The hit Netflix series Stranger Things has been adapted for Broadway as Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel set in Hawkins, Indiana, providing audiences with a chance to better understand how the child characters, for better or for worse, grow into the people viewers of the series know and love. It premiered on April 22.

I walked into the theatre knowing nothing of Stranger Things, except for its popularity, and that it is a thriller, in which an easily unfolding plot would undermine the genre’s purpose. After the curtain rises, oodles of information is presented to the audience: the characters, what they do — and their consequences — and of course, strange events continue to unfold. Dazzling special effects and moments of intense drama also ensued — things you see in a good horror film. Too often opulence distracts from the story, but at the same time, every mesmerizing and exciting thing that you see or hear enhances what is going on.

As someone who is unfamiliar with the series, I found myself getting lost but was able to get back on track. The creative team could have been a little more considerate to Stranger Things virgins like myself, but perhaps that would have diminished the intensity that this play requires.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow has size and production values more commonly associated with musicals, including a cast of 33, elaborate sets, and thrilling special effects. While it is a play, there is still singing and dancing. Co-directors Justin Martin and the brilliant Stephen Daldry utilize the revolving stage well, with each scene seamlessly melting into the next as you journey along with the talented cast.

Louis McCartney does an excellent job as Henry Creel, later to be known as Vecna in the series. As Creel struggles with an unharnessed force that has been thrust upon him, he evoked my sympathy and care for him, even when I saw his darker side come out.

While I usually advise theatregoers to approach shows as completely unknown adventures, I guarantee that attendees will have more fun if they tune in to at least a few episodes of the Stranger Things series. And while I couldn’t appreciate the greater context, the special effects that accompanied them kept me engaged from start to finish.