The musical comedy “Beetlejuice” is gearing up for a widespread Midwest run, bringing its iconic green and purple aesthetic to Wisconsin, Ohio and Kentucky through 2024.
The series – based on the Tim Burton film “Beetlejuice” – follows Lydia Deetz, a teenager whose life is turned upside down when she meets a dead couple “and a demon with stripes”.
We caught up with the show's leading actor, Justin Collette, who plays the titular character, Beetlejuice.
Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin: What initially drew you to “Beetlejuice”?
Justin Collette: I saw the show at DC when it was in previews [in 2018], and I really liked the writing and the music. I thought the script was so funny and I thought the dialogue – it didn't feel old or dated. It felt very timely, and I felt like it was something I really wanted to do, and I felt like I got what I wanted. [the writers] were going for.
Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)
Spectrum News: How would you describe the show to someone who doesn't know anything about it?
Collette: “Beetlejuice” is about a teenage girl grieving the loss of her mom. He ends up working with a demon who wants attention. Both are trying to face death.
“Beetlejuice” is so ubiquitous that I find that when I try to describe it, it's like trying to describe what something smells like. It's so hard without reference [the show itself] — the pizza smells like pizza. It's hard to take away from his parts, which is so much fun about this show. Even if you don't know what “Beetlejuice” is, I still feel like people understand the convention of saying his name three times means he'll appear. It's just become such a part of the cultural event.
Spectrum News: It really has. I was scrolling through social media one time and I saw this post of all these teenagers and young adults dressed as “Beetlejuice” and there was a line around the block. It was crazy.
Collette: This happens in almost every show. It's a very 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' vibe we have here. It's weird not seeing people in public dressed like you.
Spectrum News: What is it like to have that dynamic with the audience? This is truly unique.
Collette: It's just such a strong symbol of support and kinship. It's like visually seeing people's investment in the show when you're on stage and it's refreshing when you're doing eight shows a week [in] a new city every week. It can be really tiring, but seeing people in the audience who have put time into these hand-made costumes come and see you perform. They literally show you, “Look how much I like this.” It's really touching.
Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice (Photo by Matthew Murphy)
Spectrum News: Speaking of costumes — your costume is quite elaborate. You have a lot going on with yourself. What is this preparation process like?
Collette: [My costume] it's a three-piece suit with Hollywood pants, so it's kind of restrictive to sit in and do stuff. Well, to tell you the truth… I put the suit on like literally before we went on stage.
I show up an hour early and start doing my makeup and hair. Makeup takes about 15 minutes every day… The wig is about five minutes.
I have amazing people doing my makeup [makeup]. I couldn't – I'd look so stupid [if I did it myself]. It would look like I stuck Beetlejuice's face on a bottle. that would be so sad. It would probably be scarier, to be honest with you.
Spectrum News: What was the hardest thing about working on the show?
Collette: Discover how to stay in character while moving so much. It's not like you can go to a doctor and ask, “Hey, if I do this Beetlejuice voice 30 hours a week, are my vocal cords going to explode?” Like, nobody really knows. It's kind of trial and error to figure out how to do the show at the energy level that I want to do it at while still staying healthy.
Spectrum News: What do you hope people take away from the show?
Collette: A better sense of how to laugh at things that scare you.
Pictured (L-R): Britney Coleman (Barbara), Will Burton (Adam), Isabella Esler (Lydia) and Justin Collette (Beetlejuice). (Photo by Matthew Murphy)
Catch Collette in “Beetlejuice” at Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wis. (Dce. 5 – 10), the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wis. (January 9 – 14), the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati, Ohio (January 16 – 28) and the Center of Kentucky in Louisville, Ky. (May 14 – 19).
