Beetlejuice is one hell of a time

Who knew death could be so funny? To a multigenerational Syracuse audience last night — many clad in black and white stripes — the afterlife was full of raunchy humor and a self-proclaimed “Zombie Jesus.”

Someone in Syracuse must have said his name three times, because Beetlejuice arrived at the Landmark Theatre on Wednesday, May 14 and is staying through Sunday. This might be the only kind of show where an audience member can scream out “Dead Mom Club!” in the middle of the production — and warrant a few ‘woos’ and chuckles because of it. Death is not just made light in this production; it is made to be vibrant, hilarious and fun.

Right from Beetlejuice’s opening number of “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing,” two points are crystal clear: Justin Collette nails Beetlejuice’s signature rasp and persona, and this musical rendition of the classic 1988 movie is not entirely true-to-its-roots. The traveling broadway production, written by Scott Brown and Anthony King, does maintain loyalty with the parts of the original that matter — such as the iconic “Day-O” possession scene and the closing “Jump in the Line” number — but for the most part, many aspects of the plot and characters are modified. 

Some adjustments work well, especially in their comedic impact. The hyper-suburbanization of characters Adam and Barbara, played by Will Burton and Megan McGinnis, heightens the humor of their failed attempts at haunting (at one point, Barbara declares the “Trader Joe’s parking lot” as the most fear-evoking thing she knows). McGinnis crushes the wholesome naiveté of Barbara, but Burton’s depiction of her lanky, awkward husband crafts the Adam character as an unexpected apex comedian of the show.

Courtesy of Broadway in Syracuse

From left: Madison Mosley (Lydia), Will Burton (Adam) and Megan McGinnis (Barbara) as the family in ‘Beetlejuice.’

Lydia, played by Emilia Tagliani in Wednesday night’s performance, is also drenched in a blatant state of mourning for her late mother, making the character much more outwardly emotional than Winona Ryder’s portrayal. Character tweaks like these brought a richer emotional weight to the production’s stakes and deepened Beetlejuice’s musical purpose — a factor that Tagliani specifically drove home. Her performances in songs like “Dead Mom” and “Home” were so moving, it’s hard to believe she isn’t the tour’s primary Lydia.

There were some revisions, however, that didn’t land as well. While Delia, played by Sarah Litzsinger, stayed true to her obscure, redheaded roots, she also begins the musical as Lydia’s “life coach.” Delia’s comedic bits and deliveries, which tapped into a modern day white-lady-wannabe-guru archetype, didn’t always land — and next to Collette and Burton’s wacky charm, Litzsinger paled in comparison. Though some of her lines made laughter feel obligatory rather than earned, Litzsinger’s standout vocals came to the rescue.

Some of the musical’s funniest parts came from sharp one-liners built around modern political touchstones. For instance, while describing his desire to be seen, Beetlejuice says he feels invisible like a “gay republican.” In another scene, Beetlejuice describes just wanting to meet “his people,” which he describes as “socially liberal, fiscally conservative.” These moments struck a perfect balance between cult-classic charm and modern humor without feeling forced. The musical’s overall blend of nostalgia and present-day contexts was near-perfect — I now cannot unsee Beetlejuice as a figure who would call himself “Daddy” and be sexually aroused by Adam more than he was Barbara.

Courtesy of Broadway in Syracuse

Hillary Porter (Miss Argentina) and the tour company in the Broadway touring production of ‘Beetlejuice.’

From the flashy lighting to the murderously stylish gothic costume design, it is hard to define this musical as anything but striking. There were moments when the show teetered on the edge of being over-the-top (and some strobe lights definitely deserved a warning), but the otherworldly visuals were paramount in creating such a lively depiction of the afterlife. 

From graveyard gags to musical mayhem, Beetlejuice, overall, makes death look like a damn good time.

 Beetlejuice performances at the Landmark Theatre continue through Sunday with tickets available here.