Power-Snapping Cartreze Tucker Brings Queerness to 'Back to the Future'

It's hard for a performer to outdo the DeLorean in the musical version of "Back to the Future," but out actor Cartreze Tucker is doing just that. In the touring production of the Broadway hit, he plays two roles: Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry. Wilson is the mayor of the town where this time-tripping musical, based on the iconic 1985 Robert Zemeckis film, takes place, and Berry is the decidedly queer cousin of Chuck Berry who performs at the second act dance.

For those unfamiliar with its source, it tells the story of high-schooler Marty McFly who travels from 1985 to 1955 through the use of a time-traveling DeLorean, created by the eccentric Doc Brown. In the past, he meets Goldie, an ambitious Black teenager working as a busboy at the town's diner. Marty tells him that he will be mayor of the town someday, which inspires him to sing "Gotta Start Somewhere," the gospel-inspired anthem that expresses his self-affirmation. "No one blew away the audience at the Cadillac Palace Theatre quite like Cartreze Tucker in the dual roles of Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry; Tucker is the definition of a powerhouse vocalist," said critic Amanda Finn in the Chicago Review. "The best voice in the show goes to Cartreze Tucker who shows up as Goldie Wilson and Chuck Berry's fictional cousin, Marvin Berry. He steals the show with incredibly high notes," wrote Michael Buzzelli reviewing for the 'Burgh Vivant.

Watch this montage clip of the tour of "Back to the Future."

Later in the show Tucker plays band singer Marvin Berry, said to be the cousin of Chuck Berry who sings "Johnny B. Goode" at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance at which Marty must bring his parents together. As he says below, he models the singer after Little Richard, the late, flamboyant 1950s singer who pushed the gender envelope with his outrageous personality and performances.

Tucker discovered musical theater while a junior in high school. At 19 he moved to New York City to study at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy. "Back to the Future" marks his fourth stint in a touring musical; previously he appeared in "Hair," "The Color Purple," and "Motown: the Musical," where he played Stevie Wonder and understudied Marvin Gaye.

EDGE speaks to Tucker about his scene-stealing turn in "Back to the Future," how his sexual identity informs the character of Marvin Berry, and his POWer Snap.

EDGE: How familiar were you with "Back to the Future" before joining the tour? Were you a fan of the original film?

Cartreze Tucker: I was very familiar with the movie. As a child, I watched the film quite a bit because I loved it. I had no idea that there was a musical, but I am thrilled to be part of it.

EDGE: You're playing two iconic roles in this production–Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry. How do you approach bringing each of them to life?

Cartreze Tucker: Goldie is, to me, steeped in realism. He's ambitious, hungry, and overtly optimistic, and he will become the mayor in the future. I see him as a real-life person with Marvin, since he doesn't have a lot in the script, they gave me lots of room to play him. I modeled him after Little Richard. He's very grandiose, very flamboyant, buoyant, and zany. That's how I'm able to differentiate between the two characters.

EDGE: As a queer performer, how has your identity shaped the way you approach roles like Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry?

Cartreze Tucker: I'm a double minority. I am queer and black, and I strive to incorporate these aspects into as many characters as possible, within the limitations of the story. Marvin Berry's typically not written to be queer or flamboyant, but my portrayal of him, I have consciously made him queer. So, if any moments make sense, I'll try to make a character queer and portray them as queer and as gay as possible.

EDGE: How would you describe the musical vibe of the show to someone who hasn't seen it yet?

Cartreze Tucker: Oh, it's all rock and roll. We have all the Huey Lewis & The News songs from the movie. You will hear "Back in Time" and "The Power of Love." Most of the songs remain within the realm of 1980s rock music. My character, Goldie Wilson, is an outlier because he's one of the only black person in the show, and his music is thematically different. The one song that I sing, "Gotta Start Somewhere" is more of a gospel song, but everything else is rock and roll.

EDGE: What's your favorite moment in the show as a performer?

Cartreze Tucker: I love my number, "Gotta Start Somewhere." Outside of my number, my favorite is Zan Berube's "Pretty Baby." She plays Lorraine. "Pretty Baby" is one of my favorites. It's very satirical. Also, speaking of satirical, the most satirical number in the show is called "Cake." It is the song that happens right when Marty goes back to 1955. It is a commentary on the time. It is funny and very witty.

EDGE: If you could time travel like Doc and Marty, where and when would you go?

Cartreze Tucker: Since we recently celebrated Juneteenth, the emancipation of slavery, I would travel back to 1856, during the time that the film, "Django Unchained," took place, to stop slavery. Let's go burn down some plantations and emancipate the slaves. I told Bob Gale that if he were to write another "Back to the Future," but with Goldie Wilson, that's what he should do. It should be a "Django Unchained"-style film, where I go to the south and wreak havoc on the plantations and emancipate all the slaves.

EDGE: Visibility matters. What does it mean to you to be out and proud while starring in a show as iconic as "Back to the Future?"

Cartreze Tucker: I work in the gayest and queerest art form there is. I do musical theater for a living. It is a very surreal experience, given the fact that I ingested this story as a child and now stepping into it as a fully formed queer adult, it is very surreal. Our creative team, including John Rando, our director, and Bob Gale, who wrote the movie and the book for the musical, has been very open and collaborative throughout these experiences. When I suggested making Marvin Berry queer, they were open to the idea and loved it.

EDGE: What's it like connecting with fans who are seeing "Back to the Future" in a whole new way–especially younger fans?

Cartreze Tucker: What I enjoy the most is the generational experience. Specifically, fathers who love the movie. It is heartwarming to see these men bring their children and share their love of this movie and this art form with them. I love seeing them outside of the stage door, in Marty McFly or Doc drag, telling me it's our favorite movie to watch together. It is the most heartwarming thing I've ever seen.

EDGE: On your resume, you list "POWer Snap" (right hand only) and fierce tongue pop as skills. Please tell us about those skills and how you perfected them.

Cartreze Tucker: I can snap really loud. It's a sonic boom, but it's only on my right hand, and that is why I call it a power snap. I cannot snap at all on my left hand, so it's a disability at this point. And then the tongue pop, it's just something I've done a lot of my life. I saw my mom do it when I was a kid, and I just picked it up. My tongue pop is very loud, too. Thanks to "Drag Race," it has become a part of the cultural zeitgeist. I love that you asked this fun question; it shows you did your research.

"Back to the Future The Musical" continues at the Citizens Opera House, 539 Washington Street, Boston, MA through July 20. For ticket information, visit the Broadway in Boston website.

For upcoming dates of the National tour, which continues through July 2026, visit the tour's website at this link.