Friday, March 29, 2024

The ghost-with-the-most will come to the Wharton Center for 'Beetlejuice' musical

March 13, 2023
Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice.
Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022.
Justin Collette (Beetlejuice) and Tour Company of Beetlejuice. Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2022. —
Photo by Courtesy Photo | The State News

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Say his name three times and he’ll appear in East Lansing.

From March 14 to 19, "Beetlejuice: the National Tour" is coming to the Wharton Center. 

"Beetlejuice," tells the story of Lydia Deetz as her family moves from New York City to Connecticut. The Deetz's house is haunted by Adam and Barbara Maitland, a recently deceased couple. As the Maitlands struggle to cope with their new reality as ghosts, they consult the help of Beetlejuice, an immoral and evil but nevertheless wacky demon. 

Isabella Esler, who plays Lydia Dietz, describes her character as a “young, teenage emo girl who is getting adjusted to an entirely new environment."

"She’s obsessed with death and dresses in all black,” Esler said.

Esler said this adaptation of Beetlejuice differs from the original 1988 movie. The plot revolves more around Lydia’s story as she adjusts to her new home, rather than the unexpected, un-dead Maitlands that occupy it.

The national tour, however, remains mostly true to the Broadway adaptation, Esler said. 

“It’s the same story," she said. "There's some tiny differences with the set and maybe some line changes just to make it a little bit easier to change from city to city.” 

Esler said that Beetlejuice will shock and entertain the audience while giving them a unique experience.

“It is absolutely crazy and I mean that in the best way possible," Esler said. "You're going to experience all kinds of different emotions, you're going to be in shock a lot of the time, especially with the lighting, design, the set, the choreography, it's all very, very shocking."

"Beetlejuice" interacts with the audience a lot, which causes each performance to be a bit unique while creating an engaging experience, she said. 

The show will take place at Cobb Great Hall. Tickets, which cost $29 for students or $39 for the general public, can be purchased online.  

Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.

Discussion

Share and discuss “The ghost-with-the-most will come to the Wharton Center for 'Beetlejuice' musical ” on social media.