There was a time when suggesting seeing Beetlejuice (the musical) on stage would’ve seemed odd and completely out of place. To be fair though this is 2022, so nothing should come as much a surprise anymore. Neither here nor there, it has happened and is currently happening in New York City this very moment. No seriously though, this is not a joke. One of Michael Keaton’s career defining characters was granted a staged adaptation in musical form and the result has been a positive one. Currently still on its theatrical run, one can find Beetlejuice playing at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway.
There was a time when suggesting seeing Beetlejuice on stage would’ve seemed odd and completely out of place musical version
The musical version is much like the premise of the original film but with a few tweaks and differences. Like the film, the musical places a heavy emphasis on death, the afterlife, and other forms of paranormal activity. The differences mainly have to do with minor changes in the plot wherein the story becomes less about the dying couple who haunts their home and more so about the young girl of the new family that moves in. Then of course there is Beetlejuice himself, who though is still creepy and perverted, is used a bit differently as a plot device than he was in the film. Not to be forgotten of course is the fact that there’s a musical number every few minutes during the show.
Is this show as fun as the movie?
Is this show as fun as the movie? Honestly, yes, but not in any way that is apparent. They are both enjoyable for their own reasons. For a musical, Beetlejuice is ambitious. The stage tech is out of this world, probably costing a fortune to implement. The sets were also probably not cheap and it shows. Where the musical is most similar to the film is in the writing, especially for the character of Beetlejuice. It’s clearly designed to be humorous, only to be enjoyed and not to be taken seriously. There’s a fair bit of improvisation as well (or so at least it seems) and the dialogue was written to play well with a modern audience. The actors for the current production are very vocally adept, pulling off what are obviously difficult notes in conjunction with the occasional dance number that would leave most actors out of breath. The acting side of things is clearly meant to be more comedic based and as such, the cast manages to pull that off as well.
Beetlejuice as a musical may have its similarities to the original, but rest assured, it’s a spectacle all its own. Don’t expect too many throwbacks to Michael Keaton or to the film in general, because the goal here was simply to adapt the source material. Regardless, one need not even be a fan of the film to enjoy this show. Taking it a step further, one need not even be a fan of musicals. Without the music, Beetlejuice is basically a black comedy. With it however, this show is one Broadway will not soon forget. Catch it before its run closes.
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