Jamie Campbell Bower goes Broadway with a surprise cameo in ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’
Ahead of the second volume release of Stranger Things season five, Jamie Campbell Bower most recently took a leap from the Netflix screens to the Broadway stage with a surprise cameo in The First Shadow.
Making his Broadway debut, Bower actually made a dream come true with his surprise visit in Hawkins, Indiana, on the Great White Way on December 19th. At the Tony Award-winning Broadway play Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Friday, Bower stole the spotlight during the show’s final scene, reprising his role as Henry Creel, the first child Dr Martin Brenner took, for the stage.
In a follow-up conversation with Tudum, Bower said, “I’m honoured to have been asked to do it. I’ve been so fortunate to see First Shadow twice, both in London and when it opened here. It’s both a very bizarre and also beautiful experience to see it, so to wrap up my journey with Stranger Things by doing this, it’s really cool.”
After the performance, the Stranger Things series actor joined the cast with his Tony Award-nominated Henry Creel stage counterpart, Louis McCartney. He greeted the audience while extolling on McCartney, saying, “I love Louis. I remember seeing that first preview in London and just being so blown away by what he was doing. And I love Henry, so to see someone like Louis who has also taken great care of this character feels so lovely.”
“He’s definitely taken certain things that I did with Henry and brought them into his portrayal and also created something that is uniquely his own, which is beautiful,” Bower added.
For those uninitiated, Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered on London’s West End in 2023 and officially commenced its Broadway run at the Marquis Theatre on April 22nd, 2025. Earlier in June 2025, the Broadway show bagged four Tony Awards, including ‘Best Scenic Design of a Play (Miriam Buether and 59),’ ‘Best Lighting Design of a Play (Jon Clark),’ and ‘Best Sound Design of a Play (Paul Arditti).’
On the heels of Stranger Things season five premiere on Netflix, ticket sales for both the Broadway and West End productions have reached a fever pitch since their initial launches, with guests booking tickets for dates into 2026.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set in 1959, and it primarily follows the origin story of Vecna, featuring younger versions of beloved series characters, including Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper, and Bob Newby. Written by Kate Trefry and co-directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, the stage play is based on an original story by the Duffer brothers, Jack Thorne, and Trefry, which is automatically steeped deep in the mythology of the Stranger Things universe.
Before appearing in his cameo in The First Shadow, Bower informed Tudum about his plans to bring his seasoned expertise of portraying Henry into the performance. “The end of the play is the sort of lead into season four, and I remember exactly how it felt and exactly who that person is.”
Just in case you couldn’t catch up with Bower on his Broadway run, well, you can soon experience his villainous theatrics in the theatres as Stranger Things finale comes to over 500 theatres near you in the US and Canada. Fans can find the full list of theatre locations and information on how to RSVP at www.st5finale.com. But before that, volume two is scheduled to drop on Netflix on December 25th. So, remain seated!