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It almost takes longer to say “Beetlejuice!
Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!” than for
some of the scene changes to take place
in the new Broadway musical based on the
1988 Tim Burton movie. Within minutes,
sometimes seconds, workers must morph
the traditional country home of the recently
deceased Maitlands to the kitsch
taste of the Deetzes, and then finally into a
demon-infested haunted play land.
Beetlejuice is a musical with music and
lyrics by Eddie Perfect and book by Scott
Brown and Anthony King. It is based on
the 1988 film of the same name. The story
concerns a deceased couple who try to
haunt the new inhabitants of their former
home and call for help from a devious bioexorcist
ghost named Betelgeuse (pronounced
„Beetlejuice“), who is summoned
by saying his name three times. One of the
new inhabitants is a young girl, Lydia, who
is dealing with her mother‘s death and her
neglectful father.
The eye-popping set is the brainchild of
the scenic designer David Korins and the
director Alex Timbers. Mr. Korins, who
counts “Hamilton” and “Dear Evan Hansen”
among his Broadway credits, said in
an interview at his Midtown studio that
“Beetlejuice,” which had a preliminary run
Concept for the
Maitland‘s House.
in Washington, D.C., was the most technically
complicated show he had ever worked
on. His task: making room for puppetry,
special effects, quick changes and dance
numbers while bringing Mr. Burton’s distinct
style to life on one stage, without the
film director’s ability to cut away.
Also a challenge: striking a balance between
imitation and innovation. “I didn’t
want to just put Tim Burton on stage,”
Mr. Korins said. “I wanted to lean into
the work but also put our own spin on it.”
Much of “Beetlejuice,” which is now in
previews and opens April 25 at the Winter
Garden Theater, takes place at the home
of the Maitlands, a kindhearted, cautious
couple who find themselves dead as a result
of a freak accident. The home is sleekly
redecorated when the new owners, the
Deetz family, settle in. Finally, sandworms
and demons roam the living room when
Beetlejuice, played by Alex Brightman,
takes over; at one point, the house even
hosts a game show.
Old record albums are
hidden away.
Concept for the
Maitland‘s House
Ready for that trip to the netherworld?
Here’s a deep dive into the transformations:
Country Bland to Haunted House
When the creators began work six years
ago, Mr. Korins said they set out to make the
home a multifaceted character in itself. “Every
single thing that is a telltale visual and architectural
element gets changed,” he explained.
“All the walls, all the window dressing,
every single light fixture and the fireplace.”
“The Maitlands are kind of country-fabulous
chic,” Mr. Korins said. “They then
basically have their world bleached and modernized
by the Deetzes.” And then, Beetlejuice
has free rein.
Look closely when he takes over the
home from the Deetzes: Flat walls contour
in contrasting directions. How? Stagehands
tack up undulating wall panels that bend
and twirl to create the impression of chaos.
Tim Burton, in Several Dimensions
Beyond the big changes, small decorative
details are traded in and out depending on
which iteration of the house we’re watching.
Mr. Burton was an animator before ma-
CAESAR 07/2020