Through January 29

Now on national tour, Beetlejuice, which recently ended its Broadway run, is at Playhouse Square through January 29. It is a perfect pepper-upper for teens tired of school and winter confinement— or post-teens who still enjoy laughing at conventions. Nothing is subtle.

Beetlejuice, based on the 1988 film, has music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect and book by Scott Brown and Anthony King. Alex Timbers directs this strobe-heavy, raucous musical about a spirit from Hell and his ambition to haunt the living.

Death, to be sure, is a major topic. The musical opens with the funeral of young Lydia Deetz’s mother and continues with a young couple’s accidental double electrocution as they move into their new house.

Beetlejuice’s exuberant cast makes the simple script glow. Our “hero” is a demon from Hell (Justin Collette) who yearns for human company and begs to be called out so the living can see him (and thus, he can torment them). As he explains to the suicidal teen Lydia Deetz, one does this by saying his name three times. (So don’t say it, be careful, you wouldn’t want him around.)

Collette’s Beetlejuice fills the bill as the ego-centric monster. His over-the-top comic timing — Collette even makes fun of himself as he milks the audience for more applause — and boundless energy shapes the maniacal title character.

Isabella Esler enchants and amuses as Lydia (the teen whose mother died). She resolves to kill herself (“Invisible”), but Beetlejuice needs her alive and so encourages her to make her father notice her instead. This leads to Esler’s wildest solo riff, “Dead Mom.” Lydia’s operatic teen tantrum includes wonderfully satiric lines about her despair and anger that “Daddy’s moving forward…Daddy didn’t lose a mom.” Esler vomits the song’s barrage of funny, witty and ironic rhymes with timing and verve. (I’m a fan of any song that dares rhyme “Mom” with “bomb” and “wedding” with “Armageddon.”)

Other characters include the electrocuted couple — the stalwart and loving Maitlands (Britney Coleman as Barbara Maitland and Will Burton as Adam Maitland) — Lydia’s father (Jesse Sharp), and his new girlfriend, the clueless Delia (Kate Marilley). Danielle Marie Gonzalez, Abe Goldfarb, Karmine Alers, Brian Vaughn and Jackera Davis play supporting characters who add to the mayhem.

The versatile ensemble cast becomes whatever is needed: funeral guests, party guests, spirits and more. Ensemble players include recent Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre graduate Lee N. Price as well as Michael Biren, Ryan Breslin, Juliane Godfrey, Morgan Harrison, Matthew Michael Janisse, Kenway Ho Wai K. Kua, Sean McManus, Nevada Riley, Trevor Michael Schmidt, Lexie Dorsett Sharp and CorBen Williams

The costumes (thanks, William Ivey Long) are a show in themselves, especially Beetlejuice’s black and white striped Edwardian suit and Lydia’s black goth outfits — not to mention her bright red wedding dress. (Pre-show, I noticed many wearing red gowns and black and white striped outfits in the lobby — this didn’t seem to be their wearer’s first Beetlejuice.)

Music director Andy Grobengieser conducted a small orchestra from the keyboard. Credit for music supervision, orchestrations and incidental music goes to Kris Kukul with music production by Matt Stine. Scenic designs by David Korins shifted usefully from a graveyard to a house to Hell’s doorway. Connor Gallagher’s choreography gave the nimble cast a chance to show off.

An extra bravo to Charles G. LaPointe’s hair and wig designs — especially for Lydia’s straight-cut black bangs and Beetlejuice’s eclectic, electric locks. Makeup artist Joe Dulude II should also get credit for making the spooks look spooky.

Bottom Line: Bouncy music, bouncy cast, flashy lights all combine to make a fun show, one that is, IMHO, far better than the film. Go for laughs and spooks, nothing is serious.

Get tickets here.

[Written by Laura Kennelly]

 

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• Laura Kennelly
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