Positivity is a luxury that few can afford! But I’m positive that you’ll want to catch Beetlejuice now that it’s returned home to The National Theatre for a two-week summertime engagement! It’s a show about death! And they tell you that straight away— no punches— no surprises— well, plenty of surprises, but not about the whole “being dead thing.” Based on the Geffen Company Picture of the same name, with story by Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson, buckle-up for a wild six-foot-sandworm of a ride! beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. BEETLEJUIC!!! (the musical. The Musical. THE MUSICAL!!!) is here (and directed by Catie Davis on tour, with Michael Fatica’s choreography, based on original choreography by Connor Gallagher and direction by Alex Timbers.)

It’s spectacle to the next level, compliments of the design team— David Korins’ scenic design, Kenneth Posner’s lighting design, Peter Nigrini’s projection design, Peter Hylenski’s sound design, William Ivey Long’s costume design, Jeremy Chernick’s special effects design, with Michael Weber on magic & illusion, Charles G. LaPointe on hair & wig, and Michael Curry on puppets— though on opening night the house and mic sound balance was way off. Both Beetlejuice and Lydia’s mics were way deep on the cool side, making it difficult for them to be heard, even when they were performing their respective solo moments. The orchestra (as led by Conductor Charlie Yokom and featuring local musicians Jim Roberts on guitar and Paul Henry on bass) has a glorious sound but at times is too loud, which just feels not right at a national touring venue in the nation’s capital. But sound issues aside— the creative components of the touring show were a true smash. All the iconic character looks— especially once the plot parks itself in the Netherworld— and the house, and use of partitioning the curtains to keep scenic transitions smooth, are all up to the caliber of a Broadway spectacle-heavy show.

The ensemble is chock-a-block with rockstars— Emily Adams, Justin Baret, Alessandra Casanova, Mai Caslowitz, Adam Fields, Da’Zaria Haris, Michael P. Korner, Catie Leonard, Dan Mason, Clark Anton Rulon, Nick Signor, Jillian Worthing, Galvin Yuan— especially when they all have to be ‘Beetlejuice’ and then still do some serious amazing chaos-informed choreography…especially Nick Signor who’s doing gymnastic flips and twists like he was borrowed from Cirque du Soleil. Mad props to Adam Fields for playing the woo-woo-guru-over-the-top chaos-master Otho. We don’t get to meet that character until the second act but my goodness is a scene-stealing hoot for the few moments he’s among us. And Da’Zaria Harris, who plays both Maxine Dean and Juno, is equally hysterical in both of her cameo character appearances. But the ‘ensemble-of-the-show’ award goes to Alessandra Casanova as Miss Argentina for her powerhouse, knockout number “What I Know Now.”

Amazing ensemble aside, when you break it down it’s The Maitlands, Barbara (Kaitlinn Feely) and Adam (David Wilson), Charles (Jeff Brooks) and Delia (Bailey Frankenberg), Lydia (Leianna Weaver) and of course, the titular hot-shot, Mr. Beetlejuice himself…Ryan Stajmiger. And the six of them make for one heck of a wild ride. Feely and Wilson are bringing that quirky-cute energy to their liveliness…and deathliness. Hey, it is a show about death! And that whole being dead thing!? It happens pretty flipping quick! Both Feely and Wilson have strong voices and they play their respective roles well, with Wilson having a superb balance between being hyper-dorky but not too phony or caricaturized in the process. And Feely’s maternal approach to interacting with Lydia feels perfectly balanced.

Bailey Frankenberg’s Delia is off the chains! She’s infectiously bright and full of that gross-level of ‘woo-woo sunshine’ that just makes you cringe, especially if you’re bathed in darkness like poor Lydia who has to absorb most of her nonsense. “No Reason” is her big breakout number and you get to love every minute of her vocal tenacity and the way she spooks so easily around Lydia. As Charles, Jeff Brooks is rather milquetoasty, albeit intentionally, and it actually really makes for the perfect crescendo when he finally comes to that reckoning moment in the Netherworld with Lydia. The whole aforementioned quartet do their respective parts to make “Creepy Old Guy” one of the most entertaining numbers in the song, including the additions of Lydia and Beetlejuice to the number.

As Lydia, Leianna Weaver has the ‘strange and unusual’ complex down to perfection and in a most earnest vein. It never feels like she’s ‘playing at being goth and emo’ or trying to be dark and twisty for the sake of venting something. The verisimilitude with which she approaches the deep emotional baggage attached to the character is astonishing. And so are her belting capabilities and her emotional fortitude when singing. “Dead Mom” and “Home” are where she knocks it out of the park and she even gets cheeky during “Say My Name” with Stajmiger’s Beetlejuice. The working dynamic between Weaver and Stajmiger is loads of fun to explore all throughout the performance.

And Stajmiger is bringing his gritty, grody, gross A-game to the table as the titular character. He’s got the gravelly voice, the sharp comedic timing, the expasperative facial and physical expressions; he’s even got a brilliant handle on those quippy little asides with the audience! Stajmiger brings the energy, the comedy, and the charisma all in one revolting dose and he’s razzle-dazzling both his on-stage cohorts and the audiennces in spades.

Say his name— THREE TIMES— and get yourself tickets to go and see Beetlejuice while it’s back in DC for this limited run!

Running Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission

Beetlejuice plays through July 19^th 2026 with Broadway at The National— 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets call the box office at (202) 628-6161 or purchase them online.