Back To The Future: The Musical

Act 1: Marty McFly’s Time Travel Adventure

Main Characters:

• Marty McFly:

  • Initial Outfit (Present Day 1985):
    • Marty’s costume reflects the 1980s fashion, featuring a mix of casual and practical clothing. He wears a red vest over a denim jacket, paired with a plaid shirt, jeans, and high-top sneakers.
    • Accessories: A skateboard, a watch, and a confident, youthful attitude. His costume helps to emphasize his status as a typical teenager from the 1980s.
  • Costume Change (Time Travel to 1955):
    • When Marty travels back to 1955, his costume adapts to fit the 1950s setting. He wears a similar denim jacket, but with a more vintage 1950s style, including a white T-shirt and a leather belt.
    • Accessories: Marty’s hair remains the same, but he may wear more period-appropriate accessories like a 1950s-style wristwatch to blend in.

• Dr. Emmett Brown (Doc Brown):

  • Outfit:
    • Doc’s costume is eccentric and wild, reflecting his mad scientist persona. He wears a white lab coat with wild patterns or patches, often with a futuristic or experimental twist. His hair is frizzy and wild, symbolizing his chaotic personality.
    • Accessories: A pair of safety goggles, gloves, and tools to represent his work as an inventor. His outfit also includes various devices he has invented, like the Flux Capacitor.

• Biff Tannen:

  • Outfit (Present Day 1985):
    • Biff’s costume in 1985 reflects his aggressive and bullying nature, often featuring a leather jacket, slacks, and boots. His look is meant to reflect a 1980s "bad boy" persona.
    • Accessories: A cigarette or other props that emphasize his rebellious and antagonistic behavior.
  • Costume Change (1955 Biff):
    • When Biff travels back to 1955, his costume reflects a more polished, youthful version of his 1985 self. He wears a slicked-back hairstyle and a neat, mid-century suit with a skinny tie and dress shoes.
    • Accessories: His costume in the 1955 setting is sleek but still carries an air of intimidation.

• George McFly:

  • Outfit (Present Day 1985):

    • George’s costume is more subdued and conservative, as he is a shy, repressed character in the 1980s. He wears a simple suit or cardigan with slacks, often in muted tones like brown or gray.
    • Accessories: Glasses, which reflect his nerdy persona and personality.

  • Costume Change (1955 George):

    • When George is shown in 1955, his outfit is more youthful and casual, with a 1950s-style shirt, sweater vest, and trousers.
    • Accessories: George’s appearance reflects the change in his confidence after meeting Marty, but he still carries a more reserved demeanor.

• Lorraine Baines:

  • Outfit (Present Day 1985):

    • Lorraine’s costume in 1985 reflects her more sophisticated, suburban housewife role. She wears modest dresses or a blouse with a skirt, in pastel colors or floral patterns.
    • Accessories: Jewelry and a practical hairstyle, emphasizing her role as a mother in the 1980s.

  • Costume Change (1955 Lorraine):

    • In 1955, Lorraine’s costume is much more youthful, reflecting her teenage years. She wears a conservative 1950s-style dress, often with a fitted bodice and a flared skirt.
    • Accessories: A small handbag and period-appropriate hairstyle, making her look like the innocent and idealistic young woman Marty meets.

Ensemble (Townspersons, Teachers, and Schoolmates):

• Townspersons and Teachers:

  • The ensemble characters wear 1950s and 1980s-style clothing depending on the scene. For 1955, they wear dresses and suits typical of the era—polka dot skirts, simple collared shirts, and pencil skirts for women, and sharp suits and fedoras for men.
  • Accessories: Hats, scarves, and gloves to complete their period looks.

• Schoolmates and Students:

  • In 1985, the schoolmates wear clothing typical of the era, including T-shirts, jeans, and casual jackets. The costumes reflect the typical 1980s school scene, with many wearing varsity jackets or band T-shirts.
  • In 1955, the schoolmates wear more formal, neat attire with collared shirts, pleated skirts, and saddle shoes, reflecting the post-World War II fashion style.

Act 2: The Climax and Return to 1985

Main Characters (Continued):

• Marty McFly:

  • Final Costume Change (After the Events of 1955):
    • After the events in 1955 are resolved, Marty’s costume changes back to the 1985 version, with his signature red vest, jeans, and sneakers. He now looks more confident, reflecting the positive changes in his life.
    • Accessories: Marty’s skateboard is a signature part of his look.

• Dr. Emmett Brown (Doc Brown):

  • Final Costume Change:
    • Doc’s costume remains relatively consistent throughout the show, but for the final act, he wears his lab coat and futuristic gear again, representing his return to his original timeline.
    • Accessories: His signature safety goggles, gloves, and a few added gadgets.

• Biff Tannen:

  • Final Costume Change (Present Day 1985):
    • After the events of the time travel are resolved, Biff’s costume in 1985 remains the same, reflecting his unchanged, bullying nature, though his look may be less dominant in comparison to his younger self.

• George and Lorraine McFly:

  • Final Costume Change:
    • George and Lorraine’s costumes shift to reflect their changed personalities and the positive outcomes of the time travel events. Their clothing is more confident, modern, and polished, especially in their final appearance at the high school dance and beyond.
    • Accessories: Modern jewelry and stylish outfits.

Ensemble (Final Dance, Town Celebration, and School Reunion):

• Ensemble Costumes (Final Dance):
  • The final ensemble costumes reflect the excitement of the school dance, with 1950s-inspired attire. The students and townspeople wear formal and semi-formal clothing, such as dresses with petticoats, and sharp suits with skinny ties.
  • Accessories: Colorful boutonnières, ribbons, and period-appropriate accessories for the dance scene.

Special Notes:

• Color Palette:

  • Act 1: The colors in Act 1 reflect the contrasting worlds of 1985 and 1955. The 1985 costumes are more casual and subdued in color, while the 1955 costumes are brighter, with a classic 1950s color palette of pastels and earth tones for the school scenes.
  • Act 2: The color palette returns to the vibrant 1980s colors as Marty’s transformation becomes clearer, with bold reds, blues, and the more polished 1985-style costumes.

• Fabric Choices:

  • Act 1: The costumes use fabrics that are indicative of the time periods: denim and cotton for the 1980s looks, and wool, polyester, and cotton for the 1950s attire.
  • Act 2: Similar fabrics to Act 1 but with more focus on modernity for the 1985 finale, emphasizing the time travel concept with contrasts between eras.