Before he became Vecna, he was just misunderstood. McCartney considers Henry a psychopath by nature. At the same time, he believes his character is desperate for connection. “He wants to do the right thing, and he just wants to understand what the hell is going on inside of his mind,” the actor says.

McCartney will make his Broadway debut reprising the role, for which he earned the 2024 Stage Debut Award for Best Performer in a Play and the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer. “Louis is an astonishing actor, and we are unbelievably proud of the incredible life he has breathed into the role of Henry Creel onstage in the West End,” said director Stephen Daldry and co-director Justin Martin. “From the moment we first met him, we knew he was special, and we are thrilled that Broadway audiences will have the opportunity to witness his extraordinary performance.” 

Even after performing the role for a year, McCartney is astonished that there’s always more to uncover about the character. “It’s never-ending,” he says. “How somebody becomes a person like Vecna is really, really hard to understand. And that’s what we're trying to do in this production — and trying to delve into all the other characters and see how they formulated that response inside of Henry.”

Silent Roar, Hope Street, Game of Thrones

Virginia Creel is Henry’s mother. She’s a 1950s housewife, who Benton describes as a perfectionist who wants to be a really great mom. “But maybe she isn’t equipped with all of the right tools to be a great mom,” she says. “And then something terrible is happening to her and she doesn’t know why.”

Benton loves the idea of someone who’s trying so hard to keep it together, but the world just keeps falling apart around her. “She’s just trying to hold onto her son — and maybe it’s not working.”

Patriots, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Law & Order: SVU

In the world of Stranger Things, Dr. Brenner is alternatively known as Papa or Bad Man. He’s first contacted in 1959 by Henry’s mother, who’s afraid of Henry’s psychokinetic abilities. Once Henry lands in Dr. Brenner’s custody for treatment, he becomes the first test subject, One. “Dr. Brenner is an extremely ambitious, tunnel-visioned scientist who will stop at nothing to pursue a scientific method,” says Breaux. 

Brenner works for the Department of Defense, and Breaux sees the character as someone he can relate to, in the sense of giving up everything for your profession. “He reminds me a little bit of Miles Teller in Whiplash, where he would rather go down in the history books and move human civilization forward, than maybe live in a more contented space,” says Breaux. After appearing in Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway, Breaux will also join the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

American Primeval, The Dead Don’t Hurt, Waco: The Aftermath, Joe Pickett

Principal Newby is Bob’s father.

Lucky Guy, An Enemy of the People, Thine Ears Shall Bleed

Before her life revolved around being the most supportive mom to Will and Jonathan Byers, Joyce was a senior at Hawkins High who wanted nothing more than to graduate and get away from the small Indiana town. Jaye sees her as incredibly determined, headstrong, fierce, bold, forward, indignant, brave, and honest. “She's really herself,” says Jaye. “The show for my character is a big search for freedom, and as a young person, that’s a large question we’re always asking ourselves. I love her.”

The actor says that the chemistry we see in the television series between Joyce and Hopper sparks in the stage play. “It’s the classic chemistry that we love so much about these two characters. But watching them at this age in high school break down in moments and lean on each other is a really unique moment in the lore of Stranger Things.”

Jaye earned a BAFTA nomination for her role as Alva in PlayStation’s Horizon: Forbidden West. You can also see her in Shameless, Call Jane, and Unbelievable.

Victor Creel is Henry’s father, a military vet who has what we would now call PTSD. “His way of solving it is not the healthiest way of solving it — he’s a fan of the drink,” says Knight. He and Benton are in alignment that both Henry’s parents perhaps don’t have all the tools in their toolbox to heal their fractured family dynamic. “They keep missing in their attempts to fix what they think the problems are. It keeps getting worse,” he says. 

Knight is excited by the fact that fans know where Henry ends up and who he becomes. “It’s like all the things in his life that happened lead him to that, and at what point is it inevitable that he becomes this monster? Or, does he have help along the way?”

Grey’s Anatomy, The Flight Attendant, A Life in the Theatre

Patty is new to the Stranger Things universe. She’s Bob’s adopted sister and a freshman at Hawkins High. As a longtime Stranger Things fan, Neveah is “thrilled to be able to build a character in the world that I grew up watching.”

She describes Patty as brilliant, misunderstood, and an outsider. She’s also tough and brave. “Something that we share is that we don’t shy away from adversity,” says Neveah. “We take it head on and we try to put our best foot forward no matter what.”

That Girl Lay Lay, Monster High, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai

In the play, Jim is an 18-year-old senior at Hawkins High who shares a sweet relationship with Bob that’s similar to the one we see between Steve and Dustin in the ’80s timeline. He’s a loner who is learning to have community and to find love in his life — and to be reminded that that’s an important thing.

On a day-to-day level, Swanson considers Hopper to be somebody who has an unrelenting sense of drive and determination. “Hopper is uninterested in holding back. He’s uninterested in playing it safe. He wants the job done, and it’s because he cares so deeply,” says Swanson. He has the willingness to sacrifice himself and everything he’s built in his life to protect his loved ones. Foreshadowing his character’s future arc in the television series, Swanson says, “He’s learning in this show that he can have people there to help him, and maybe he doesn’t have to sacrifice himself in the process.”

Back to the Future: The Musical, The Rose Tattoo, Harlem

Bob, also referred to by Jim as “Bob the Brain,” is a senior at Hawkins High. He’s trying to get his radio show off the ground, though his sister doesn’t take this endeavor seriously.

“Man, Bob Newby is one of my favorite Stranger Things characters — I would’ve told you that before I was cast here,” says Carlos. As Sean Astin’s portrayal of Bob was beloved by fans in Season 2, Carlos is well aware of the #JusticeforBob campaign among fans. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be of service to his work, to the fans, and to provide some insight and backstory into why Bob Newby is a superhero.”

Carlos is making his Broadway debut as pre-superhero Bob Newby. His screen credits include Grey’s Anatomy, The Better Sister, and Sex Lives of College Girls.

Before she was Sue Sinclair, Lucas and Erica’s mom was Sue Anderson.

A recent BFA graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, Cymone has starred in the Santa Cruz Shakespeare production of Troilus and Cressida and in the Dartboard Productions theatrical adaptation of Treasure Island at New York’s West Park theater.

Meet Mike and Nancy’s mom, before she married Ted Wheeler.

Dolphin is making her Broadway debut after originating her role as young Karen Wheeler in the first workshop. Regional theater credits include the world premiere of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical and Coco’s Diary. On-screen credits include The Villains of Valley View and A Loud House Christmas.

Being the police chief of Hawkins runs in the family. Long before James “Jim” Hopper was declaring that mornings were for “coffee and contemplation,” his dad was calling the shots.

Broadway credits include To Kill a Mockingbird, JUNK, The Pillowman; screen credits include Succession, Dear Edward, and New Amsterdam.

Eddie’s dad wasn’t around in Stranger Things Season 4, but now you can see him as a student at Hawkins High.

Plaza Suite on Broadway, Tiny Beautiful Things, and Law & Order: SVU. Wiegand also regularly plays Dungeons & Dragons online with the YouTube channel “Please Don’t Kill Us.” Sound like a certain on-screen son of his?