A look into my spooky backstage tour of Beetlejuice the Musical at the Winter Garden Theatre.
All of my fellow Broadway lovers, this is for you.
If you pay attention to Broadway trends and current shows then you’ve definitely heard about Beetlejuice the Musical. Based on the 1988 film with music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect, this musical has been taking Broadway by storm.
The cast is lead by the incredibly talented Alex Brightman who is known for his eccentric character roles like Beetlejuice and Dewy Finn (Jack Black’s character) in School of Rock the Musical. Sophia Anne Caruso plays Lydia Deets, and her voice is unlike any I have ever heard before. She sings the show effortlessly, and although she has left the show, I’ve heard she has an upcoming television and film career.
I was lucky enough to get to see this show twice, and at the second performance, I happened to have someone at my work that knew one of the technical directors for the Winter Garden Theatre. This connection led to my family and I being able to get a Backstage tour of the show. I have been backstage at a few Broadway shows, but this tour was so detailed that I felt like I was a part of the performance.
My view from the stage of the Deet's house after it has been taken over by Beetlejuice.
Not only did we get to walk on the stage and see the set, but our guide took us under the stage to show us the trap doors, elevators, and costumes used in the show. We also got to look at how the set changes are run. The entire show is set in a house, and the interior of the house changes colors based on who is living there at the time. I learned about how the house wallpapers change like different outfits on a paper doll and are taken off during a musical number set on the roof or attic. All of the set changes are done while the music is playing, but the crew has to be extremely quiet so the audience has no idea what is going on behind the scenes.
Broadway is such a magical place. My friend Gina attended her first Broadway show that night with my family, and it was a huge honor for me to be a part of that experience.
Broadway constantly inspires current and future artists, and right now due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been shut down like most other major forms of entertainment. All I can say is that once Broadway re-opens please go support this form of art so that outstanding live performances like Beetlejuice can continue to be seen by audiences around the globe. If this show goes on tour and you have the chance to catch Beetlejuice, I highly recommend it.
