Matt Lee: Bringing nostalgia to the stage in ‘Back to the Future’

As Back to the Future: The Musical lands on Australian shores, audiences can expect a spectacle that fuses cinematic nostalgia with theatrical innovation. Steering the show’s kinetic energy from behind the scenes is veteran performer and creative Matt Lee, serving as Resident Choreographer for the national tour. Lee brings decades of experience to the production, collaborating closely with long-time colleague Leah Howard. In this interview with Dance Informa, he reflects on the precision of his role, the joy of reinterpreting iconic movement across time periods, and the thrill of bringing such a beloved film world to life on stage.

Let’s start with the role itself — what does being the Resident Choreographer actually involve? 

“The resident choreographer role works closely with the choreographic team. If it’s an international or a local team, they work closely with the choreographer when they are mounting the show. They learn everything about the show from a choreographic aspect, and when the team leaves, it’s then my job to upkeep the show and keep it really tight, sharp and crisp, making sure the integrity of the show from a choreographic standpoint is exactly how the choreographer wanted it to be, and that every audience that comes to see the show is getting exactly what the choreographer envisioned for the show.”

Do you tweak the choreography depending on the cast you’ve got?

“Every show is a little different. Some shows are very paint-by-numbers, so the show that you see in London or on Broadway or anywhere else in the world, will be a carbon copy of the original. This show is obviously set; it’s the same show that you’ll see at the other locations it is showing, but what our team is great at doing is getting to know the company and their strengths, where they’re going to shine, and making sure that everything within the show is suited to the company we have.”

How does the Resident Choreographer role differ from creating the choreography originally?

“It’s about resetting the work, giving the cast their moment and time to shine. For example, there’s a lot of lifts in our show, and with the trickier lifts, they’ve had to somewhat tweak or replace elsewhere. But many of the lifts we have put on our cast are from the original choreography, and is a testament to the talent we have in this country.”

You and Leah Howard have known each other for a long time. How does that shared history shape the way you work together on this production?

“We’ve known each other for, what, 40 years now? We’re the greatest of friends. We know how each other works, what the other is thinking, so we know how to complement one another. We have the same work ethic because we grew up in the same building, trained under the same umbrella, and this is a testament to the two of us still working in this industry, which is not always the case. Forty years in is a massive achievement, and I’m proud of us for being here. We work incredibly well together, and I think that is what makes this process really enjoyable.”

Do you find that your and Leah’s roles overlap at times?

“No. We’re super respectful of each other, know our lanes, and know when to stay in those lanes. The great thing for Leah as the Resident Director is that she has a performance and a dance background. For example, if I’m ever like, ‘I need to do A, B, C and D,’ she gets why.

I’ve worked in theatre for however many years in various roles, so I also know what she needs to achieve and how it needs to work. We are able to allow each other to get the work done, without stepping on each other’s toes.”

Back to the Future has such an iconic cinematic world. How does this translate into choreography for the stage?

“The choreography is so great because we’ve got two time periods to play with; we’re not just confined to one genre. We’re in the ’80s (everyone loves a shoulder pad and a big, poofy headband!), and then we go back to the ’50s. Chris Bailey, the choreographer, got to explore the iconic movement from both these genres. He was adamant on making sure that the choreography contained authentic movement from the time, which is great for the cast, as they get to explore many different styles of dance within those time periods.

We do a lot of swing dance in the show, and Chris was saying that some people who are going to come and see the show could possibly have been doing this style in its original time, so we really worked on the authenticity. For example, pulling out before we go into a lift, making sure that our heels aren’t up and we’re into the ground, and there’s tension in the arm. It is a testament to the quality of the show – all of those little details translate into the audience feeling like they’re truly experiencing that era.”

Can you talk a little bit about working with the technical elements, and what was the biggest challenge in creating these moments?

“They’ve done such a great job and delivered on the expectation of what it would be to see this film on stage. The drive sequences in the show are things I’ve never seen in a theatre before.  To feel like you’re immersed in the screens and all the effects that are in the show, and now in working on the show and seeing how all that works – there’s so much work that goes into it, so much detail in our tech period that they wouldn’t move past until it was perfect.

I think the level of detail is why it’s so exciting, and so amazing to watch. The car is incredible. The screen work is incredible. The revolve on the stage is incredible. All the illusions in the show are incredible. The team has really done a great job with all the elements working together, to make it cohesive and bring the film to life on stage. I imagine that is why people walk away mind-blown thinking, ‘How did they make that happen on stage?!’

John Rando, who directed the show, has a great eye, and the technical team that made the drive sequence feel so real is due to the screens working so well with the movement of the car and the sound. The clock tower sequence at the end when Doc is trying to get the cords plugged back in on time, and how that all seamlessly comes on and off, cutting between that and the car driving – there’s so many clever people that have made that happen; they’ve won awards all over the world for their work. There’s not just one team that specifically made it happen; each team worked within their various departments to bring the elements to life.”

What do you think Australian audiences will respond to most in this production?

“It’s the stuff that we don’t get to see generally in a musical, the film aspect of it. There are so many films that have been adapted into musicals, that don’t really have the essence of the film. They may have some references, but it doesn’t feel like you’re in the same world. I think this show really takes you back to the world of 1985, and 1955 – the story of the nerd getting the girl and the bully getting his comeuppance and all that kind of thing.

Bob Gale spoke about it when he was here. The reason he wrote the show was because he came across his dad’s yearbook and saw his dad and thought, ‘If I went back in time and went to school with my dad, I wonder what that would be like. Would I be friends with my dad at school?’ And he said, ‘Probably not.’ So that’s where he kind of started, in wanting to go back and be in that environment with his dad, and I think there’s a lot of George in how he’s written it, and he probably sees himself as a bit of a Marty. I think that is something that we can all relate to in terms of, you know, not fitting in or feeling like an outcast at times.

Australian audiences can expect those film-like moments that we have come to know and love, to see and experience them on stage, to literally have them happening in front of you. I remember when we got in the theatre and I started to see all the drive sequences, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, this is like watching a film.’ It’s really going to attract the audience that wouldn’t normally go to a typical musical, or a traditional show.  It’s attracting the fans of the film, dads bringing their sons, etc., which is awesome.”

What is your favourite moment or number in the show?

“I love ‘Johnny B. Goode.’ There’s so much swing in that, so many lifts. The dancers are working their butts off, and it’s only for three minutes, but it’s one of the most exciting three minutes of the show choreographically. ‘Gotta Start Somewhere’ in Act One, which is led by the amazing Javon King – there are some great dance moments in that number. Also, when Doc arrives in the DeLorean, our lovely female presenting company come out and they’re dancing around the car and it’s giving all the ’80s vibes… they’re probably the three dance/choreographic moments that I enjoy most in the show.”

First musical you ever danced in? “Hot Shoe Shuffle, the Australian musical which David Atkins produced.”

What’s your favourite ’80s dance move? “I love a body roll, and a hard shoulder.”

Coffee order before a long rehearsal day? “It’s very simple. Skinny latte.”

Three words that describe Back to the Future: The Musical for you? “Nostalgia, heartwarming, and thrilling. The car sequences are thrilling, George getting Lorraine is heartwarming, and the nostalgia of the ’80s. I grew up as a child of the ’80s, so anything ’80s makes me feel like a kid again, reminds me of growing up.”

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring choreographers watching this show? “I would say always try and continue to be inspired, to be a sponge, to find things around you that inspire you to create. I think sometimes as choreographers we can get stuck if we find one thing that has been working for us, and then sometimes that thing needs to be rejuvenated or re-inspired.”