Is The Lost Boys Musical Appropriate for Kids

When The Lost Boys musical was announced, throngs of Gen Xers celebrated. When I first heard about the show being in production, I was beyond happy. The new musical brought together three things I love: musicals, vampires, and B-movies. And I have loved the campiness of the Lost Boys film since I first saw it in 1987.

The film starred Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, the two Coreys, Dianne Wiest, and Jami Gertz. In the film, a single mother and her two sons move in with their grandfather in Santa Clara, California. Little did they know, the town was crawling with vampires. The sons, as well as their mother, were looking for a fresh start and a place to belong. The older brother bonded with a group of bikers, most notably the attractive Star, who assisted in the son’s vampire transformation. The youngest son meets up with 2 vampire hunters who frequent a comic book store.

The Lost Boys musical stays close to the movie plot, except the family moves into Grandpa’s cabin after his death. The vampire biker gang is now a rock band, and the Frog brothers (the comic store vampire hunters) are a brother and sister. Other than that, the story remains the same.

Before the Broadway show started, I turned to the stranger next to me and said, “I really hope this is good.” The ingredients were there for a great musical, and so I wanted the show to be great. I was not let down.

I was blown away by how good The Lost Boys on Broadway is. Everything is incredible, from the detailed sets, to the acting and singing, to the flying fights. When I got home and my kids asked me about the show, the first thing I said was, “I have never seen actors fight in the air while singing being done as well as I did at this show.” Not that it happens much, but I’ve seen some stinkers try over the years.

Also, the music is incredible. One song will have you laughing, while the next one will have you on the verge of tears. And the vampire rock band plays songs that could be blasted at any concert venue. I believe within months, Broadway fans will have many of the songs on their playlists.

Another thing that is obvious about the show is that the casting director knocked it out of the park by putting together the cast. LJ Benet, who plays the oldest son Michael, will be Broadway’s next big star. As I watched his performance, I thought, “This guy is going to be huge!” Ali Louis Bourzgui plays David, the lead vampire and Kiefer Sutherland’s former role, and he captures perfectly the coolness of the role. Shoshana Bean plays the mother and belts out powerful songs throughout the show, and brings a tenderness to the musical. The rest of the cast is perfect as well, and each actor has their moment in the sun.

And yes, there is a saxophone player (if you know, you know).

So, is The Lost Boys Musical appropriate for kids?

As I usually say, it is always up to the parents to decide if a musical or movie is appropriate for their kid. For this show, I would be fine taking my 13-year-old, but my 10-year-old is sensitive and I’m not going to take her for a long time. There are vampires that can be scary to younger viewers, and there is sexual dialogue in the show. There’s also cursing. Many people die in the show, and that could be difficult for a younger viewer to watch. If it were a movie, it would be rated PG-13.

I absolutely loved the show, and I highly recommend it. The packed house that I was in during the show seemed like they would’ve agreed.