5 Facts About Beetlejuice

Hey, folks! We’re back with another installment of ‘5 Facts’ and this time it’s all about the ghost with the most – Beetlejuice!

The musical stage adaptation (music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect and book by Scott Brown and Anthony King) of the 1988 Tim Burton film opened on Broadway in 2019 before being haunted by the pandemic, relocating theaters, and setting out on a national tour.

But here are five things you may not have known about the production.

It’s showtime!

Alex Brightman, who played the title character on Broadway used a special technique called “ventricular fold phonation” to perfect his voice. It allows him to sing in the character’s signature raspy growl without damaging his voice. Watch him explain below:

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Tony nominations

Christopher Fitzgerald originally played the part of Beetlejuice in the musical’s very first workshop. Alex Brightman took over the role from there on out and scored a Tony nomination for it – one of the eight nominations the show received.

House of tricks!

The haunted house, designed by David Korins, is the centerpiece of the musical and becomes in a way its own character. There are three renditions shown throughout the show: the original home of the deceased couple, the home of the Deetz family, and the shadow when Beetlejuice sets up residence in the house. All have very different color palettes, but share the same forced perspective and angles of Burton’s signature style.

The whole special effects thing

Anybody lucky enough to have seen the musical on Broadway can appreciate the special effects – from levitation to fire, all performed live by the actors on stage. But when Beetlejuice rides a giant mechanical sandworm (they pride on using physical props), and the Maitlands fall through the floor, it is more stunts than effects. A team specializing in puppets, illusions, and physical movement create theater magic through clever lighting, design, and direction.

Not as much of a departure from the original source material…

While some of the plot to Beetlejuice has changed in the musical, it’s very much in the Tim Burton world. As a result, fans will be able to spot Easter eggs from the director’s other films such as Corpse Bride, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Edward Scissorhands scattered throughout the set.