Review: BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL Presented by Broadway Across America at Kentucky Performing Arts

In the past few years in film, television, and onstage, it’s been proven that nostalgia sells…and it sells well. So it only seems natural (or should I say supernatural) that a spooky season favorite film “Beetlejuice” would make its way to the stage in a big flashy Broadway musical. After premiering in Washington, DC in the autumn of 2018, the show premiered on Broadway in the spring of 2019 with decent fanfare and a healthy slew of Tony Nominations. The show would play up until the pandemic shutdowns, but would come back Broadway in 2022. One thing attributed to its success is the show found an audience through TikTok, especially with younger theatre goers. The show is currently on tour and has sold out its Louisville engagement, thanks in big part to that passion from younger fans.

Much like the movie, the show focuses on a wacky array of characters who all come together in a creepy old house via different circumstances, but the musical makes some new choices that deviate as well. Adam and Barbara Maitland die of an electrical accident and watch a new family move in and take over their home. Beetlejuice, “a creepy demon" (who is the show’s narrator) agrees to help the Maitlands get the family out with an underlying motivation to be visible again, a feat secured by a living person saying his name three times. The family in question is made of Charles and Lydia Deetz who have just suffered the loss of the family’s matriarch, along with Delia, Lydia’s overbearing and ditzy life coach. Put all of this together and as you can imagine, hilarity ensues.

On opening night, the titular role was played by Justin Collette who did a phenomenal job. He expertly helmed the show and you can feel how settled into the role he is, as his hilarious ad-libs came fast and furiously. Isabella Esler is a vocal powerhouse as Lydia, but she also has many wonderful and heartfelt acting moments as well, especially in her 11 o’clock number “Home”. Adam and Barbara Maitland were played by Will Burton and Lexie Dorsett Sharp (a cover for the role) respectively. Both Burton and Dorsett Sharp bring so much dorky joy to their roles, and were a delight to watch. Burton’s Adam is quite lovable with great comedic timing and Dorsett Sharp’s Barbara is more grounded while still finding great moments and choices to make the role her own (I quite enjoyed her in “Fright of Their Lives).Another standout is Sarah Litzsinger as Delia. Perhaps my favorite performance and character in the show, she brings the crazy and kooky Delia to life, and gives a masterclass in physical comedy and scenery chewing in the best possible way, every moment she was onstage was a delight.

The direction and scenic design by Alex Timbers and David Korins respectively, is grand and appropriately spooky, drawing a lot of direct inspiration from the style Tim Burton is known for. The score by Eddie Perfect is full of fun earworms, and hilarious lyrics. His clever rhymes come quickly. Pay attention, because you don’t wanna miss one hysterical word!

Beetlejuice as a musical isn’t high art, but it’s not trying to be. It’s trying to be FUN and it wholeheartedly succeeds. I walked out of the show on a comedic high filled with the warm fuzzies that only the best musical comedy can provide. This stellar cast sells this hilarious material in a way that had the audience in the palm of the show’s hand. The show is slightly raunchy and crude (it doesn’t shy away from some four letter words), but for older kids, adults, and anyone who likes to laugh, Beetlejuice is a phenomenal night at the theatre.

BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL

Now - May 19th

Whitney Hall at Kentucky Performing Arts

Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022

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