Based on the titular cult classic film by Joel Schumacher (1987), The Lost Boys delivers an exciting, thrill-ride as an eye-popping, explosive, stunning, theatrical spectacle. The production tops the film with terrific live performances that convey the emotional resonance of The Rescues’ sensational punk rock/ballad/pop music and lyrics and a character deepened book by David Hornsby and Chris Hoch. The musical, directed with theatrical precision and veneration of the film by Tony Award-winning Michael Arden (Maybe Happy Ending), is not to be missed.

The superb technical and special effects (Markus Maurtte), gobsmacking aerial choreography (Lauren Yalango-Grant and Chrisophr Cree Grant), dramatic set designs by Dane Laffrey all undergird the killer performances by leads LJ Benet (Broadway debut), Ali Louis Bourzoui (Tommy in The Who’s Tommy) and Maria Wirries (Dear Evan Hansen). This show is a fabulous entertainment. It will delight fans to come back again and again to experience the lost, rebel vampires trying to maintain their hold on a new reality, then spectacularly die trying. The Lost Boys is currently spreading its vampiric lore at the Palace Theatre in an open-ended run, until it disappears. Maybe not. Watch the last scene carefully.

The adaptation makes way for a fleshing out of the characters, especially the Emerson family. It enhances our understanding of the motivations beginning with mom Lucy (Shoshana Bean) who uproots her sons from Arizona to escape her husband’s violence. The introductory song “No More Monsters” establishes the ironic raison d’être for their relocation to a better, new life for all of them which only happens after they conquer their inner fears and confront their own demons by fighting evil spiritual presences that try to overtake their souls.

Shoshana Bean gives a heartfelt performance as Lucy, who wars with the brooding Michael (Benet) and dismisses ninth-grader Sam (Benjamin Pajak) in his criticism of the “pet cemetery” of stuffed animals on the walls of their deceased grandfather’s living room, in a house which he left to his daughter Lucy in Santa Carla, California. There, Lucy tries to raise them without really dealing with the tribulations they experienced as a family coping during the years she was with her “off the charts” husband who took out his misery and aggression on Michael.

Over the course of Act I, book writers Hornsby and Hoch reveal the roiling undercurrents of Michael’s loss of innocence because of his father’s brutal abuse, and his disaffection from his mom and brother as a result (“Lose Yourself”). His inner conflict compels him to seek a physical and psychic place where he can shake off his painful memories of his vulnerable victim-hood and recreate himself into someone cool with power and strength, one of a family of “brothers” connected by the same impulses.

Thus evolves the conceit for Michael’s attraction to the rocker band of vampires masquerading as “lost boys” (“Have to Have You”) that he is introduced to on the boardwalk by their lead singer Star (Maria Wirries). His initial loss of innocence and brutalization makes him vulnerable to his seduction by Billy Idolish blond, band leader David, the kinetic and mesmerizing Bourzgui (“Time to Kill”). Of course the mysterious, entrancing and conflicted Star, in conflict about embracing the vampire life, is attracted to Michael for himself (“Now, Forever”). Yet, Wirries’ Star is fearful for him as David and his bros close in on Michael to make him one of “them” forever.

The Rescues successfully score this and other themes with alluring, powerful music that varies from songs that escalate from rock choruses to an incredible a cappella of vampires that would convince anyone to join the undead and live forever.

Mirroring Michael’s notion of changing their lives, Lucy and Sam look for adventure in this new place. Former hippie Lucy moves to occupy herself with making money, so she finds a job in a video store, igniting the interest of her cultural opposite, the politically conservative owner Max (an excellent Paul Alexander Nolan). Lucy eventually invites him to dinner in Act II after their wonderful duet “Wild” in which Lucy, like Michael, expresses her desire to unleash herself and have fun and adventures she’s never experienced before. Max, willing to join her in song and excitement in a playground scene, might even be her companion, (an irony).

Meanwhile, comic book aficionado Sam meets locals Alan and Edgar Frog (feisty Jennifer Duka and Miguel Gil). They remind him of the posting of photos of many area citizens who have gone missing. They attribute it to vampires who are making Santa Carla the “Murder Capital of the World.” The siblings’ passionate mission to hunt down and eliminate the head vampire to save the citizens from the vampire apocalypse engages Sam. Alan and Edgar teach him about vampires and he reads up about the initial stages of vampirism which Michael may seem to be exhibiting. All three scour the area on vampire hunts and decide who the head vampire might possibly be revving up Sam to believe Max is a vampire (“Mom’s Boyfriend is A”) with hilarious results.

By this point Michael is in the thick of his relationships with the mesmerizing David, Star and their hardcore punk rocker outfitted band of brothers (Brian Flores, Sean Grandillo, and Dean Maupin). Ryan Park’s costume design and David Brian Brown’s hair & wig design turn out a heightened steampunk aesthetic from the movie. Bourzgui’s influence and “come on” is balanced, non-aggressive, helpful and “healing,” the antithesis of Michael’s father. Michael finds him irresistible.

Not only does David cultivate Michael to play in his band, he grooms him and teaches him how to let go, take risks and fly with the others. The flying scenes, phenomenally lit by Jen Schriever and Michal Aden are a compilation of technical moves where the brothers fall back into a pit fearlessly, then fly up encouraging Michael to fall back from the bridge trestle high into the empty air on his first flight. Their movements are breathtaking and metaphoric. Combined with The Rescues’ musical accompaniment, the beauty is beyond what you’ve seen before, besting Arden’s gorgeous moments in Maybe Happy Ending. The effects Michael experiences, we understand are designed to imbue Michael with feelings of fearlessness, power and freedom. These are elixirs he can’t deny he enjoys. However, Star and his brother warn him that the captivity of a vampire’s life has a dark downside. Would he want that forever and risk being annihilated by vampire hunters?

One of the vampire symptoms, Sam tells him, is hallucinations and Michael is hallucinating his brutal father (Ben Crawford), revisiting his anger and abuse. As Sam realizes he must save his brother who is on the brink of being lost to him and his mom forever, he accepts what must do. He manifests his authentic, powerful self allowing his queerness to “be.” Pajak’s Sam performs “Superpower,” a humorous song and dance number with a group of pastel, rainbow colored “super” Sams costumed by Ryan Park. With joy and enthusiasm he stirs up the energy to “save his family and save the day” with the equally enthusiastic Frog siblings.

The themes about escaping pain, denial, rebellion, identity and reconciliation powerfully shape the conclusion of the musical. With Arden’s inclusion of Reagan TV video clips in speeches-platitudes-espousing family values, we note the juxtaposition of the Emerson family’s communication issues, trials, errors, with love and forgiveness running throughout the difficulties inspired by Bean’s Lucy. Platitudes are easy, working out family situations are difficult. Lucy’s love and reconciliation with herself and Michael works its profound, uplifting moment in “Michael.” Lucy learns that not reconciling her own conflicts in an abusive relationship only opens the door to more abusive relationships. Likewise, Michael’s escaping his problems only drives him to the loss of himself. Even with the pain, his human soul identity is worth more than living in an eternal loss of soul light. Surely, now, they can all “make it through the night.”

The Lost Boys runs 2 hours, 40 minutes at the Palace Theater lostboysmusical.com