Review: BEETLEJUICE at Orpheum Theatre Memphis

What better way to celebrate Halloween than sitting in the audience of BEETLEJUICE The Musical?! The hilarious new musical opened in Memphis on Halloween, and runs until November the 5th! In other words, you don't have many more chances to catch this creepy old guy... and the rest of this phenomenal cast! 

As I have said in previous reviews, I am always nervous when I go see a tour of a show I saw on Broadway. Like everyone else, I was disappointed when Beetlejuice closed its doors in 2020 due to the pandemic. I made it a point to book a trip to New York as soon as they announced they would reopen at the Marquis Theatre in 2022, with Alex Brightman returning to the lead role. I loved every minute of it! The sets, the costumes, the songs, the insults, and of course, the acting! Alex Brightman was the perfect Beetlejuice! Everything from his voice to his mannerisms. So I was a bit nervous when I got my tickets for the tour. Turns out, I had nothing to fear! Justin Collete is PHENOMENAL. He completely blew me away, as did the rest of the cast! Too often do Broadway tours shave off too much from the original production and is a little disappointing but if you're a fan of the Broadway show, you will NOT be disappointed with the musical tour! 

Beetlejuice is an iconic fantasy horror comedy film directed by Tim Burton and is beloved by millions. The movie starring Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O'Hara, Winona Rider, and Jeffrey Jones and an iconic soundtrack by Danny Elfman, received an 85% approval rating upon its release. Burton intended for the film to resemble the lower-budget horror films of his childhood. He wanted it to look cheap and purposely fake-looking. 

If you are not familiar with the storyline, Beetlejuice centers around a young deceased couple, the Maitlands, who attempt to haunt the new inhabitants of their beloved house. They are forced to call upon a demonic bio-exorcist named... ( we can't say his name but you get the idea ;) 

Beetlejuice is summoned by saying his name three times...  and when one of the new inhabitants, a young girl named Lydia who is struggling with the death of her mother becomes involved, things get a little... frightening. 

Speaking of Lydia, BRAVO to the young and INCREDIBLY talented Isabella Esler! The young actress just graduated from high school and is making her professional debut in Beetlejuice. She captivated the audience from her first note. Her naivety and desire to be seen make her a character we can sympathsize with as well as see ourselves in. The girl's powerful belt as well as her rush of emotions completely wow the audience. The Maitlands, played by Megan McGinnis and Will Burton, are a fun pair and have great stage chemistry, especially when they are drawn to the young Lydia and whenever they interact with Beetlejuice himself. Jesse Sharp and Kate Marilley, portraying Charles Deetz and Delia, add to the humor with their not-so-secret love affair that they are trying to hide from Lydia and have perfect comedic timing! Add Abe Goldfarb as Otho, Delia's guru whom she is constantly quoting, and the audience is in stitches from laughing. The ensemble adds to the fun and humor, portraying various characters from mourners at a funeral to the dead who inhabit the Netherworld. And as I already stated, Justin Collette brings Beetlejuice to life with crude humor, a cringe-worthy voice, and dare I say it, charm! 

The technical elements are no less impressive in this production! Costumes, designed William Ivey Long, give a Burton feel and create a vibrant atmosphere. Scenic design by David Korins, Lighting design by Kenneth Posner, and Project Design by Peter Nigrini all help to transport the the audience into the world of Tim Burton. Spoiler alert... the puppets are so much fun too! 

It's a night of laughter and thrills but it's definitely rated PG-13, if not R, with its many sexual innuendos and various F-bombs. It all makes for an incredibly entertaining evening though, and the cast is to be praised for its accomplishments!

Don't miss BEETLEJUICE on the Orpheum stage, now through November 5th. BEETLEJUICE will make you tear up from laughter. Be sure to go see BEETLEJUICE before he departs for the Netherworld. See? I said it 3 times and nothing happened ;) 

Seriously, this is a show about death and you will love "the whole being dead thing!" 

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