The first song of the evening takes place at a funeral, with Beetlejuice front and center, and at the end of the number, he makes a quick observation about how he’s loving the crowd applauding at the whole theme of death. Welcome to Beetlejuice the musical, where death is laughed at, cheered, and celebrated, and the audience members wouldn’t have it any other way. While there’s commentary about living life to its fullest, this is a joyful celebration of the zany, twisted actions of the beloved character and those around him.
The musical Beetlejuice, which is playing at Toronto’s CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre for just over six weeks, is a wonderful take on the familiar story. The 1988 Tim Burton film of the same name has collected a massive following over the years. Burton’s unique vision and flair, along with an interesting story and an excellent performance by Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, have made this a popular rewatch over the years. In 2024, the legacy sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice brought in even more fans.
While the original is a great template to work from, there is pressure to deliver a similar yet distinct and memorable performance to a live audience. Thankfully, the show delivers in several ways.
At just over two hours, the musical moves quickly, presenting the audience with number after number of wild songs, impressive effects, and impressive performances. The story centers around Lydia (Emilia Tagliani), whose mother has passed away. We find her lost in darkness and mourning. Upon moving to their new home, she meets the recently deceased couple, Adam (Will Burton) and Barbara (Megan McGinnis), and, of course, “The Ghost with the Most,” Beetlejuice (Justin Collette). The latter requires a mortal to say his name three times so that he can live once more.
These whimsical characters are the backbone of the show. Each has their moments to shine while joining ensemble numbers that are littered with humour and wry observations about life and death.
The cast is excellent all around, but it’s really hard not to center the praise on both Tagliani and Collette. As Beetlejuice, Colette brings the perfect blend of humor, infused with a hint of sadness and regret, allowing him to dominate many scenes and win over the audience time and again. Tagliani delivers a more emotional performance as Lydia, and, combined with her incredibly powerful voice, makes her character shine in both fun and serious scenes. The zany antics of McGinnis and Burton add a great dynamic, providing color and substance to many moments.
I found it interesting that the show seemed to move at a remarkably fast pace, yet some musical numbers and scenes felt wonderfully thoughtful in their construction. The sometimes manic tempo did not detract from the more serious themes, and the audience remained fully engaged, cheering, clapping, and laughing throughout the night.
Kudos to the great musical score, which was a great companion to the show. At times, the volume would drown out some of the vocals, but it only happened a few times. The score powered along in its bombastic glee, accompanied by the chaos that was usually happening on stage.
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As mentioned, the audience was right into the show, and they were buzzing in their seats before the first number even began. People of all ages were present, many wearing black or dressed in ways that reflected certain characters, reveling in the Gothic nature of the show. Part of what makes these events so enjoyable is being among fellow fans. They were excited for Beetlejuice the musical, creating a lively atmosphere before the actors even took to the stage. The air was charged with energy from the beginning.
Musicals come in all shapes and sizes, and Beetlejuice is a unique monster (no pun intended). At times, it felt like a runaway train, while at other moments it offered an intimate experience with family and friends. It’s a fun, electrifying, and surprisingly emotional ride that everyone should make time to enjoy.
