Before Stranger Things ever came to Broadway in the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Broadway performers inhabited Hawkins and the Upside Down in the fan-favorite Netflix series.
Familiar faces like Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, and David Harbour have all had careers on the Great White Way, starring in shows like Dear Evan Hansen, Annie, Glengarry Glen Ross, and more.
The finale episode of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things will debut on December 31 at 5 PM PT. Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things debuted in July 2016 and quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular television series ever, with its fourth season alone amassing over 140.7 million views globally. The prequel play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which won four Tony Awards, made its Broadway debut this April. Find out how the new season connects to the Broadway play in our guide here.
As you prepare to tune into the thrilling finale on New Year’s Eve, take a look at our guide below to find out where you might have seen these Stranger Things stars on the stage!
Years before making his star-turning debut as the dynamic Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things, actor Gaten Matarazzo got his start on Broadway. After appearing in the original production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, he played Gavroche in the 2014 revival of Les Misérables. Other roles include Jack in Into the Woods at the Hollywood Bowl, Jared Kleinman in Dear Evan Hansen, Frankie Epps in Parade, and Tobias in Sweeney Todd.
Like her co-star Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink also began her career on the stage, playing the title role in the Broadway revival of Annie. She also portrayed a young version of the future Queen Elizabeth in 2015’s The Audience and, in 2025, returned to Broadway after a 10-year absence in Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance.
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Though Maya Hawke has yet to appear on Broadway, the performer made her off-Broadway debut earlier this year in Signature Theatre’s production of Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, playing the title role. She also appeared in Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein drama Maestro, starring as the daughter of the Tony Award-winning composer.
Before taking on the role of the loyal Lucas Sinclair in the hit series, Caleb McLaughlin starred as young Simba in Broadway’s The Lion King.
David Harbour is a Tony Award-nominated actor, appearing in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Coast of Utopia, Glengarry Glen Ross, and more. He made his West End debut in 2022 with Theresa Rebeck’s production of Mad House.
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In the earlier days of her career, Cara Buono appeared on Broadway in productions of The Tenth Man, Some Americans Abroad, and a revival of Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo.
Matthew Modine’s stage credits include Finishing the Picture at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, Resurrection Blues at The Old Vic, and the 2010 Broadway revival of The Miracle Worker. He most recently played Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird in the West End.
Michael Park was most recently seen on Broadway alongside Idina Menzel in Redwood. His other Broadway credits include Dear Evan Hansen, Tuck Everlasting, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Little Me, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and Carousel.
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Gabby Pizzolo played the title role in Matilda the Musical on Broadway and later returned to the stage in Fun Home.
Will Chase is a Tony Award-nominated actor who has appeared on Broadway in Miss Saigon, Aida, High Fidelity, Billy Elliot the Musical, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and Something Rotten!, among others. He starred as the last Roger in the final Broadway company of Rent, which was recorded for the theatrical release entitled Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway. He was most recently seen in Once Upon a Mattress alongside Sutton Foster. Chase also guest-starred as Michael Swift in the 2012 NBC series Smash.
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Breaux acted on Broadway opposite Ewan McGregor and Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Real Thing. Currently appearing as Dr. Martin Brenner in Broadway’s Stranger Things: The First Shadow, he is the only actor to appear in both the series and the stage show.
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Watch the trailer for the Finale below:
Stranger Things photos courtesy of Netflix
