Broadway has long loved adapting blockbuster films for the stage, even if for every smash like “The Lion King” there are a dozen flops like “Mrs. Doubtfire.” To be sure, “Back to the Future: The Musical” — which opened Tuesday at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre — has some faults, but it’s far closer to the former than the latter.

An obvious challenge in staging such a much-loved movie is casting. And while Michael J. Fox continued to work up until his 2020 retirement due to his battle with Parkinson’s disease, his portrayal of time-traveling teen Marty McFly remains his signature role.

In his debut leading a national tour, Caden Brauch proved serviceable as Marty, although he (and writer Bob Gale) initially frame the character as angry when, really, he’s more exasperated than anything.

Much more problematic is veteran stage and television actor Don Stephenson as Emmett “Doc” Brown. He wisely avoided channeling Christopher Lloyd, but instead offered a bizarre impersonation of Martin Short, all the way down to his Ed Grimley dance and Jiminy Glick growl.

But any serious problems with the two leads faded quickly as the awe-inspiring and visually spectacular show unfolded. Producers clearly spent big bucks on recreating the sci-fi trappings of the film for Broadway and did not hold back on the road production.

Through the use of physical sets, electronic wizardry and plenty of flashing lights and fog, “Back to the Future: The Musical” felt like a truly immersive experience with few slow moments in its 2½ hour running time.

The musical follows most of the film’s major plot points and memorable gags and tells the story of a teen who inadvertently travels back in time from 1985 to 1955 and threatens his own existence after bungling the moment when his parents first met.

Alan Silvestri (a longtime film scorer who borrowed heavily from John Williams here) and Glen Ballard (a songwriter and producer best known for his work on Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill”) provide the solid, if not always memorable, songs.

For all the bombastic acting at the top of the bill, the best performances are truly noteworthy and stand out among all the razzle and dazzle. Playing Marty’s mother Lorraine, Zan Berube so deftly portrayed three distinct versions of the character it felt as if it was three different actresses on stage. In particular, her hormonal giddiness as teen Lorraine proved truly delightful.

In the minor role of Goldie Wilson — a cafe sweeper in ’55 and city mayor in ’85 — Cartreze Tucker stole the show with the exuberant “Gotta Start Somewhere,” which is easily the best song in the musical.

Fans of the source material as well as folks who simply enjoy a big, bright, eye-popping production will find plenty to enjoy here.

‘Back to the Future: The Musical’

When: Through Sept. 22
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis
Tickets: $149-$40 via hennepinarts.org
Capsule: This one makes it worth going back in time.

Related Articles

‘The Physicists,’ staged by Dark & Stormy Productions, delves into the complicated lives of scientists

Mixed Precipitation’s latest Pickup Truck Opera perfectly pairs Depeche Mode, ‘Faust’

Laughter returns to the campaign trail with Brave New Workshop’s ‘Two Old Men’

Fringe review: ‘Turn Your Suck Into Suckcess’ is a spot-on satire that’ll inspire you to, well, suck less

Fringe review: ‘Intimate and Appropriate’ aims to offend, but with no insightful payoff