On November 10, 2023, I had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday by watching “BEETLEJUICE The Musical” with two of my closest friends at Broadway in Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. From the stunning lighting effects to the amazing singing and hilarious dialogue, the entire performance had me enamored.
The Auditorium Theatre, located in Downtown Chicago, boasts an impressively large auditorium, ornately decorated with intricate designs and artwork. Our seats were directly in the center of the dress circle, giving us a flawless view of the stage. Based on the 1988 hit movie of the same name, “BEETLEJUICE” tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a peculiar teenager, after she meets Adam and Barbara Maitland, a recently deceased couple, and Beetlejuice, an eccentric demon. I was fortunate enough to have been able to watch this show with my amazing friends Hayden Clark and Izzie Marth, both of which enjoyed it just as much as I did. Walking through the lobby area of our floor and to our seats, we were amazed at the sheer size of the place and how amazing our seats were. The stage was set with a large, illuminated sign reading “Betelgeuse” and an arrow pointing to the middle of the stage. The curtains were decorated with an array of squiggly lines, and bright green and purple lights moved around the walls of the auditorium, sometimes shining right in our faces.
The dimming lights marked not only the start of the show but the last moment of normalcy until intermission. From the very start, flashing white strobe lights and eccentric music brought life to the eager audience, and I immediately had a giant smile on my face. The cacophony of lights and sounds soon died down to reveal the scene of a funeral. The background of the set included many projections, giving movement and realisticness to the scene. In fact, projections played a vital part in the lighting of this show. From displaying a colony of bats flying across the stage to turning a house into a circus, the projections allowed for visual effects that wouldn’t have been possible with other devices. As a whole, the lighting effects of the entire show never failed to impress. The colors, intensities, positions, and everything in between were perfectly designed to bring out the best of the actors’ performances and enhanced what was already a phenomenal production.
One of the most notable aspects of this show was its marvelous sets and props. Although on a moderately sized stage, the Maitland’s house was made to appear much larger than it was. This effect was achieved by using walls that bent in and warped, creating the illusion of a large, 3D area. The attention to detail in the sets was incredible, specifically in the attic of the house. Knick-knacks were strewn all over the walls, perfectly encapsulating the chaotic environment of an attic. A bike, pottery, fishing equipment, a toolset, and a mannequin were just some of the items that added to the atmosphere. The house’s main floor started off with a cozy, country aesthetic, reflecting the Maitlands’ personality before they met their demise. Flowery wallpaper, wooden furniture, and old fashioned artwork fit perfectly with the earthy whites, greens, and browns of the set. This perfectly encapsulated their vintage lifestyle that most people would find boring. Once the couple died from an electrical shock, which is different from the original Broadway production in which they fell through a weak part of the floor, the Deetzes moved in and Lydia’s father, Charles, redesigned the home to a sleek, modern look. The color palette shifted almost entirely to gold, purple, and gray, and the old-timey decorations were substituted with abstract, contemporary art pieces. Finally, once Beetlejuice took over the house, black and white became the main colors and everything became “demonized.” The fireplace grew teeth, the couch became creature-like, snakes slithered in the walls, the chairs around the kitchen table became spiky. Although it was only one room, it felt like three completely different worlds because almost everything was changed between them. My favorite puppet in this show was Sandy the giant sandworm. Arguably, its most iconic entrance was when Beetlejuice came riding it like a cowboy near the end of the show. This massive creature looked absolutely incredible with its black and white stripes, glowing eyes, and sharp teeth. Coming directly from the film, it was a perfect addition to the performance and paid homage to Tim Burton’s art style. Some of my other favorite props include the shrimp monster puppet, the giant Beetlejuice head and hands when Lydia says Beetlejuice’s name (three times in a row, spoken, unbroken), and the bug-like statue in the Deetz version of the house.
Whenever I think back on a show I watched, the first thing I remember is the acting, singing, and costumes. Luckily, the cast of this show did not disappoint. Justin Collette wonderfully portrayed the chaotic character of Beetlejuice and his comedic timing was perfect. He interacted with the audience and made sure that everyone had a smile on their faces. Another phenomenal actor was Kate Marilley, who portrayed Delia. While Lydia’s step-mother in the film, the musical depicts her as a life coach for Lydia hired by Lydia’s father, Charles. Marilley’s “stretched-out” voice and intentionality with her humorous lines had the entire audience laughing, especially when she interacted with Lydia, who clashes greatly with her personality. Isabella Esler, who played Lydia, also did an outstanding job with her performance. Despite the fact that I was well aware that she was merely an actress, I sometimes forgot this and truly felt like I was watching a teenage girl try and reconnect with her dead mother. Will Burton and Megan McGinnis, the actors who played Adam and Barbara, were also profound actors and I could tell they truly loved their characters. They were so dynamic and perfect for the sweet, caring, overly-kind couple that is the Maitlands. Another character that I loved was Otho, Delia’s eccentric guru, played by Abe Goldfarb. Despite being a smaller role, he definitely made the most of it. His over-the-top movements and accentuated dialogue was absolutely hilarious and quite frankly, I was disappointed that he wasn’t in more of the show. Nevertheless, the acting in this production was superb and perfectly complemented by the singing. This show had extremely strong singers and it was made obvious that they had been practicing for quite some time. Esler and Marilley, specifically, were my two favorite singers of the entire show. Esler’s belts in “Dead Mom,” “Say My Name,” and “Home” were all amazingly crisp and clear, making them so satisfying to listen to. Marilley, too, had a stunning voice and impressed me greatly, specifically during “No Reason.” Additionally, Burton and McGinnis both had fabulous voices that combined beautifully when they sang together, especially in “Barbara 2.0” and “Ready Set, Not Yet.” My favorite song in this show is “What I Know Now,” sung by Miss Argentina and an ensemble of regretful dead people. Admittedly, this show’s Miss Argentina, Danielle Marie Gonzalez, sounded a bit off in her singing, as if she was slightly under the weather. Still, it was such a privilege to have been able to watch and listen to one of my favorite musical theater songs performed live. It had so much energy, conveyed the important message of making the most of life, and featured some of the most fun costumes in the entire show: the hunter with a shrunken head, football players, an equestrian, a skydiver, and more. Even Miss Argentina had on a dazzling red dress, a tiara, and a sash bearing her title. Most of the costumes in the show stayed true to the movie, like Lydia’s black outfit and Beetlejuice’s black and white striped suit and green hair. Some more of my favorite costumes include the giant-headed skeletons during Beetlejuice’s game show, Lydia’s dark red wedding dress during “Creepy Old Guy,” and the girl scout’s iconic outfit, who was played by Jackera Davis.
I had an incredible time watching such an offbeat, witty, risqué show with my friends and I highly recommend you watch it if you love laughing and having a good time. Although there are many other dramatic, serious musicals that are worth watching because of their own reasons, shows like “Beetlejuice” are what bring life to musical theater. With “Guys and Dolls” being Riverside Brookfield High School’s 2024 spring musical and “Mamma Mia” coming to Broadway in Chicago this coming May, I’m more than ecstatic to be so immersed in theater and I cannot wait for my next performance review.
