Staging Stranger Things

PRESENTED BY RAREBIRD

Happy Thursday, Future Party. The music festival vibes are still riding high this April with Stagecoach on the horizon. Of course, we’ve put together a grid of the best parties, brand activations, and late-night happenings in and around the fest. Giddyup, let’s go.

DAILY TOP TRENDS

Stranger Things Expands Its Story To Broadway

After a successful run on London’s West End, Netflix is bringing the fully developed Stranger Things: The First Shadow to Broadway, a crossover that bridges the most recent season and the upcoming final season of the hit series.

The Big Picture: Over the past few years, Netflix has made a strong push into the experiences industry, including events, restaurants, activations, and, now, live performances. But this is the first time that one of its franchises has an interconnected storyline across formats, which could give creators a blueprint on how to expand their IP and eventize stories in the streaming age.

Behind the Curtain: Although the West End version of The First Shadow scored two Olivier Awards (Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Set Design) in 2024, the creative team notes that the play is now bigger, better, and more fleshed out for Broadway.

• The sci-fi/horror play, which just opened at the Marquis Theater, serves as an origin story for the show’s main villain, Henry Creel/Vecna.

• Director Stephen Daldry (The Crown), who initiated the idea to series creators The Duffer Brothers, built the show as both a standalone story and a bridge between seasons four and five, giving those who watch it an even richer experience.

• That necessitated first-time playwright Kate Trefry, who’s been working on the play since 2018 and has written for the show since season 2, to juggle plot points between the series and the play as both developed over several years.

• There are also some fun tidbits during the performance that mirror the Netflix-streaming experience, including pop-ups of the “Next Episode…” and “Watch Credits” buttons.

Final Bow: Netflix is really giving Stranger Things and The First Shadow the full 360 experience in the run-up to the show’s finale. For example, the company is selling exclusive merch that’s only available at First Shadow performances — including one special “artifact” that’s deliberately held back until intermission (or after the show) to avoid spoiling a major plot point from the first half. Talk about running a tight ship.

Whether The First Shadow will be a one-off experiment for Netflix or an ongoing revenue generator is yet to be determined. But considering that over 70% of West End audiences and Broadway preview attendees were first-time theatergoers, Netflix may not just be finding a new audience — it might be helping Broadway find one, too.

Together with Rarebird

Rarebird Powers You Up Without The “Caffeeling”

Whether you drink regular coffee or decaf, we’ve all experienced the “caffeeling” — that wired overstimulation from caffeine that fogs up your day, crashes your afternoon, and keeps you up at night.

Did you know there’s a way to enjoy coffee without all that? It’s called Rarebird, a coffee that replaces caffeine with a healthy dose of Px.

What’s Px? It’s what your body works all day to convert caffeine into to give you energy. Px is easier for your body to process — and like caffeine, it delivers the boost we’re all hooked on.

But Px won’t spike cortisol, stress hormones, or blood pressure. It actually supports your metabolism, boosts thermogenesis, and helps you concentrate — all without the crash, jitters, or sleep disruption. So, instead of putting your body through the hard work of metabolizing caffeine, Rarebird does it for you.

The result:

• Morning boost: Feel dialed in, not overstimulated.

• Afternoon support: Keep your focus sharp even in the foggiest hours.

• Better nights: Px clears faster than caffeine, so you can sip later and still sleep like a champ.

Whether you usually drink decaf or chase your fifth espresso, Rarebird is real, freshly roasted, specialty-grade coffee — just without the baggage of caffeine. Same ritual, better results.

Put caffeine to rest and use code “FUTURE15” to upgrade your coffee today.

Nike Will Outfit Runner Faith Kipyegon For A New World Record

Nike announced that it’s partnering with world-record Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon on an ambitious attempt to help her become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes.

Why It Hits: Despite being the world’s largest sportswear brand, Nike has been sagging under declining sales and waning cultural relevance as competition has heated up. By helping Kipyegon beat the running record, it could show the world that Nike still has the best performance — and performance products — in the game.

Behind the Sprint: Three-time Olympic gold medalist Faith Kipyegon already holds the women’s mile record (4:07.64 in 2023)... but she’s got a need for speed.

And Nike wants to help.

•  Nike announced that it would assist Kipyegon with every aspect of performance, including “apparel, footwear, aerodynamics, physiology and mind science,” per Bloomberg.

• That will likely include piloting some new cutting-edge performance tech that could become the basis of a new line of running gear.

• And that tech will likely be kept under lock and key until Kipyegon’s record-breaking attempt at the Stade Charléty in Paris on June 26th.

Last Lap: This isn’t the first time that Nike has helped a runner go the distance. In 2019, Nike worked with Eliud Kipchoge to finish a marathon in under two hours. While athletics authorities didn’t officially recognize the feat due to failing to meet some fine-print regulations, it still helped Nike make a new top-selling shoe line.

And at the end of the day, that’s what Nike is really racing toward.

DEEP DIVES

• Explore: NYT runs down the defining videos that shaped YouTube history as the platform turns 20.

• Listen: In Proximity hosts a chat between Sinners filmmaker Ryan Coogler and composer Ludwig Göransson (who’s definitely getting an Academy Award nomination).

• Watch: Primer breaks down how flying taxis have soared into a multi-billion-dollar industry… before barely getting off the ground.

57.1% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Have you ever worked in a place where frequent, chance interactions led to new ideas or connections?

“The diverse staff members at several of the schools where I’ve been fortunate to teach have presented many opportunities for unexpected interactions. You never knew where those moments might lead, but often, fresh ideas emerged that ultimately enhanced our school.”

“The film industry has allowed me to meet all kinds of people — including almost every famous person I grew up watching — which has made it interesting to learn what really goes on behind closed doors and to witness the insane access and privilege of the 1% in society.”

“Work from home is NOT the same. You quickly become isolated.”

“Chance interactions are one in a million.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

QUICK HITS

→ Entertainment / Media

🎥 Lionsgate shareholders have approved the split between the company’s studio business and its streamer, Starz.

🎞️ Village Roadshow’s library is hitting the auction block for $417.5 million following a stalking horse bid from Alcon Entertainment.

🤑 Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos says the streamer is on a realistic path to becoming a trillion-dollar company.

→ Fashion / E-commerce

👕 Supreme and Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks are collabing on a line inspired by Lee’s films, Clockers and Malcom X.

👔 BOSS debuted its first collection co-designed by soccer star David Beckham.

👜 Hermès is opening four new factories in France to keep up with handbag demand.

→ Creator Economy

🎮 Discord is swapping out co-founder Jason Citron as CEO for former Activision Blizzard vice chairman Humam Sakhnini before it goes public.

💸 Linktree unveiled a full suite of monetization tools (including shoppable storefronts and brand-sponsored links), turning the platform into a full-fledged competitor to Patreon.

📱 Meta is expanding its ad tools to marketers worldwide.