephen Daldry, with co-direction by Justin Martin, leading the world class award-winning creative team, the cast is Shane Attwooll (Chief Hopper), Kemi Awoderu (Sue Anderson), Chase Brown (Lonnie Byers), Christopher Buckley (Bob Newby), Ammar Duffus (Charles Sinclair), Gilles Geary (Ted Wheeler), Florence Guy (Karen Childress), Max Harwood (Allen Munson), Michael Jibson (Victor Creel), Oscar Lloyd (James Hopper, Jr.), Louis McCartney (Henry Creel), Isabella Pappas (Joyce Maldonado), Matthew Pidgeon (Father Newby), Calum Ross (Walter Henderson), Maisie Norma Seaton (Claudia Henderson), Patrick Vaill (Dr. Brenner), Lauren Ward (Virginia Creel), Ella Karuna Williams (Patty Newby); with Tricia Adele-Turner, Lauren Arney, Reya-Nyomi Brown, Patricia Castro, Lydia Fraser, Isaac Gryn, Mark Hammersley, Tom Peters, Kingdom Sibanda, Tiana Simone, Danny Sykes and Meesha Turner.

Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions present

STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW

By Kate Trefry

Original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne & Kate Trefry

Based on the Netflix Series Stranger Things, created by the Duffer Brothers

The Duffer Brothers act as creative producers, with 21 Laps Entertainment as associate producer.

Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things debuted in July 2016 and quickly became one of Netflix's most popular television series ever with its fourth season alone amassing over 140.7 Million views globally. Rooted in 80's nostalgia, it has sparked a resurgence of pop culture items from the decade with every new season, including Eggo waffles and New Coke. Most recently, the series breathed new life into Kate Bush's track "Running Up That Hill" with the song soaring in streams on Spotify and entering the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time in its 38-year history. The series has also garnered over 70 awards worldwide including Emmys and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, and has been nominated for over 230 awards. Stranger Things fans everywhere celebrate November 6 - the day Will Byers went missing - as 'Stranger Things Day,' a special day to share their love for the world of Stranger Things.

Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin said today, "With rehearsals now underway, it's a joy to discover the world of Stranger Things: The First Shadow with our ferociously talented cast and watch the alchemy amongst our entire company grow as we together explore this new play. They're an extraordinarily gifted group of actors, and we can't wait to share this origin story with audiences."

Matt and Ross Duffer said today, "The cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow is nothing short of phenomenal. These actors brilliantly explore the early days of many fan favorites - including Hopper, Joyce, Bob, Henry and Dr. Brenner - while also bringing new characters to vivid life. We couldn't be more thrilled and can't wait for you to meet them all live on stage. See you in London, nerds!"

About Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper's car won't start, Bob Newby's sister won't take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn't so easy... and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.

Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story - and may hold the key to the end.

STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW is written by Kate Trefry, directed by Stephen Daldry with co-director Justin Martin, set design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Paul Arditti, illusions design & visual effects by Jamie Harrison & Chris Fisher, video design & visual effects by 59 Productions, original music & arrangements by D.J. Walde, choreography by Coral Messam, movement direction by Lynne Page, wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates, technical director is Gary Beestone for Gary Beestone Associates, props supervision by Mary Halliday, dialect by William Conacher, fight direction by Kev McCurdy, casting by Jessica Ronane Casting CDG with additional casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG, and international casting consultancy by Jim Carnahan.

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STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW LISTINGS

Phoenix Theatre

Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0JP

For further ticket information, performance schedule, full creative team and cast biogs, please visit strangerthingsonstage.com and the official social channels:

Instagram.com/STOnStage Tiktok.com/STOnStage Facebook.com/StOnStage Twitter.com/StOnStage

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FULL CAST:

*Please visit strangerthingsonstage.com for full cast photos and bios.*

Shane Attwooll (Wonder Woman 1984; Legend; The Last Days of Judas Iscariot) plays Chief Hopper.

Christopher Buckley (David Copperfield; Orphans; Stig of the Dump) plays Bob Newby.

Michael Jibson (Bodies; The Essex Serpent; Hamilton) plays Victor Creel

Oscar Lloyd (The 47th; Hotel Portofino; 4 O'Clock Club) plays James Hopper, Jr.

Louis McCartney (Silent Roar; Hope Street; Game of Thrones) plays Henry Creel.

Isabella Pappas (Finding Alice; Villains of Valley View; The Nether) plays Joyce Maldonaldo.

Patrick Vaill (Oklahoma!; Macbeth; Dash & Lily) plays Dr. Brenner.

Lauren Ward (Dear Evan Hansen; Matilda; Caroline, Or Change) plays Virginia Creel.

Ella Karuna Williams (The Equalizer) plays Patty Newby.

Kemi Awoderu (Sue Anderson), Chase Brown (Lonnie Byers), Ammar Duffus (Charles Sinclair), Gilles Geary (Ted Wheeler), Florence Guy (Karen Childress), Max Harwood (Allen Munson), Matthew Pidgeon (Father Newby), Calum Ross (Walter Henderson) and Maisie Norma Seaton (Claudia Henderson).

They are joined by Tricia Adele-Turner, Lauren Arney, Reya-Nyomi Brown, Patricia Castro, Lydia Fraser, Isaac Gryn, Mark Hammersley, Tom Peters, Kingdom Sibanda, Tiana Simone, Danny Sykes and Meesha Turner.