Beetlejuice the Musical creeped its way to the Hershey Theatre on Wednesday. Inspired by the 1988 Tim Burton film, the live show can be described as sensory overload. The orchestra played the rock score at a level much louder than the accompanying vocals. It was hard to make out what was being sung, especially during the first act.
The constantly fluttering lights were impressive, but eventually overwhelming. I didn’t notice a strobe light warning, but if any show needed it, it is this one. Sets and costumes were high quality, and they did add a layer of fun to the production.
Justin Collette plays the ghost with the most, Beetlejuice. On the positive side, Collette tried to make the character his own rather than channel Michael Keaton. On the negative side, his portrayal wasn’t especially endearing. I would describe him as a combination of Robin Williams meets Daffy Duck meets naughty Sponge Bob. On paper this might seem like non-stop fun, but over the course of two plus hours, it gets tiring.
Nevada Riley is solid as Lydia, the gothy girl originally brought to life by Winona Ryder. Her character is more nuanced and reserved, yet she has several opportunities to let her voice shine. Recently departed homeowners Barbara and Lydia were played by Megan McGinnis and Will Burton. Both characters were dorky and one-dimensional. McGinnis and Burton did the best they could with what they had to work with.
I give credit to the creators for going beyond the confines of the film. Way too many times, I have seen a musical based on a Hollywood hit and thought I should have just stayed home and watched the movie again.
Although the story was different, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it was better. The musical was frequently and unnecessarily crude. While the original was not necessarily a Disney cartoon, it didn’t include jokes about molesting girl scouts or getting herpes from Katharine Hepburn.
This show might be up your alley if you are a Beetlejuice superfan, enjoy crude humor or like to have your senses assaulted. In any case, you probably should leave your kids and your epileptic friends at home. The touring company plays Hershey through September 29th.
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