First debuting on Broadway in 2019 and featuring music and lyrics by Australian singer-songwriter Eddie Perfect, Beetlejuice the Musical always felt like a matter of when it would come Down Under. Thankfully it seems like the right person said the name three times, which has led to Michael Cassel Group confirming they will be bringing the production to Melbourne for an exclusive season at the Regent Theatre starting April 2025.
Based on Tim Burton’s 1988 film Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice the Musical is a dark comedy musical telling the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager obsessed with the whole “being dead thing”. Lucky for Lydia, her new house is haunted by a recently deceased couple and a degenerate demon with a thing for stripes. When Lydia calls on this ghost-with-the-most to scare away her insufferable parents, Beetlejuice comes up with the perfect plan, which involves exorcism, an adorable girl scout who gets scared out of her wits and a whole (nether)world of pandemonium.
This production is being co-presented by Michael Cassel Group, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Langley Park Productions, and is being pitched as an exclusive to Melbourne. Whether it is an exclusive in the same way that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was confined to the city, or like many musicals which eventually tour other states is yet unknown.
Tickets to the production are set to go on-sale sometime in 2024, with the producers putting up a waitlist via the production’s new official Australian website.
As mentioned above, Beetlejuice the Musical features a score and lyrics by Eddie Perfect, who shared his joy in the production finally heading to Australia:
While BEETLEJUICE began on stage in America, this show has a macabre sensibility and twisted humour that Australians will delight in. I always hoped it would have a life here at some point and I am thrilled that moment has finally arrived. I can’t wait to share it with a home crowd for the first time.
Eddie Perfect
As you would expect with such a major announcement, other stakeholders provided statements, including:
Australian fans were some of the loudest begging us to bring BEETLEJUICE to Australia. We listened and we can’t wait to expand our community of Netherlings down under. We are thrilled to bring this hilarious and remarkably touching show to a whole new place and share the electrifying experience that audiences on Broadway, and now, throughout North America have fallen in love with.
Mark Kaufman – BEETLEJUICE Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures
This wickedly funny show is at the top of so many Aussie music theatre fans’ wish list to play here and we are delighted to bring it to its natural home – the Regent Theatre – where audiences will be transported to the netherworld for a night they will never forget. The fan support for BEETLEJUICE resonated around the world and we can’t wait to see how fans respond to it here.
Michael Cassel – Australian Producer of BEETLEJUICE
Along with other global exclusives and Australian premieres such as & Juliet and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Beetlejuice further cements our place as the theatre capital of Australia. We bring international shows to Victoria because they support local jobs and deliver big benefits to our economy.
Steve Dimopoulos – Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events
While we are still presumably many, many months out from cast announcements, Beetlejuice the Musical itself features a large and well-accoladed creative team that we do know of, including:
| Creative Name | Role | Also Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Timbers | Director | Moulin Rouge! The Musical Peter and the Starcatcher |
| Eddie Perfect | Original Score | King Kong |
| Scott Brown | Book | Gutenberg! The Musical! |
| Anthony King | Book | Broad City |
| Connor Gallagher | Choreography | The Robber Bridegroom |
| Kris Kukul | Music Supervision Orchestrations Incidental Music | Joan of Arc: Into the Fire |
| David Korins | Scenic Design | Hamilton |
| William Ivey Long | Costume Design | The Producers |
| Kenneth Posner | Lighting Design | Kinky Boots! |
| Peter Hylenski | Sound Design | Frozen |
| Peter Nigrini | Projection Design | Dear Evan Hansen |
| Michael Curry | Puppet Design | The Lion King |
| Jeremy Chernick | Special Effect Design | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child |
| Michael Weber | Illusions | Forrest Gump |
| Charles G. LaPointe | Hair and Wig Design | Hamilton |
| Joe Dulude II | Makeup Design | Wicked |
| David Dabbon | Dance Arrangements | Disaster! |
| Matt Stine | Music Producing | Moulin Rouge! The Musical |
Yep, that is a substantial list of creatives with many major hitters in its mix.
