It's showtime, folks! The ghost-with-the-most makes his Broadway return in this edgy and irreverent musical comedy based on Tim Burton's dearly beloved film. BEETLEJUICE tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a demon with a thing for stripes. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter unleashes a (Nether)world of pandemonium, and the biggest sandworm Broadway has ever seen.
Despite having a difficult time hearing the cast for a majority of the show (This seemed to be fixed after intermission.), it was clear that each cast member was well suited for their role. Justin Collette's raspy and bold voice is exactly what I imagine a loony but somehow loveable demon would sound like. The energy Collette put into each of Beetlejuice’s moods, songs, and jokes was perfect, and he did a great job including the audience in his shenanigans. With an equally or even more powerful voice was Isabella Esler. As her character, Lydia, became stronger, so did Esler’s voice; her performance was compelling. Esler naturally played the part of the spunky, unapologetic young girl who was doing her best to navigate grief.
Justin Collette’s Beetlejuice jumps and zips around the stage like a real-life Looney Tune character come to life. He constantly breaks the fourth wall, improvising jokes about the audience as much as delivering the ones in the script by Scott Brown and Anthony King. He displays so much energy throughout the entire performance that one wonders if the cocaine he sniffs off his arm early into the first act might actually be the real thing (producers assume me it’s not). When he sings in the opening number that he does this [show] like eight times a week, you don’t fully appreciate what a Herculean task that must really be.
2018 | Washington, DC (Regional) |
Pre-Broadway Engagement at National Theatre Washington, DC (Regional) |
2019 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2022 | Broadway |
Broadway Return Broadway |
2022 | US Tour |
North American Tour US Tour |
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