Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a must-see for fans of the Netflix hit show — and now those who haven’t yet made it to Broadway can see why.

PEOPLE can exclusively debut a new trailer for the prequel play featuring the first-ever footage of the New York City cast at work, including Tony Award nominee Louis McCartney and Emmy nominee Gabrielle Nevaeh.

It comes days after Netflix dropped a gripping new teaser for season 5 of Stranger Things. The show’s final installment, debuting this holiday season, will bring the story of the supernatural happenings in Hawkins, Indiana, to a close — a story that begins in The First Shadow, and hints at how evil took root there long before Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) ever opened the gate.

Kate Trefry wrote and conceived the play along with Stranger Things creators, directors and executive producers the Duffer Brothers, as well as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child scribe Jack Thorne. Three-time Tony winner Stephen Daldry directs Trefry’s script with Justin Martin.

Set in 1959, 24 years before TV show begins, Stranger Things: The First Shadow follows a teenage Henry Creel (McCartney, 21) — the boy who would later become the villainous Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower in the show) — as his family moves to Hawkins for a “fresh start.”

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But despite the locale’s small-town charm, Henry struggles with unsettling visions and violent tendencies he can’t explain. And trying to help him through it all is Patty Newby, sister of Bob Newby (the character played onscreen as an adult by Sean Astin).

“Nightmares don’t make you a monster,” she tells Henry in the trailer.

“They do if you can make them come true,” he warns.

Those nightmares come true in Stranger Things: The First Shadow thanks to jaw-dropping special effects that bring Hawkins’ sci-fi horrors to life on stage, with stunning illusions, seamless scene transitions, and gravity-defying stunts that make the Upside Down feel terrifyingly real.

It’s unlike anything Broadway has seen before, and part of the reasons Stranger Things: The First Shadow has been a box-office smash since performances began in March. The production’s official opening night took place on April 22.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow went on to win four 2025 Tony Awards, more than any other play this season: for Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Lighting Design of a Play, Best Sound Design of a Play and a Special Tony Award for illusions and technical effects.

Starring alongside McCartney and Nevaeh, 20, in the play are Rosie Benton (Virginia Creel), Alex Breaux (Dr. Brenner), Janie Brookshire, Kelsey Anne Brown, Malcolm Callender, Ta’Rea Campbell (Patty’s Mom), Juan Carlos (Bob Newby), Lauren Nicole Cipoletti, Antoinette Comer, Robert T. Cunningham (Charles Sinclair), Ayana Cymone (Sue Anderson), Tom D’Agustino, Victor de Paula Rocha, Ian Dolley (Walter Henderson) and Dora Dolphin (Karen Childress).

Rounding out the cast are Nya Garner, Logan Gould (Lonny Byers), Shea Grant (Claudia Yount), Andrew Hovelson (Principal Newby), Alison Jaye (Joyce Maldonado), T.R. Knight (Victor Creel), Ted Koch (Chief Hopper), Poppy Lovell (Alice Creel), Jamie Martin Mann (Ted Wheeler), Neil McCaffrey, Patrick Scott McDermott, Sean Mikesh, Burke Swanson (James Hopper, Jr.), Stephen Wattrus, Maya West, Eric Wiegand (Alan Munson), Graham Winton and Azaela Wolfe (Alice Creel).

To celebrate the new footage, PEOPLE caught up with McCartney and Nevaeh to talk about their roles, their onstage relationship and what audiences can expect from their trip to the Upside Down.

PEOPLE: Henry Creel is such a complicated character, and you’re tasked with bringing humanity to someone who becomes a formidable villain. You’ve played him since the show began in the West End. What drew you to the role?
MCCARTNEY: Henry is a good kid. He wants to do the right thing, but he’s so malleable and will follow his skewed moral compass if it means he’s doing the right thing “good” thing. I guess that’s what drew me in: his opportunity for change, and just how beautiful the arc of it is throughout the play.

Do you do anything special to connect to him each night?
MCCARTNEY: I connect with Henry through music, actually. A lot of the time the songs are wildly different and almost specific to a scene. I like to prep quite a lot before a show; I like to be ready to give it 100%.

What about you, Gabrielle? Is there something that unlocked Patty Newby for you?
NEVAEH: Patty is smart, curious and full of light. She’s the kind of person who sees the good in people, even when it’s not obvious. When I first read the play, I was struck by how grounded she is amidst all the strange and supernatural elements around her. I connected with her heart, her loyalty and her quiet strength. It’s been a gift to bring a brand-new character into the Stranger Things universe and help shape who she is from the ground up.

The relationship between Patty and Henry is the heart of the play. They save each other in so many ways. What do you both make of that bond?
MCCARTNEY: Henry and Patty are the representations of hope. Although they both want different things, they have an intense kindling burning between them; they’re so similar, and yet they couldn’t be further apart. You have no idea how their relationship will turn out, but you’re, without a doubt, rooting for them.
NEVAEH: At its core, the relationship between Patty and Henry is deeply human. Patty sees something in Henry that no one else does: a vulnerability, a need to be seen and understood. She reaches out to him with genuine care and empathy. They’re both outsiders in their own way, and that connection brings them together. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that their bond is more complex and layered than it first seems. It’s tender, a little tragic and incredibly powerful to explore on stage.

For those who haven’t seen the show, what can audiences expect from Stranger Things: The First Shadow?

MCCARTNEY: Blood. Bones. Betrayal.
NEVAEH: A thrilling, emotional rollercoaster. It’s everything you love about Stranger Things — the mystery, the suspense, the heart — but in a whole new way. The stage version brings a level of intimacy and immediacy that’s really special. You’ll see the beginnings of characters and storylines you already know, while also meeting new ones that expand the universe in unexpected ways. And yes, the effects are jaw-dropping. You will absolutely feel the shadow creeping in.

Do you have any fun audience reaction moments you can share?
MCCARTNEY: There’s been thousands of times I’ve heard the absolute strangest noises coming from the audience. People become so engrossed in The First Shadow, and I love it. I wouldn’t want anything to change.
NEVAEH: One of my favorite things is hearing the gasps — those moments when the audience realizes something that fans of the series will connect to immediately. There was one night when a major reveal happened and someone in the audience literally shouted, “NO WAY!” It made us all smile backstage because it reminded us how invested people are in this world. Every night, the audience brings new energy, and honestly, they feel like a character in the play themselves.

Tickets for Stranger Things: The First Shadow are now on sale.