Shifted Lens delivers a campy, cleverly staged parody of Netflix’s Stranger Things at Aurora’s Storyteller Theater.

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that Stranger Things has made quite an impression on popular culture since premiering on Netflix in 2016. Something about its earnest 1980s nostalgia and a plot involving secret government experiments unleashing supernatural horrors struck a particular chord during Donald Trump’s first term.

Perhaps the clearest sign of the show’s cultural reach is its induction into the esteemed pantheon of low-budget musical parodies alongside The Office! A Musical Parody and FRIENDS! The Musical Parody. Jonathan Hogue’s Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical belongs comfortably in that company. Your enjoyment likely depends on how amusing you find the title pun. Personally, I think it’s fun and dumb, which pretty much describes the vibe of the whole show.

Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Stranger Things obsessive to follow along. Hogue largely adapts the first season, sprinkling in later references alongside an endless parade of 1980s pop culture and musical theatre jokes. Shifted Lens Theatre Company’s Colorado premiere, directed by Lexie Lazear at Aurora’s Storyteller Theater, embraces that silliness wholeheartedly. It’s an impressively polished production of an unapologetically cheesy musical that provides plenty of belly laughs along the way.

Mo Bailey as Joyce and Adam Odekirk as Hopper in Stranger Sings! | Photo: Cohagen Wilkinson

The intimate thrust-stage configuration works well for the material. Christmas lights and movie posters surround the audience, with the band stationed on an elevated platform. Clever scenic pieces roll in and out, the costumes closely resemble their television counterparts, and a staggering number of quick changes keep the action moving.

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The eight-person cast handles the madness with considerable energy. Ethan Pierce plays Mike, the nominal leader of a group of boys whose mission is essentially to have an adventure and, if convenient, find their missing friend Will. Jack Olson’s lisping Dustin and Eli-Leon Harvey’s quippy Lucas complete the trio, while Will is portrayed by a puppet controlled by Mo Bailey.

Reanna Rohrer doubles as self-absorbed Nancy and a dramatically earnest Eleven, whose Disney princess-style number, “The Dad I Never Had,” is especially funny. Kate Hebert mines plenty of laughs as the much-maligned and perpetually overlooked Barb, a running joke that pays off gloriously in “Barb’s Turn.”

Reanna Rohrer as Nancy and Kate Hebert as Barb in Stranger Sings! | Photo: Cohagen Wilkinson

Bailey is particularly excellent as Joyce, perfectly capturing Winona Ryder’s bug-eyed, twitchy desperation. Her increasingly frantic search for Will leads to some of the evening’s funniest moments, including a sequence haunted by characters from Ryder’s earlier films.

Braidy Kirkegaard switches between Nancy’s love interests, Steve and Jonathan, as well as a very dancey Dr. Brenner, while Adam Odekirk delivers an earnest, gruff Hopper. The ensemble sings well, and musical director Collin Sinclair keeps Hogue’s score lively.

A few early lyric flubs briefly interrupt the momentum, and some references are funnier in concept than execution. Still, Lazear and choreographer Max Lubeck rarely let the energy sag. Whether it’s a chorus of dancing trees accompanying the boys through the woods or a Demogorgon performing “Definitely Not Thriller,” the company commits completely to the absurdity.

Jack Olson as Dustin Henderson in Stranger Sings! | Photo: Cohagen Wilkinson

The whole thing is ridiculous, but it’s also thoughtfully staged, smoothly paced and genuinely entertaining.

At intermission, I overheard several younger audience members expressing surprise at how much they were enjoying the show and excitement about seeing more theatre. That enthusiasm stuck with me. Colorado needs productions at every level, including accessible, contemporary comedies that appeal to audiences of all ages.

When a company approaches something this silly with the care and commitment Shifted Lens demonstrates, it strengthens the local theatre ecosystem while giving audiences a gloriously stupid, frequently hilarious night out.