By A cult and theatrical classic of the 1980s, Beetlejuice has become a lasting pop culture icon. The musical follows a “green demon,” Beetlejuice, as he causes chaos in a self-proclaimed “show about death.” Lonely and desperate to be seen by the living, he latches onto Lydia, a young girl grieving the recent loss of her mother, and hedges his hopes on her saying his name three times. Along the way, a colorful cast of characters including the newly deceased Adam and Barbara, as well as Lydia’s father and his unconventional life coach/girlfriend adds to the hilarity.
The musical rests on the talents of Ryan Stajmiger as Beetlejuice and Leianna Weaver as Lydia. Without these two, the production would falter. While the rest of the cast is fun to watch, it is the sharp, comedic timing of Stajmiger and the emotional depth and soul provided by Weaver that make the show a success. Stajmiger rattles off pop culture references, corny jokes, and other hijinks without pretense, bringing the audience along on a fast-paced, blink-and-you-miss-it journey. Weaver is a talented actress and singer. Her powerful voice brings the heart the musical might otherwise lack, and her journey toward accepting her mother’s death is poignant, serving as a counterpoint to the nonstop hilarity whenever Beetlejuice is onstage. Her rendition of “Home” is particularly beautiful and moving. Still, it is in their scenes together that these two actors truly shine, especially in the fun and energetic “Say My Name” and “Creepy Old Guy.”
David Wilson as Adam and Kaitlin Feely as Barbara are fun to watch, but they could have had more to do in the musical. Their characters serve as a plot device for Lydia, but they are deprived of a payoff of their own. Both are talented actors but lacked the opportunity to fully showcase their abilities. This is a shortcoming of the book, not their performances. The rest of the cast all have moments to shine, with the ensemble clearly having fun during “What I Know Now” as Netherworld characters. Fans of the film will particularly enjoy the characters in that scene.
Overall, the book is cleverly written, especially in the few changes it makes from its source material. It’s nonstop fun and the jokes used are smart, a little bawdy, but full of heart. The stakes are never high and there are a few plot holes. However, because of the book’s wit, these are easily overlooked. The music is fun and energetic, with the fan favorite “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” being a particularly entertaining scene.
The sets are a spectacle that only this production could deliver, with bold, fun colors, lots of stripes, and an incredible sand snake. Unfortunately, this production seemed to have sound mixing issues, with singers at times overpowered by the orchestra or not having their microphones turned on in time for their lines/songs. The lighting design on stage lent itself well to the story, but too often the lights shined out into the audience. While this lighting device continues to be used in more recent and newer stage productions, blinding the audience to create “effect” is frankly becoming annoying.
Fans of the movie and fans of musical hijinks will enjoy this fast-paced and entertaining production. Beetlejuice doesn’t bring a lot of depth, but overall it is just a fun time at the theater.
Photo credit: Matthew Murphy, 2026