MILWAUKEE — There is truly no better way to kick off Spooky Season than carving out some time to see “Beetlejuice.”
The musical comedy “Beetlejuice” follows Lydia Deetz (Nevada Riley), a teen mourning the loss of her mother. Her life gets flipped upside down when she meets a deceased couple “and a demon with a thing for stripes.”
The show — based on Tim Burton’s 1988 film of the same name — opened to a nearly sold-out crowd in Milwaukee Tuesday night.
That packed audience gave a roaring standing ovation at the end of the night, which was certainly well-deserved.
Riley opened the show with an emotional and beautiful rendition of “Invisible.” As Beetlejuice (Justin Collette) notes, it’s unusual to open a show with a ballad, but it certainly works here. Riley's grief-striken Lydia adds a whole new element to the classic story that provides new levels of depth in the best way.
Collette quickly follows up with a fun and quirky “The Whole ‘Being Dead Thing.’” Right off the bat, it’s clear that this show is not necessarily for young children. The show is recommended for those 13+. Collette hits the mark with comedic timing — offering zingers, one liners and laugh-out-loud funny jokes from his opening number on. As the age recommendation suggests, many of those jokes are, well, “inappropriate stuff you would expect from a deranged demon.”
Beetlejuice quickly introduced the audience to Adam (Will Burton) and Barbara (Megan McGinnis), who he is determined to teach how to haunt their own house after they die. Burton and McGinnis do an excellent job of portraying the overly-polite and wholesome couple, finding their own style and spin on humor that still complements the quirky nature of the show. Each possesses talented vocals, which blend seamlessly without losing individuality.
McGinnis continues the show with a sweet, passionate nature, as Barbara seeks to guide Lydia through her teen angst and grief. All the while, Riley presents a funny, caring, sad, joyous, multi-faceted, all-too-relatable Lydia. The audience is in for a treat every time Riley sings, with a second standout solo in Act II, “Home.” Riley reels the audience in, showcasing raw emotion with the control of a seasoned pro beyond her years.
Between the jokes, the heartwarming storyline and musical melodies, you can’t help but leave the show smiling. Not to mention, the ensemble is full of a fantastic crew of dancers (choreography by Connor Gallagher). Their skill and flawless technique is masterfully highlighted in “That Beautiful Sound” in Act II, as they perform gravity-defying leaps, impressive turns and acrobatic stunts that only a high-caliber performer could pull off. However, there is a brief tap number in Act II that feels a bit out of place. While it’s part of the original musical and I am sure the creative team wanted to remain true to its Broadway counterpart, the tap technique is simply not there; although it’s no reason to skip the show. Luckily, the tap sequence is short, and the rest of the ensemble is back to flipping and gliding across the stage in perfect rhythm.
Standout ensemble members included Wisconsin’s own Madison Mosley (Girl Scout), who performed a captivating solo that proves she is certainly ready to take over the role of Lydia later this month. Maria Sylvia Norris (Maxine Dean, Juno) performs not one, but two, memorable and hilarious ensemble characters. Dead or alive, Norris certainly understands the power of character development, humor and delivery.
Another element of this production that absolutely warrants a shout out is the scenic (David Korins) and lighting (Kenneth Posner) design. Tuesday’s opening night started a few minutes late because of a technical issue, but who could complain about a few extra minutes to pick up merch, snacks or nestle into their seat when the neon strobe lights, backlit bat transitions and fun-house worthy sets were as stunning as they were? “Beetlejuice” is full of talented people on and off the stage, and its technical elements put this Broadway tour over the top.
“Beetlejuice” runs at the Marcus Performing Arts Center from Oct. 1 to 6. Tickets are available, here.
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