Beetlejuice (The Musical) Hits Orlando
Get ready for the most fun you've had in ages at Beetlejuice now at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Pictured (L-R): Britney Coleman (Barbara), Will Burton (Adam), Isabella Esler (Lydia) and Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
Say his name three times … Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!
Broadway’s ghost with the most has hitched a ride on a sandworm all the way down to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando and let me tell you, folks – it’s one hell of a spooktacular extravaganza! The musical resurrection of Beetlejuice is far more electrifying than you’d expect a show about a dead guy could possibly be.
Haven’t heard about this dementedly whimsical Broadway musical? Well, get ready to step into the Netherworld, folks! Based on Tim Burton’s off-kilter film, Beetlejuice is a raucous, irreverent delight, full of macabre humor and sly wit.
THE OUTSTANDING CAST
The powerhouse cast breathes life into the dead with panache. Justin Collette’s spectacular performance as the iconic, striped-suit wearing, wisecracking ghoul will keep you engaged the entire show. His charisma is bigger than his hair and honestly, it’s infectious. Collette’s Beetlejuice is as puckish as they come, all mischievous grins and mischievous charm. He’ll make you want to scribble his name on every surface just for a chance at another punchline.
Isabella Esler (Lydia) Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
Our favorite newly-dead couple, the Maitlands (played by Britney Coleman and Will Burton), are handled with an adorably clueless charm that makes their transition from the world of the living to the dead both comedic and heartwarming. On the other hand, Delia (the perfectly cast Lexie Dorsett Sharp filling in for Kate Marilley), is the scene-stealing life coach/stepmom we never knew we needed. Her self-help lingo provides some of the biggest laughs of the night. Making her professional debut, Isabella Esler as the titular character Lydia simply blew us away with her incredible acting and singing.
THE SETS AND THE SANDWORM
The scenic design is a Burtonesque dreamscape, with skewed perspectives and an array of vibrant, sickly colors that somehow feel right at home in the Netherworld. And don’t get us started on the sandworm! The sandworm, a behemoth that screeches, wriggles, and rears, is an utter spectacle of puppetry. This dread-inspiring creature, with its red maw and grotesque beauty, symbolizes the chaos of the Netherworld. It’s not just a prop, but a character – a gnarly, twisting embodiment of the show’s devilish humor and uncanny charm.
THE SONGS
And the songs? They’re catchy enough to raise the dead! The lyrics, laden with dark humor, perfectly balance the line between comic and morose, just like our title character. “Dead Mom”, “Say My Name”, and The Whole “Being Dead Thing” are some of our favorites.
Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022
Beetlejuice doesn’t take itself too seriously, and neither should you. BJ often breaks the fourth wall, talking to and relating with the audience on some of life’s commonalties! It’s a haunted rollercoaster of a show, filled with ghoulish laughs and madcap energy. This isn’t a prim and proper, white-gloves-on kind of Broadway show. No, this is Beetlejuice, darlings. It’s weird, wild, and wickedly entertaining.
As Beetlejuice himself says, ‘It’s showtime!’ So if you’re in the mood to be delightfully disturbed, you’ve got until July 2 to witness the pandemonium (though most shows are sold out). Grab your handbook for the recently deceased, buckle up for a night of unearthly fun and let Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice give you a hilariously horrifying night to remember!
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