Jamie Bower makes Broadway debut in ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’

Jamie Campbell Bower, who played Henry Creel also known as Vecna in Stranger Things, is ready to pass the torch to someone else to carry on the role.

The character was first introduced in season four of the hit Netflix series and continued to keep up with his evilness inn fifth and final season.

In addition to his role in the series, the British actor also made a surprise cameo in Broadway’s Stranger Things: The First Shadow, marking his first time on Broadway stage and also saying farewell to his malevolent character.

The stage production, currently playing at New York City’s Marquis Theatre, serves as a prequel to the television series. It sees Henry as a troubled teenager who goes to high school with several adult characters from the television show.

Bower in a conversation with the People magazine, expressed his gratitude towards the show makers.

“It’s such an amazing and quite bizarre thing to have a character I created with Matt and Ross [Duffer] exist in what feels like perpetuity on stage played by various people,” he said.

“That’s an amazing gift. I think every single actor that will come to the role will bring something new and will bring their own interpretation of it,” he continued.

When asked if he would ever take on a bigger role in the play, he says, “I’ve done my bit, I’m out. It’s now for someone else to have a play.”

First Shadow features a book by series executive producer Kate Trefry, a story by series creators Matt and Ross Duffer, playwright Jack Thorne and Trefry, and direction by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin.

The cast includes Louis McCartney as Henry Creel, Alison Jaye as Joyce Maldonado (young Joyce Byers), Bruke Swanson as James Hopper Jr. (young Jim Hopper), Dora Dolphin as Karen Childress (young Karen Wheeler) and many more.

The Stranger Things: The First Shadow was premiered on London’s West End in 2023 before transferring to Broadway in 2025.