'Beetlejuice' Broadway tour is just as good as original run [Unscripted]

For theater lovers, the first Broadway show they attend can often feel like a rite of passage.

Although I've long loved theater, I'm only just now at a point in my life where I can afford to regularly attend shows.

In fact, most of my theater visits, prior to 2020, were to Central York High School's auditorium, where I'd watch fellow classmates perform their hearts out to productions like "Altar Boyz" and "Reach." (The latter of which is an original play written by our sole theater teacher, Ben Hodge, who still works at Central York High School.)

In true journalist fashion, I did also make it a point to see Disney's "Newsies" at the Ephrata Performing Arts Center in 2019 . That was a rare treat.

On a whim, in February 2020, my then-partner and I went to see "Beetlejuice" on Broadway. I have always loved New York City, and I remember the show's tickets being somewhat approachably priced. It was a win-win.

I watched the original 1988 film "Beetlejuice," directed by Tim Burton, when I was a child, though I didn't remember much, if anything, prior to watching the musical.

I knew I wouldn't be able to forget the mischievous, green-haired namesake after seeing the show. The set was wacky and gorgeous, with beautiful neon signs and ever-changing interior design choices.

For those who aren't familiar with the "Beetlejuice" production, it pretty closely mirrors the original film. Lydia Deetz, a moody, goth teenager, recently lost her mother, and she's adapting to a new world, and new house, with her father, Charles, and her potential new stepmom, Delia.

Betelgeuse, pronounced as Beetlejuice, is technically an old demon who is invisible to the living, though that would change if someone said his name three times. An unlikely alliance forms between Betelgeuse and Lydia.

The book and music was witty and funny. Actor Alex Brightman, who performed as Betelgeuse on Broadway, had such a stage presence that to this day, I still compare his performance to others I've seen, even in different musicals.

With the musical instantly becoming one of my favorites, I was excited to see that "Beetlejuice" was one of the titles in Hershey Theatre's 2024-25 Broadway season schedule . I've seen other Broadway tours that stopped by the theater: "Waitress," "Hairspray," "Chicago" and "The Book of Mormon," to name a few.

Given my familiarity with both the theater and the production, I had an idea of what to expect, though I was still curious if the actors would have the same charm. It's a very character-driven musical that relies on quick quips and comedic timing.

Justin Collette, who performs as Betelgeuse, was absolutely stunning. Brightman left huge shoes to fill, and Collette does so in such a graceful way that's similar to Brightman's performance, but isn't too derivative. He captures all the charm of the character in a way that's uniquely his own.

I may have a different opinion than most, but I think that the Broadway tour's Lydia Deetz, played by Nevada Riley, was a much better interpretation of the character than Broadway actor Sophia Anne Caruso's method. Riley was able to deftly capture Lydia's vibe and made for a great counterpart to Collette.

(Caruso was wonderful, but occasionally slipped into a "baby talk" form of singing that sometimes doesn't resonate well with me.)

Riley has been involved with "Beetlejuice" in some regard since 2022, when she was part of the ensemble for the Broadway show, and then an understudy for Lydia and the Girl Scout. Though it took Riley a few songs in the production to grow confident with her voice, she was sharp by the end, and quite captivating.

And, of course, the supporting cast — Megan McGinnis as Barbara, Will Burton as Adam, Jesse Sharp as Charles and Sarah Litzsinger as Delia — were all wonderful, too.

I loved going into this production with knowledge of Broadway's "Beetlejuice," as I was able to focus on some of the finer details instead of focusing solely on plot. It was very enjoyable.

It also helped that I saw the movie's sequel, "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice," prior to seeing this production, though the two aren't all that related beyond the characters being the same.

The movie, which released 36 years after the original but still featured many of the same main cast members, was a lot of fun. Michael Keaton makes for a more gritty Betelgeuse, whereas the theater production is more over-the-top and silly. Lydia (Winona Ryder) now has a daughter named Astrid (Jenna Ortega), and the story is more centered around her.

If you missed the Broadway tour in Hershey, "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" is a fun way to relive the spirit of the story that so many love.

Or, at the very least, it's a fun way to celebrate Halloween a little early.

Mickayla Miller is an LNP | LancasterOnline staff writer. "Unscripted" is a weekly entertainment column produced by a rotating team of writers.