"A show about death brought back to life" Beetlejuice arrives at Denver Center for the Performing Arts
One of the funniest musicals touring the nation arrives in Denver this week, as the Denver Center for the Performing Arts hosts "Beetlejuice" starting Sept. 5. The hit movie from 35 years ago has been brought back to life and bolstered into a comical musical filled with countless bursts of laughter from the crowd.
Only CBS News Colorado's Dillon Thomas was given backstage access to the cast before they arrived at the Buell Theatre. The cast has been touring the United States for more than eight months now, and the fanbase is only growing by the day.
"A show about death was brought back to life by a fanbase, it is so cool," said Kate Marilley, an actress in the show.
Young or old, dead or alive, Beetlejuice is the musical of 2023 that promises to make everyone in the audience laugh.
"I love the show, the show is super fun. I think it is for everyone," said Isabella Esler, the actress who portrays "Lydia" in the show.
Several of the performances between Sept. 5 and 17 have already sold out, with the best bet of landing tickets coming during weekday showings.
Beetlejuice the musical has grown a cult following. Not only did it start with fans from the original film 35 years ago, but it has since grown a new generation of followers through social media. Young teens and young professionals, all of whom weren't even alive when the movie was released, are now flocking to the show. Many show up to the performance dressed up in the costumes shown on stage.
"It is just fun. You just sit there and have a great time for the entire 2.5 hours of the show," said Will Burton, the actor who portrays "Adam" in the show.
Thomas had the opportunity to see the musical while it showed at the iconic Hollywood Pantages Theatre in California. As someone who was born after the movie was released, he said he had a great time seeing a show he came into knowing nothing about.
All of the cast members that spoke with CBS News Colorado said they think all generations can connect to both the music and comedy of the show.
"There is just something for everybody which is awesome," Burton said.
"Our fans are amazing. They take a level of ownership over this show," said Justin Collette, the actor who portrays Beetlejuice in the musical.
Many Broadway performances attract specific generations and audiences. However, Beetlejuice was written in a way that makes people of all ages laugh at the same time. And, at other times, jokes are tailored to a specific generation.
"It is so rare that you get something that spans that generation gap," Burton said.
"I think there is a lot of running jokes, too, with people who have been a fan of the show for a while," Esler said. "I think there is a lot of fun little details that you will recognize from the movie that will make it really fun."
If you have seen the movie before, there will be many references to the film that you will pick up on. However, if you have never seen Beetlejuice before, the musical still guides you through the
