Anastasia or Beetlejuice with 13 year old boy?

[sheridan]

I will be going to Washington DC next month with my 13 year old son.  Wondering if you would recommend we see Beetlejuice or the National Tour of Anastasia at the Kennedy Center.  I would personally prefer Anastasia especially since I have never been to the Kennedy Center but I'm not sure if a 13 year boy would rather go to Beetlejuice.  

[haterobics]

I never saw Anastasia, but between the two, Beetlejuice does seem to be more of a show for a younger boy.

[jimmycurry01]

It sounds like you have answered your own question. Are you taking him to a show in order to help cultivate his interest in theatre, or to make yourself happy? If it us the former, take him to the show he is most interested in; if it is the latter, take him to the show you are most interested in.

The best idea would likely be to ask him what he would like to see rather than what we think here.

[CaseyBrent41]

BEETLEJUICE 100%%%%%%%

[sheridan]

He has never seen the movie Beetlejuice and is unfamiliar with the Anastasia story at all, but this trip is about him and I will ask him thanks. 

[sheridan]

Thank you.  Beetlejuice it is.  

[BroadwayConcierge]

This conversation bodes well for Beetlejuice in New York. I feel like it's going to be replacing School of Rock as the pick for families with younger boys.

[freewilma]

It's a little hard to say since very few people have actually seen Beetlejuice at this point.  However, seeing shows at the Kennedy Center Opera House and the National Theatre are very different experiences.  The Kennedy Center and Opera House are very large scale and grand; with seating for 2,300.  The National feels much more like a Broadway house with a more intimate setting of 1,600. 

I often find the sound at the Kennedy Center to be quite problematic with touring shows; especially if you move out of the center section of seats.  Beetlejuice is being staged for the first time in the National and the sound being designed specifically for that space. 

You can probably find a discount code or buy thru TodayTix for a Beetlejuice discount...but those are harder to come by for shows at the KC.  

If your interest is in visiting the Kennedy Center, it's open every day to the public and has free performances on their Millennium Stage every day at 6:00pm http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/

[TravisOKC]

Beetlejuice for sure!

[sheridan]

Thank you for the tip on the discount code and the free performances.  I will check both of them out. 

[darquegk]

Beetlejuice is a lot of fun, but it's definitely more "mature" than the film version: within the first fifteen minutes alone Beetlejuice says the f-word repeatedly, snorts coke, talks about getting an STD from a beloved deceased film star, denies the existence of God, and plays the ukulele.

[haterobics]

darquegk said: "Beetlejuice is a lot of fun, but it's definitely more "mature" than the film version: within the first fifteen minutes alone Beetlejuice says the f-word repeatedly, snorts coke, talks about getting an STD from a beloved deceased film star, denies the existence of God, and plays the ukulele."

The ukelele playing definitely crosses a line for me.

[darquegk]

Everyone knows Zooey Deschanel is the greatest moral threat to this century.

[Catsbroadwayfan]

Beetlejuice for sure. Just a warning there are explict jokes and tons of sexual jokes. But it way better than anastasia. If you take him there he probally wont want to go back to the theatre.

[Rainah]

I would check and confirm you are comfortable showing him the content of beetlejuice, 13 may be too young for it depending on his maturity level and what he is used to.

In addition, if he has not shown an interest in female-lead story-lines than it wouldn't be a good choice to start with a pricey show. Can you name any properties he likes that have a woman or girl as the main character? Matilda, Hunger Games, etc?

 

 

[dramamama611]

He'll be bored to tears at Anastasia.  

[sheridan]

He has seen Matilda and Wicked and enjoyed both of them, and Hunger Games.   His favorites musicals have been Lion King, Hamilton, School of Rock, In the Heights,Drowsy Chaperone  and Spelling Bee.  But after reading everyone comments I think Beetlejuice will be the best choice.  He has seen R rates movies before and I think that most of the sexual exhibit things would probably just go over his head. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

If your boy is good with explicit language and sexual jokes, Beetlejuice will be okay for him. Anastasia is more of a princess story

[VotePeron]

omg please don't make him sit through Anastasia. Unless he's really into musical theatre, it's just such a bore of a show I don't think he'd enjoy it at all. Would've loved to see Alex Brightman tear up a stage when I was 13 - that seems like an awesome opportunity. 

[bwayphreak234]

I would go with just about anything over Anastasia. Especially for a  13 year old boy. Anastasia is a colossal and mediocre bore.