Creepy and funny ‘Beetlejuice’ at Fort Worth’s Bass Hall delivers its message well

Whoever said death can’t be fun never saw a Tim Burton production. The famous movie director has been finding ways to make the macabre humorous and lighthearted for decades.

And now one of his greatest characters has made his way onto the Bass Hall stage as “Beetlejuice the Musical. The Musical. The Musical” is in town now through Sunday, Nov. 3. It’s the latest in Performing Arts Fort Worth’s Broadway at the Bass 2024-25 Season presented by PNC Bank.

The musical, based on the 1988 film by Burton that starred Michael Keeton and a young Winona Ryder, launched on Broadway in 2019 and is now on a national tour. The rejuvenation in recent years also spawned a movie sequel in 2024, also directed by Burton.

While this version is directed by Alex Timbers, with choreography from Connor Gallagher, with the exception of a few diversions, particularly in the second act, it stays mostly loyal to the subject matter of the original.

I’ve been a fan of “Beetlejuice” over the years — though I did not dress in the iconic large black-and-white pinstripe suit made famous by the character, like many did on this night. However, I did not ever imagine the story set to music — but I’m thankful someone else did.

It works wonderfully, or you could say perfectly. Eddie Perfect wrote the music and lyrics from the book by Scott Brown and Anthony King.

The story centers on a teenager named Lydia Deetz (Madison Mosley), who discovers she can communicate with the spirit world because, while most living folks fear the strange and unusual, she says, “I myself am strange and unusual.” She’s dealing with her mother’s death and a neglectful father, Charles (Jesse Sharp), who has already found a new romantic interest in the ditzy Delia (a charmingly featherbrained performance by Sarah Litzsinger), originally hired as Lydia’s life coach.

Add to that a move to a new home in a new town takes Lydia away from the home she believes her mother could be haunting. There, she meets and makes friends with Adam and Barbara Maitland (Ryan Breslin and Megan McGinnis), who recently became ghosts through a freak accident and are trying unsuccessfully to haunt the new inhabitants out of their home.

The Maitlands, however, are too nice to be scary and don’t have the heart for it, but they also don’t want to share their home with the likes of Charles and Delia, though they immediately like Lydia. In steps Beetlejuice (Justin Collette), a “bio-exorcist” who specializes in getting rid of unwanted humans.

But once folks get to know how dastardly Beetlejuice truly is, they turn their focus on getting rid of him — which turns out to be much easier wished for than accomplished.

Instead of being frightened by the ghostly antics of the Maitlands — which includes the legendary rendition of “Day-O” made popular in the film - Charles and Delia, along with their dinner party guests, see the ghosts as a “cool” addition to the house. When Lydia summons Beetlejuice by saying his name three times (the only way he can be called), that changes, however, as the calypso fun takes a terrifying turn.

Meanwhile, to return to the world of the living permanently, Beetlejuice needs to marry a human. So, while Lydia believes he is helping her work to reunite with her mom in the netherworld, he’s actually working on his own devious design to trick her into matrimony.

Don’t expect a scene-for-scene remake of the film. For example, the ending differs greatly. There are some other differences as well, with the adjustments making for some nice surprises.

At the heart of the success of “Beetlejuice” is, well, Beetlejuice. Above all, his character has to connect with the audience, and Collette does so from the outset. In fact, he often breaks the “fourth wall” and addresses the audiences with lines such as “It’s the last day of their lives and this is what they’re talking about?” and “They just died and you folks are clapping? I love it!”

Collette plays Beetlejuice with an overflowing larger-than-life zest, often looking into the audience and saying things like, “This guy knows what I’m talking about.” He’s everything you’d expect and more from an egotistical, diabolical demon full of trickery and schemes — and hilarity.

Mosley’s chemistry alongside Collette mixes like fine wine and a scrumptious dinner - or perhaps in this case a burger and beer. In a sometimes graceful/sometimes rough gothic style she exudes the grief of a youth having lost her mother along with the loneliness of having no one to turn to.

In fact, it’s when she’s on the roof contemplating suicide that she meets Beetlejuice for the first time.

The rest of the cast meshes wonderfully with each other, along with a dance company that makes weird and spooky look fun like never before.

For a show with death as its centerpiece, the songs are filled with bounce and pep throughout, from the time Beetlejuice makes his debut with “The Whole Being Dead Thing” to “Creepy Old Guy” near the show’s end featuring him, Lydia, Delia, Charles and the Maitlands. The show is also not without its poignant musical moments, most notably “Home” in the second act, featuring the silky voice of Mosley, when Lydia realizes that life does have something to offer her after all.

There is a fine line between life and death. The other side is a mystery and we’ll get there soon enough, so there’s no need to rush. And when you do cross over, there’s no coming back.

“Beetlejuice,” for all its laughter and frivolity, delivers this message well.

So enjoy life while we have it. And enjoy this show while we have it in town.

This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 12:28 PM.