NME Afterprint: It's Showtime! Beetlejuice the Musical
In this day and age, it's become more and more frustrating to hear when childhood movies and television shows are being remade. There’s an absolute magic to what I experienced as a kid. Nostalgia is strong. I can understand people wanting to re-create it for a new generation. With that said - when I learned that they were making Beetlejuice a musical, sounds of joy did not come from me. Michael Keaton is a genius in his craft. He went from playing "The Ghost with the Most" to The Dark Knight. He left such a mark on that role that you couldn't imagine anybody else as Beetlejuice. The movie had great musical moments. I never saw it as something that could be on a Broadway stage as a musical. Tonight at Popejoy Hall, I was proven wrong. Beetlejuice is the musical I didn't know I needed. It has given me hope that something made new isn't always a bad thing.
This uproarious musical, inspired by Tim Burton's beloved film, follows the journey of Lydia Deetz, an eccentric teenager whose world is turned upside down after encountering a recently deceased couple and a mischievous demon with a love for stripes.
When you first walk into the theater, you see a giant Vegas neon sign with his name - twice - because, of course, you know what happens if you say it three times. It made me excited to see what's to come. Wouldn't you know it? The musical began with a ballad (Invisible), but Beetlejuice quickly changed the mood with "The Whole "Being Dead" Thing." Justin Colette is magnificent in the title role. He turns what we've come to love up a notch. He kept me laughing all night. His comedic timing is priceless. Frankly, the whole cast is brilliant and worked so well together. Isabella Esler (Lydia Deetz) has the most angelic voice and possesses a childhood innocence, but the sadness and pain of death you would expect from the character and the notes she can belt out are breathtaking! Megan McGillis and Will Burton are an outstanding team playing Barbara and Adam. The homely, sweet attitude of these two gave me a toothache. But it added a great contrast to Beetlejuice's antics. And speaking of contrast, Delia, played by Sarah Litszinger, is exceptional. She took it up another level, making Delia a life coach Hired to uplift Lydia from her death spiral. But in the process, became the fiancé of Leah's father Charles, who himself wants to move on after his wife's death. The musical has an outstanding ensemble. One of the standouts is Maxie Dean's 5th wife, Maxine played by Kris Roberts. That has to be one of the most developed characters I have seen come from nothing. In the movie, Dean's wife barely spoke. In the musical, she is a cackling mess - more known for her beauty than her brains. Overall, the cast brought Scott Brown & Anthony King's book and Eddie Perfect's lyrics and music to life.
I appreciate the artistic directions they took while respecting the original content. Just little things like Delia's occupation and the choice to add the "Dead Mom" storyline which tied together Charles and Delia's relationship and elevated Lydia's pain. But like they say, "Laughter is the best medicine." In this musical, it was a medicine I was ready to take. But the message that got through the laughter is the desire to be seen - in life or death. Loss brings an array of emotions. It was evident in the audience. They shed tears or laughter throughout the evening. Beetlejuice keeps the nostalgia and digs deeper to expand on the suffering of loss and the need for connection. I enjoyed every moment!
Beetlejuice runs from May 7 to May 12. Tickets are available at the UNM Bookstore Ticketing Office and online at popejoypresents.com.