For more than a month now, Melbourne’s Regent Theatre has been home to the Australian premiere production of Beetlejuice the Musical, bringing the pop culture cult classic film to audiences both new and old with copious amounts of black comedy musical gold – without needing to travel overseas. Bringing the musical to the stage is an experienced group of Australian performers – from a major creative on the show Eddie Perfect as the chaotic Beetlejuice, Karis Oka as Lydia Deetz, and the delightful duo of Elise McCann and Rob Johnson as the good-natured ghostly couple of Barbara and Adam Maitland.
In addition to the insightful interview opportunity I had with Rob Johnson, I was also honoured to have the opportunity to pitch a range of questions to the amazing Elise McCann – who you may have seen in quite a bit over the years in the musical theatre (and other) spaces. Some of her many prolific musical theatre roles include Rita Hansen in Groundhog Day the Musical, Donna in the 2023 production of Mamma Mia! The Musical, and Miss Honey in the Australian debut tour of Matilda the Musical.
So please get comfortable and get ready to enjoy this highly in-depth Q&A with Elise McCann (seriously, she has been so generous with her time and insight), talking about her time on Beetlejuice the Musical so far, her advice for upcoming actors and much, much more.
You are now a few weeks into performances, including a short preview period and the opening night. What has been your perception of audience reaction to Beetlejuice the Musical so far? Even early on in the season, have there been any memorable moments with fans so far?
I have found that the audience response to Beetlejuice is unlike any other show I have done. Obviously, it is a known property, and so there are a number of people that come that are fans of the movie. And the album has existed for many years now and has had a cult following on Spotify and Apple Music. So there’s a lot of people that have been really excited about it.
But what has been really rare and unique is that those people coming to the show are so engaged. They’ve turned up in costumes, they respond to lines and moments in the show as if this is one of the classics of the canon. So for instance, when we had one of our early previews, I think it might’ve actually been our second preview, we had the most beautiful audience who would clap for every couple that came on stage, or applaud when there were really notable lines, like Karis saying, “I myself am strange and unusual.” People would cheer and clap at that, and in some ways it would disrupt the rhythm of the show a tiny bit, but it was so natural and genuine that it just felt like we’re all in this beautiful journey together.
Whilst I’ve been a part of many shows that have been really successful this show does feel different. It feels like it’s kind of this perfect package of humour and heart and nostalgia, but with something new, and it’s so funny and so irreverent, but really joyful at the same time. It feels like it’s capturing people of all ages and just really making people feel seen and heard, but also just have a really joyous time. And I think that we don’t always have a lot of musicals that are like that.
What were your earliest memories of the original Beetlejuice film, and what struck you most when you first read the musical’s script for this Australian premiere season?
I remember watching Beetlejuice, the movie, when I was young. I don’t know how old I was, but I remember loving how cool Lydia was. I’ve never been a cool person, but I remembered thinking that Lydia was really cool. And I remembered loving Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin.
Interestingly, I went back and watched it after I’d been cast in the show. I watched it on a plane, and it was actually a little drier than I remembered. Back then, my memory of it was that it was quite irreverent and quite funny. And it still is that, but being a film from the 80s it does have a different tone. I think the musical has found a new level of humour, a new level of irreverence.
It kind of comments on the film, but also finds a way to really elevate it. It brings all the things that we love about the movie, but then adds to it as well and helps you kind of expand all the characters. In the film we didn’t get too much insight into Barbara and Adam or even the Deetz’s, it was really just Beetlejuice and Lydia that we got to focus on. Here, we get to understand more about all these people, and I love that.
I remember when I read the script for the musical, I remember taking note of all the moments where it really resembles the film. So the Day-O sequence, those moments of Lydia being strange and unusual, and Beetlejuice’s monologues that move with a hundred thoughts a minute. That felt really at home and reminiscent of how I recall the film.
But I really was quite surprised and taken by how many more little insights into the characters we get to see. I love that there’s the extra storyline of the Maitland’s having wanted to finally take the step to have a baby, but their own fears and nervousness of making the wrong decision kind of stops them from taking action in life, and it’s only through death that they kind of discover how valuable life is, and how we really need to make the most of it. I love that we get a bit more space for those discoveries in the musical. That’s probably my biggest takeaway, It just felt like an elevation of all the things that we loved with a little bit more complexity and detail.
To me, Beetlejuice the Musical hurtles between irreverent comedy, heartfelt moments and eye-popping stagecraft. What sets Beetlejuice apart from other contemporary musicals, and what can audiences look forward to in this new Australian production?
Well, you’ve kind of hit the nail on the head. I think that what makes this musical so unique is that it really does combine all of those elements. It is proper funny with laugh out loud gags, as well as physical humour, and genius lyric. But it also has this beautiful undercurrent of heart, of finding community, of the importance of family and the importance of talking and communicating. It really helps audiences, I think, learn to become okay with death, but also learn to love life and embrace talking about the things that we are scared of talking about. The heart of it is really strong, and I think with Karis leading as Lydia, she really brings a vulnerability and a beautiful authenticity to that role, which is the centre of the show.
At the same time this show doesn’t hold back. It’s expensive to put on a musical and yet with Beetlejuice they have lent in and gone: Let’s have amazing costumes. Let’s have an incredible set. Let’s do the magic. Let’s have the levitation. Let’s set people’s hands on fire. Let’s have a giant puppet! You just don’t get that level of investment very often in contemporary musicals.
What’s exciting for this new Australian production is because we have Eddie in the show, the creatives were really open to us kind of each making it our own. As actors we weren’t just doing a paint by numbers of what they did on Broadway. They’d let us play and find new ways of delivering lines or new blocking, we had permission to discuss different intentions and find different jokes. Eddie has written some new lyrics for the show, so audiences that come here are going to hear things that they’re not going to see in any other production of the show anywhere. And that’s really rare as well, that we get to have that much ownership over a musical that has existed before and is an existing property.
It makes it feel really, really exciting because it feels like we have a bit of ownership over it, and there’s a real sense of it feeling like a fit for all of us because we’re part of the creation of these characters and this world and these new things that have been brought together with this particular cast and team.
The Maitlands are an idealistic couple who had their life situation literally turned upside down. Barbara wears a balanced persona of concerned and hesitant, but also deeply nurturing and bold (at least in my opinion). I would love to know how you have crafted an authentic portrayal of the character and what it is like to fill her shoes multiple times every week.
That is such a lovely description of Barbara. I completely agree. I feel like the Maitlands could come across as naive, as saccharine – but I feel like what actually is in the text is simply that they are a couple that are idealistic and optimistic about life who try and find joy and try and be positive people.
What is really special about the Maitlands that Rob and I have created, is that we’ve chosen that Barbara and Adam are true celebrators of each other. So whilst they are being silly and there’s a lot of idealism in what they say and do, I think by making or characterising it as a couple that are choosing to really back each other, it makes it less annoying and ‘sweet’. It makes them more endearing, more engaging and more accessible for the audience because you see them as people that are just genuinely trying to support their partner and be a “yes, and” person.
I love that the Maitlands are not perfect. They have fears, they hesitate with big risks and they put things off – which is something we all do. I would say 80% of the population start adult life with ideas and dreams and then find themselves 10, 15 years down the track wondering ‘how did I end up here? I thought I’d be somewhere else.’ We often get stuck in the rat race and forget to be active participants in our life. And I think that’s what the Maitlands have done.
They do their ballroom dancing and their backyard composting and their glass blowing and their pottery and whatever it might be, to ‘engage in life actively,’ but the big things they delay. So it’s almost like these activities have become their defence mechanisms, their ways of not addressing the real issues.
What I love is that when they meet Lydia, their natural maternal and paternal instincts come out, and it just happens on its own. So all the fears that we’ve seen them have in the opening scenes of like, “Oh, is now the right time? Should we be parents?” – become redundant. You realise there is no right time, that parental quality was always there, and you’ll call on it when you need to. And I think that’s nice for the audience to see.
Both Rob and I lean into trying to find great moments of physical humour. A lot of our lines aren’t necessarily gag lines, but there’s still space for some comedy. So we lean into the silly, but we try and do it leading from joy rather than trying to be funny. That way then, if it doesn’t land for that audience as a funny thing it doesn’t matter because it’s coming from an honest place.
When they have that big moment in Act Two and discover that, no, we really need to be brave here – it’s a really beautiful moment for the audience. Because it kind of empowers the audience to also go, “Oh, maybe I can be a bit braver. Maybe I can throw all my defences to the wind and try something new.”
I love that at the end they find their family. It’s not the family that they thought that they would have, but it’s the family that is right for them. I think it is really nice for the audience to see this beautiful picture of a mixed, blended family all living under one roof.
So that’s kind of some of the ways, I guess, I’ve tried to approach Babs – making her really human, making her someone that focuses on supporting her husband, and making her embrace her deficits/ fears.
The show playfully explores themes of life, death, and finding one’s voice. Which part of Barbara’s personal journey resonates most deeply with you?
I think that the element of not wasting life is a big one for me. I am someone that naturally chooses optimism and pursues hope. I try to look at life, whether it’s the experiences that I’m having or the relationships I’m having, with a ‘best intentions’ mindset. So assuming that a scenario that happened – if it didn’t go my way – is not about the world or someone else having anything against me. I don’t want to be a victim to my life. I don’t want to waste my time holding onto negative things.
So I think that sense of optimism, of leading with joy and trying to find the best in things is something that I have that’s similar to Barbara.
But I think the biggest thing is that Barbara really does lead the charge of being brave and finally embracing change.
I think that’s something that I’ve done in my life at points. I’ve had to go, “Okay, the tools and the tricks and the behaviours and the choices I’ve made up to this point have served me to a point, but I now need something else, or I now want something else.” And that’s okay.
Whether that’s a relationship ending and saying, “Well, just because that relationship ended doesn’t mean that it was a failure. It, in fact, was a great success. We learned a lot.” Or whether it was not getting a certain role and remembering that doesn’t mean I’m not good enough. Or loving my career as a performer, but then going: Oh, I actually want to produce as well. I want to run a company. I want more autonomy in my life. That doesn’t mean being an actor is or was a waste. That doesn’t mean I can’t ever act again. I can absolutely want to keep acting and performing. But I can also want something else at the same time, and I’m allowed to pursue both.
I think that sense of being okay to make changes and make choices in our life is something that Barbara does, and something that really resonates with me and how I want to be and how I want to lead my life.
The world of the show is bursting with quick changes, illusions, slapstick gags and quite a few different styles of music. Which challenges or experiences have been the biggest surprise to you or the most challenging to face, and how have you prepared for them?
In terms of illusions, I have two particular ones. I have to set my hand on fire and I also get to levitate. The levitation is really quite an easy stunt to do, but it just takes a lot of precision. So that took a little more time than I think I expected it to. The hand on fire is this amazing magic trick that was also harder than I expected because I have to not overthink it. As soon as I look at my hand and see my hand is actually on fire, my brain psych’s myself out. Even though I know what it is and I know how to do it safely, it still is a mind trick.
In terms of the music, I love this score. I love how the score is so versatile and how it really encompasses a whole range of genres and styles. For Barbara and Adam, most of our music is in a similar world. It just keeps elevating. So our first song is really peppy and sweet and quite musical theatre, our second song, the “Ready Set reprise” has a little bit more of a groove to it, and that’s kind of indicative of them finding a little bit more guts and a little bit more spark.
And then “Barbara 2.0” has that even more again. It has more of a beat, a stronger groove to it, it increases in vocal range and that song is kind of where we get to let rip. For me, the challenge was that I was belting all three of them, and the music team were like, “Sing less. We want to see her timidness in the beginning and then see that boldness and belt grow.” So I actually had to pull back in “Ready Set, Not Yet”. They wanted it more of a mix, a lighter sound. So that was a bit of a challenge as I had to retrain my brain to just relax and not over sing. And then I was able to add a little bit more grunt into the reprise. And then “Barbara 2.0” is where I’m allowed to really belt and do a little bit more vocally. It felt strange at first because the Lydia and the Delia, for instance, both get to have a lot of pop qualities, and riffs and belting from the start – but that’s not Barbara’s world. So learning to kind of trust the character and trust the music and let it speak for itself and not overdo it was really the challenge.
Chemistry is everything for the Maitlands and their eccentric houseguests. What has the collaborative process been like with Rob Johnson, Karis Oka, Eddie Perfect, and the rest of the company as you’ve built that on-stage dynamic?
Chemistry is everything, and particularly for a show like this, because it’s a comedy. Comedies only work if people are in the same world and if their humour is matching. What’s really cool about this show is everyone has a partner. So Adam and Barbara, and Delia and Charles, and Beetlejuice and Lydia – we’re all kind of each other’s pairs. We’ve all kind of been able to find our own flavours of what the humour dynamic is between those pairs.
It has been such a delight working with Rob because he’s so funny, but kooky funny. I’m a bit of a nerd and a bit of a kook, so we kind of blend really well. Rob is also just pure joy and sweetness, and so I find that really endearing and accepting. That kind of helps you fall in love with the character because you trust the person.
Eddie, obviously, is such a wealth of knowledge as he’s the creator of the show, so he’s kind of the authority on the material in terms of everyone else that’s in the Australian company. And he’s so generous and giving with his information and understanding of different parts of the show and why something was written that way, or what the intention was. But, when he’s on stage with you, he’s just the actor. And when you’re in rehearsals, he’s just the actor. He never forces his thoughts or knowledge on you. He never gives you a note. But if you wanted to ask about something, he’ll have a great conversation with you. So that’s been a really beautiful way of setting up the chemistry and the dynamic for the whole company – just coming in, focusing on being the actor, focusing on serving the story, but also looking for the complexities when you can.
Beetlejuice is such a rascal, he can be a bit mean, he can be a bit evil, he creates a lot of tension – but because Eddie himself is such a beautiful, genuine guy who is just so kind and really generous, it’s amazing. The play of Beetlejuice being chaotic, and nasty and a bit of a rascal on stage works better because you know that you are really safe with the actor on and off stage. You really need that trust to be able to let someone, I guess, be evil to you on stage.
But as a whole, this company is full of really hard workers. From the principals to the ensemble, to the crew – everyone takes the job really seriously, but simultaneously has a high level of play. I think that that’s what has helped us all have this great chemistry, because you can trust that everyone is doing their job. Everyone is working hard. No one takes the piss. Everyone warms up. No one’s calling out or being lazy. They do the job really well, but also are just good people to hang around with and have a chat with. It’s a really joyous company.
Without giving away spoilers, is there a particular moment or musical number you can’t wait for the crowd to experience, and why does it feel special from your perspective on stage?
There’s a couple of moments, but the one I’m going to pick is towards the end of the show. It is a really cool moment from the film where Beetlejuice comes in in this really powerful position to fight Juno, who is the head of the Netherworld, and we basically recreate that moment live on stage with a giant puppet and Eddie. It feels really cool because it’s iconic and is not something you see every day. It brings all the amazing puppetry of The Lion King or War Horse, with the magic of Harry Potter or Matilda, and the humour of Beetlejuice. The audience always goes wild for it.
Having undergone the premiere performances and months of rehearsals, what has been your most memorable experience on Beetlejuice the Musical to date?
I have two moments that feel particularly special. The first one was actually our table read in the rehearsal room. It was on day three. The first two days of rehearsals we did a general meet and greet, and all the design presentations and protocol kind of things that you need to do, as well as learnt a bunch of the music. But then on day three we did a full read and sing-through of the show. It felt really special because it was the first time any of us had heard anyone else do the material.
It was special for me because I had not auditioned in front of the entire creative team that were running the room in Australia. I’d done my original auditions in America, and so it was the first time some of those Australian creatives had seen me do my thing. It was also the first time any of them – and any of us – had seen Eddie do it either. So it just felt really special and exciting because the show really came to life. Immediately I was like: Oh, I understand who these people are, why all these people have been cast, the unique spices that each of them bring. It was a really perfect way to kick off rehearsals because the whole company got to sit down, unite, focus on the words and the text, and tell the story together for the first time. It set us off on a really great path and was really affirming.
The other one during performances was actually opening night. Opening is often not a really great night – they are often really fuelled with nerves. For me, I often get really nervous because all my family is there and as much as I know my family are the people that love me no matter what, they’re also the people I want to impress the most. And so I tend to find opening nights a little bit daunting.
For Beetlejuice, we’d been working really hard right up until the opening night. We’d filmed the EPK, we’d done media calls, we were doing other publicity, we were rehearsing every day, we’d get new lines and we’d have new choreo and new harmonies and things that we’d try out in previews. And that’s really fun and awesome because it means that you do feel like you are working and testing the show and being able to tailor it based on the audience.
But it meant that opening night was the moment we could set the show. And I was like, This is it. This is locked in, no more changes. And even though I started nervous – Eddie was really zen and so we all just locked into that same zen state. Despite having this phenomenal audience that was so vocal and excited, everyone just locked in with each other. We just did our show, as opposed to being too swayed by all the interactions of the audience, or the fact that all of our peers and colleagues and reviewers and people were in – it just felt like a really joyous celebration. And that doesn’t always happen. I was really proud that I actually had fun, and I felt like everyone around me was having fun. So that felt really, really special.
As someone who has been actively involved in the performing arts industry for many years across many roles, what advice do you have for those who are up and coming in the industry or are considering entering the field from school and looking to follow in your footsteps?
I have been in the industry for many years now. I looked back and realized my first big professional show was in 2005 with Fiddler on the Roof. I had just graduated from drama school and I was third ensemble member from the left. And the fact that 20 years later, I am still doing it, and have actually been able to do at least one professional show every single year, feels quite remarkable. I feel really proud of that.
One thing that I think has really helped me and that I like to say to young people is, trust that what is meant for you will not pass you. Put yourself out there, do your dance classes, do your singing lessons, work hard to improve and commit to taking on notes and getting better . There is no shame in working your way up. I started in the ensemble and then I was a swing, and then I was a cover, and then I got a minor role, then I got a lead role, then I got more lead roles. It’s okay to take your time, just work hard and trust the process.
Also don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities. If a show comes up that you think you’re really right for and you don’t have an agent, email the casting director and plead your case. Say why you love the show, why you think you’d be really great in the show, what you would bring to it. Ask them if they’ll give you the opportunity to audition. If they say yes, make sure you come in really prepared and then give it your all. Then let the rest go. Whatever happens is out of your control. You have to move through this industry with the mindset of, I’m going to do everything I possibly can so that I can feel proud of what I’ve put forward, but ultimately it is not my choice.
I always say to find something else that also gives you joy. Find an identity outside of being a performer so that you don’t take it as personally if you do or don’t get cast in something. If that is learning to cook, if that is riding a bike, if that is looking after animals, if that is being a lawyer, if that’s an entire other career or just a hobby – find other things that give you joy. Because if we move through our careers with a sense of gratitude and a sense of joy and things that fill you up, you actually have more to give in an audition, and chances are you’ll do a better job. But if I don’t get something or if it doesn’t go my way, that’s not a comment on who I am, or my value or worth. That is just part of the job. You have to be willing to accept the setbacks as much as we accept the celebrations because they will happen. Again, give it everything you can but make sure that you keep your head on straight and remind yourself that it is a job, it is not a determiner of your value.
With an extensive history performing on stage, what do you love most about the industry, and what has kept you performing for so long?
I truly love this job. I have invested in other careers as well, I’ve done some writing, I’ve produced for stage as well as for screen and TV. I also have a company that I run with Lucy Durack, which is a health and wellness, stress and motivation tech company (Hey Lemonade). So I have other things in my life that I love and that really give me a sense of autonomy, pride and something else to focus on, which means that performing isn’t the be all and end all of my identity I guess. I think that’s really important.
That said, I keep doing it because I love it. I’m my happiest when I get the opportunity to perform, I’m a better person because it fills my cup and so then I have more to give others. I know that that sounds really trite, but it’s the genuine truth. It makes me really joyful. I just love it. There’s a real sense of purpose that you get when you’re doing a show because you have a part to play and your job is to go and do that part, whether it’s a part on stage or a part backstage, you are a cog in a wheel, and there’s a great sense of purpose in that, which I really appreciate. There’s something really beautiful about having a place and space to go where you’re not the most important piece, but you’re a part of the team. It’s a collective. But mostly it just gives me joy. And so as long as I get joy from this, I would love to keep performing. If a point comes where I’m not enjoying it anymore, it doesn’t make me feel good, or I don’t feel like I’m a good person doing it, I don’t think I’ll do it. But I’m hoping that doesn’t happen.
Rapid Fire Questions
Favourite song in Beetlejuice the Musical?
I love singing the Ready Set (Reprise) and Barbara 2.0. But to listen to, as one of my favourites – is Say My Name. I just think it’s such a bop. And Rob and I get to hang out at the back of the roof and listen to it every night.
Favourite moment in the show?
My favourite scene to perform is this beautiful scene that Rob and I have with Karis in the attic. It’s probably the first moment that the show slows down and you have a breath. It’s where Karis says her iconic line about being strange and unusual, and Barbara and Adam kind of see her, and she feels seen for the first time. We acknowledge that she’s just a normal girl and we apologise and say, “I am sorry that your mom died”. And it’s a real moment of humanity where we get to see their natural maternal and paternal instincts come out. It’s just a really gentle, genuine moment, and the first time that’s happened in the show. I love the simplicity of that scene.
Favourite piece of choreography in the show?
It’s the start of Act Two – Beautiful Sound. There are eight counts where Eddie, or Beetlejuice, gets to make up his own dance step every night and the clones have to copy him. I love watching that because it changes and I just think it’s really fun. Sometimes he does Beyoncé’s Single Ladies, once he did backstroke across the floor. It’s really wild and it’s a really fun moment.
Favourite costume in the show?
I love Delia’s Act Two end-of-show black and white dress. It’s epic. I’d wear it to an event, it’s so beautiful. But I also love all the Netherworld costumes. I love Shrunky – the shrunken head. I love Rose Shannon’s character who was electrocuted by a toaster in the bath so her hair stands up straight. She does the whole Netherworld number in a bath towel!
Favourite piece of staging/set design?
I actually really love the roof. I think it looks really cool and is such a nice energetic shift from being inside the house. I love that the house, like an extra character in the show, is constantly changing. It moves from being the Maitlands’ house to the Deetz’s house to Beetlejuice’s house, almost as if it gets its own costume makeover every time someone new takes possession. It’s a really a smart way of helping show who’s the driver of the moment. But my favourite piece of set is actually the Netherworld. I love the vortex and I love the way the ramps give this amazing dimension to the stage so it feels never-ending.
First impressions when walking into rehearsals on the first day?
I was a little bit nervous. I had a bit of imposter syndrome actually, because everyone in the cast are proper comedians! But mostly I was excited. It felt like it had been coming for ages, so overwhelmingly I was like, “let’s go.”
Favourite moment with the cast/crew so far?
Oh God, there’s been a lot, but I would say warmup. We have a great warmup every day. Taylor, our dance captain, or Fiorella, our assistant dance captain, take warm up and they always have great music. Everyone attends, you get to check in, tell some jokes and have a laugh and get to connect before you get on stage. I just love doing that every day.
Do you have a favourite pre-show ritual or routine?
I guess warm up is my pre-show ritual or routine. But another ritual or routine is after my mic check I come back to my dressing room, do a final little bit of warmup – whilst Karis, Beetlejuice, Tom and the ensemble are up on stage singing Invisible and The Whole “Being Dead” Thing – and as Karis comes off after the funeral prologue, I’m coming up to start the Maitlands house and we always have a little hug. That’s a really lovely little moment.
If you had the opportunity to fill another role in Beetlejuice the Musical for one night, no limitations, what would that role be?
It would maybe be Delia. I just think it’s a great role. It’s so funny and she’s got amazing gags. But I also think I’d like to do Girl Scout. She’s such a like kook.
What is something that people might miss on for their first watch of Beetlejuice the Musical, but should keep an eye out for.
Well, there’s so much sleight of hand and magic, so you should definitely come back to watch it all again. But mostly the lyrics. The lyrics are so complex and dense that I think if you only watch it once you sometimes miss some of the amazing rhyme and rhythm and humour. So I think coming back to watch the show again to hear more of the lyrics and hear more of the jokes is the way to go.
As part of this year’s April Fool’s Day post on the musical’s social media channels, we saw a selection of characters from the show incorporated into other musicals. Assuming that every character got “work experience” in a different musical, what do you think would be a good choice for Barbara?
Oh God, this is a tough question. I guess Barbara could maybe fit in Waitress. I feel like it’s set in a similar town to where Waitress is set, and I feel like she could definitely work in that coffee shop. But I think… what else, where else… I’m going to have to keep thinking about this.
Imagine you are a reviewer of Beetlejuice the Musical, what would you say is the major highlight of the production?
Honestly, I think that the magic of this show is the coming together of all the elements with such precision, and that is rare. It is an incredible set, music, book, phenomenal, detailed costumes, (I don’t know if people realise, but every ensemble member has a brand new costume in black and white just for the bows!). There’s so much detail. Beetlejuice has five different suits, all with a different shade, so he’s almost like a mood ring. So when he’s in his joy state, he’s in green—his excited state. When he’s kind of depressed, he’s purple. When he’s angry, he’s red. And these colours overshadow all of his black and white suits. And you wouldn’t notice that on first watching, but when you come back, you’d notice it. Lydia has five black dresses—they all have slight variations on different features. It’s that level of detail that’s incredible.
But again, it’s everything. The orchestrations and the underscoring are so moving. Like the tiny little reprises of Invisible when Lydia says, “I myself am strange and unusual,” and Barbara says, “You seem like a normal girl to me.” It’s as if the underscoring is saying “you’re not invisible.” It’s just so smart. So I honestly think that the major thing about this show is the coming together of all of the elements—the magic, the special effects, the sets, the costumes, the music, the lyrics. The book is so funny and the cast are genuinely really world-class.
I would like to sincerely pass on my thanks, gratitude and everything else to Elise McCann for taking the time out of her undoubtedly busy schedule to answer all of our questions around Beetlejuice the Musical and themself. I wish them all the best as they continue with the season! I would also like to extend my gratitude and thanks to the musical’s production team and the Michael Cassel Group publicity team for facilitating this interview opportunity.
Have you read this interview and left wanting to see Beetlejuice the Musical now more than ever? The musical is currently only being performed at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre, with no word if or when it will commence a national tour. Ticketing information for the production can be found on the official Beetlejuice the Musical Australia website. Want to know how this production stacks up? Check out my full review!
