by Kayla Black
First let me start off by saying this is not a show for young children, or the easily offended. Beetlejuice is filled with jokes that don’t hold back and keeps the audience laughing the entire time. The show never misses a beat, between poking fun at politics, religion, sexuality, lifestyle choices and more.
Beetlejuice is the first show in the 2023 KeyBank Broadway Series having opened on January 7th and closing on January 29th. The show is a musical comedy with a dark side as it is “based on Tim Burton’s film, BEETLEJUICE [which] tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes.”
Justin Collette(Beetlejuice) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice-Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
When I arrived to the theatre, I was instantly filled with excitement! The stage had a giant glowing neon sign that had “Beetlegeuse” flashing on it while smoke was spilling out from the split between the curtains. Everyone was stirring with excitement for the show to begin. The women sitting behind me pointed out, , there were “alot of younger audience members (younger meaning teenagers) seeing the show.” She was right, as you looked around there were tons of teens and people not only in attendance but also dressed in costumes from the show.
Since its original Broadway debut, the 2019 Tony awards and Macy’s parade appearance. Beetlejuice has picked up quite a large fan base. The show’s music has also become highly popular on Tiktok so it pretty obvious why people are going all out when attending the show.
Pictured (L-R): Britney Coleman(Barbara),Will Burton(Adam),Isabella Esler(Lydia) andJustin Collette(Beetlejuice) Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
The show opened with a bang, literally, there was a giant sound and flash of light and we began at the funeral of Lydia Detz mother, Emily Detz. From there, the show wasted no time establishing that it is, in fact, a show about death. While the show sounds grim it’s oppositely very funny and upbeat. The show has mastered the balance between sorrow and upbeat hilariousness, so there is never a sad moment for too long.
Not only is the show well-balanced in writing but the visuals for the show were spectacular! The show utilized a lot of magic to have things appear and disappear leaving the audience gasping in awe. Not to mention the usage of digital effects was something to admire. Using digital images that were projected on the screen, added for a unique way to visualize time and scene changes, as well as, set changes. Sometimes, new sets would be digitally drawn over the old one all during the same continuous scene which is something I’ve personally never seen before.
Its important to note that some of the music is a bit different than the original cast recording. As a huge fan of the original, it caught me and a few other audience members by surprise when we heard the lyrics change, however, this did not turn me away and it shouldn’t deter you from seeing the show either, as it ended up keeping the show fresh and unexpecting. From astounding casting, fun new music, and magic happening right before your eyes, Beetlejuice is a show you do not want to miss!
Thinking about seeing the show? Purchase tickets here (Advice from Playhouse Square) Ticket availability is VERY limited for the entire run. In many cases, the best option to purchase may be to get individual scattered single seats around the theater instead of trying to find a group or pair together. But don’t worry – even if you are sitting alone during the show, Playhouse Square District still has many options for pre- and post-show drinks and snacks so that you can catch up with your group and talk about the show before and after the performance!