Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
Beetlejuice and Lydia
Isabella Esler (Lydia) and Justin Collette (Beetlejuice).
The Tim Burton cult-classic Beetlejuice takes the stage in a comedy-filled musical production complete with a recently-deceased millennial couple, a sandworm and a larger-than-life pinstriped demon.
Burton fans will rejoice at the set design that mimics Burton's over-saturated and off-kilter aesthetic with a house that lacks a single ninety-degree angle as bats fly past the full moon at set changes.
The show opens to a crowd of mourners as Lydia Deetz (Isabella Esler) steps forward to sing a ballad about the loss of her mother. Within seconds, the scene quickly shifts into a charged opening number about “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing” from the zebra-striped titular demon played by Justin Collette. The whiplash number serves as foreshadowing – the next two hours will be an exhaustive, chaotic trip to the netherworld and back with the green-haired goblin guiding the way.
Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
Beetlejuice cast
Danielle Marie Gonzalez (Miss Argentina) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice.
Collete dominates the stage in a glorified stand-up routine-turned-musical. His Beetlejuice, while garish and inappropriate at times, is surprisingly sympathetic adding an unexpected element of compassion for the unholy fiend. The show is no longer merely a comedic take on the macabre, but also unconventionally introduces a narrative about isolation and the value of connection.
While Collette charms the audience with his self-aggrandizing soliloquies, the ensemble shifts from a crew of corpses to cheerleaders and zombified athletes to a marching band and a gospel chorus fueling the production with their toolbox of tricks.
Esler leads the production with a stand-out performance in her professional debut. Her Lydia was heartbreaking and effortless while remaining true to the goth, death-obsessed, and off-settling character from the film. Will Burton (Adam) and Britney Coleman (Barbara) are hysterical displays of millennial mediocrity as they try to haunt their house back into their own possession while Kate Marilley (Delia) and Jesse Sharp (Charles) shine as the vapid, if well-meaning, guardians for Lydia.
Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
Beetlejuice cast 2
Isabella Esler (Lydia), Will Burton (Adam) and Britney Coleman (Barbara).
Where the show truly excels is the entire cast’s commitment to physical comedy. Colette sets the standard in his opening act and each company member proceeds to excel and surprise as the show goes on. The set serves as a backdrop for the loud and excessive performance resulting in a delicate dance of belly laughs, mind-boggling special effects and a heartfelt undercurrent of sadness and loss.
The production sets itself apart from the Burton film in the way it approaches Beetlejuice’s character and motivations. In this pop-rock-inspired production, the demon is a sympathetic (if unstable) character looking for a semblance of companionship and recognition. He is begrudgingly charming as he searches for an end to his eternal isolation – until he isn’t. As the show comes to a heart-stopping conclusion (pun intended), Beetlejuice returns to the Netherworld with a devilish grin and - possibly - a shred of humanity.
In an unrestrained, irreverent celebration of theatrical excess, Beetlejuice succeeds as a fantastical horror suited for seasoned theatre lovers as well as first-time theatregoers.
The show goes through this weekend - with matinee and evening showtimes on both Saturday and Sunday - so catch this high-energy show before it's gone.
Katie Giffin is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
