“It’s showtime!” The North American tour of Beetlejuice, the dark musical comedy based on Tim Burton’s zany 1988 film, is haunting the Portland stage now through Sunday, April 14. Here’s what you should know if you’re taking your kids to see “the ghost with the most.”
First of all, as the characters sing, this is “a show about death.” When a recently deceased young couple are unable to scare away the obnoxious people who purchased their home, they call on a poltergeist named Beetlejuice for assistance. They also get help from the new homeowner’s “strange and unusual” teenage daughter, Lydia. Played beautifully by Isabella Esler, Lydia longs to connect with her dead mother, whose funeral we witness in the opening number. In the film version, death-obsessed Lydia is a supporting character, but she’s a main character and focus of the plot in the musical. Because of this change, the musical is also a story about family, love, and how we manage grief and loss.
Secondly, while Beetlejuice is a lot of fun, it’s far from family-friendly. It contains strong language, mature subject matter and “crazy, inappropriate stuff you would expect from a deranged demon.” In other words, there are lots of cuss-words and lewd sexual jokes, and is therefore recommended for audiences aged 13+, though I would emphasize the plus. Theatergoers should also know that it’s chaotic, face-paced and loud. It utilizes fog and so much strobe lighting, we had to shield our eyes numerous times.
As I listened to the Broadway cast recording before seeing the show, I thought I might not enjoy it. Thankfully, I was happily surprised. From the Haunted Mansion vibes of the preshow to the “Jump in the Line” finale, Beetlejuice is a delightful madhouse of creepy camp and laugh-out-loud funny. Both my 17-year-old niece and I enjoyed it, despite a few groans over some of the lowbrow humor. The rest of the audience, which included a bunch of superfans dressed in black and white stripes with neon-green accents for the occasion, loved it. In fact, Beetlejuice is such a hit with Gen Z theater goers, that all remaining performances are sold out.
If You Go
If you want to go and don’t already have tickets, you’ll have to find them on resale sites such as Seat Geek and Vivid Seats. To avoid missing out on future Broadway in Portland shows, consider getting season tickets. Nine shows are offered in 2024-25, including family favorites like Peter Pan and Wicked.
Families, especially those with younger kids, won’t want to miss what’s coming up next. Annie, one of the best kid-friendly musicals ever, plays May 14-19.
Beetlejuice is two and a half hours long with one intermission, during which patrons at Keller Auditorium are no longer able to exit the building for fresh air since re-entry is not allowed. The main floor lobby gets incredibly crowded during intermission, but the upper levels are a nice spot to stretch your legs between acts.
- Beetlejuice is a Madhouse of Irreverent Fun - April 10, 2024
- Here’s Why You Should Splurge on The Lion King — Yes, Even After the Holidays - January 12, 2024
- The National Tour of Les Misérables is Fantastic — Are Your Kids Ready? - November 8, 2023
