Casey Likes performs 'Johnny B. Goode' in Back to the Future: The Musical clip
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You may not be ready for it yet, but you're gonna love Back to the Future: The Musical.
EW has an exclusive look at the iconic "Johnny B. Goode" number as Casey Likes recreates the moment on stage in the new musical, opening Thursday on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre.
Likes is an experienced guitarist, but he had to perfect his chops to perform the number live. "I've actually been playing guitar for many years, so getting to hold that beautiful Gibson on stage is special," he tells EW. "And our wonderful guitarist Aurelian Budynek gave me some lessons on how to play these songs."
Likes steps into Michael J. Fox's shoes as Marty McFly, the teenager who travels back to 1955 in Doc Brown's (Christopher Lloyd) modified DeLorean and finds himself racing against the clock to ensure his parents fall in love. It all comes to a head at the school dance where Marty must take over for the injured lead guitarist in the band. There, he performs Chuck Berry's 1958 classic "Johnny B. Goode" (three years too early) and launches into an electric guitar solo that startles the high schoolers.
Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman Casey Likes and the cast of 'Back to the Future: The Musical'
"Guess you're not ready for that yet, but your kids are gonna love it," he quips in response to the crowd's stunned expressions.
It's one of Fox's most famous lines in the 1985 film, so no pressure bringing it to life on stage eight shows a week. But Likes is trying not to overthink it. "I only rewatched the movie once in preparation for the role as to not do too many direct line readings from the movie," he says. "I just try to channel how Michael made me feel when hearing the dialogue, and that's how I try to make it my own."
Likes stars alongside Roger Bart and Hugh Coles as Doc Brown and George McFly respectively, who are both reprising their roles from the West End production. The cast also featured The Devil Wears Prada musical star Liana Hunt as Lorraine, Ain't Too Proud's Jelani Remy as Goldie Wilson/Marvin Berry, and Les Miserables' Nathaniel Hackmann as Biff Tannen.
The musical boasts a book by Bob Gale and music and lyrics from award-winning composer Alan Silvestri and Grammy winner Glen Ballard, as well as songs from the original film, including "The Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode." Silvestri composed the original score for the trilogy of Back to the Future films, which Gale wrote.
Watch the video above for more.
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