BEETLEJUICE - Pre-Broadway Tryout in DC- Page 12

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 11/16/18 at 1:28am

Dead Mom is getting cut after this run

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 11/16/18 at 1:43am

Why do I get the feeling they are going to cut everything that made the production work. I thought Dead mom was one of the better songs outta the bunch.

[JustReviewingOkay]

Posted: 11/16/18 at 2:11pm

I can meet you all halfway in the sense that I completely agree that it's the book that needs the most work. Perhaps a new writer even. 

[HunterK]

Posted: 11/16/18 at 2:25pm

I as well loved “Dead Mom” but I truly loved “Running Away” In Act 2. Sophia seemed to have a grasp on her songs and that one in a Act 2 showed off her Gwen Stafani like voice.

A great find in Sophia!

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/16/18 at 4:26pm

I'll say this: I enjoyed the version of Beetlejuice presented but I'd likely enjoy just about any presentation. And this show seems to know exactly what it wants to be: it's just not what almost anyone else wants it to be.

[Larcen26]

Posted: 11/17/18 at 8:14pm

Quick Review:

Overall a very entertaining production...glad I went, but it definitely has problems.

Music is fine but ultimately forgettable, Day O is fun, but Shake Shake Senora could not be more of an afterthought.

Act 1 is pretty solid, Act 2 is kinda a mess and removes nearly all of the positive narratives that were established in Act 1.  The emotional center of the show switches at the act break from The Maitlands over to Lydia and her father, which isn't a bad move per-se, but ultimately it leaves the Maitlands as kinda pointless characters, which spells out the major issue at the core.

If they keep Act 1 exactly as it is, but then fix Act 2 it will do well.  If not, the reviews will kill it dead.

[HunterK]

Posted: 11/18/18 at 1:57pm

I am surprised no one has mentioned Jill Abramovitz? She was an amazing scene stealer the made me laugh from the gut many times. When she came on in the end of Act 1 as "Maxine", I couldn't hold it together. Her plastic surgery over done face and hysterical comments were prize worthy. Than in Act 2 as Juno....perfection. I have seen her in 9 to 5 and Cinderella, but I am glad she gets some good moments. She does understudy Barbara and Delia. I think her Delia is going to be a hit!

Just wanted to give credit to where it is due!

[DCBurbanite]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 4:49pm

I just saw it yesterday afternoon in the balcony.  We were surrounded by people who were laughing hysterically; however, I thought the book was pretty flat and the music/lyrics were totally forgettable.  It was a bit vulgar, but nothing that my middle/high school kids don't already hear every day on the school bus.  We go up to NYC 3-4 times a year, and we won't be seeing this one again, even if they do implement significant changes.  The creepy-old-man-marrying-the-teen-girl thing just doesn't work for me.  Was anyone else concerned about his slapping on a yarmulke at the wedding scene?  Seemed unnecessary.  

Updated On: 11/19/18 at 04:49 PM

[KayGlass2]

Posted: 11/19/18 at 11:07pm

Oh boy.  THIS SHOW.  I don't post a lot here, but have been a lurker/reader for almost a decade now. I trekked it all the way out to DC from NYC to see Beetlejuice, and what can I say?

I can confidently say that it's the single worst show I've seen in the past ten years, maybe ever.

The book is a mess.  The songs are AWFUL.  Brightman is terrible - simply offensively, arrogantly, unbearably terrible.  The show is vulgar. The deviation from the source material makes zero sense at best, and is a ****show at worst.  I have never left at intermission for any show ever, but stuck around thinking "Surely this can't get worse"...and it did.

How to improve it before Broadway?  Ditch the book, the score, the director, and Brightman.  Start over.  Or better yet, don't bring it to Broadway AT ALL.

The best part?  The set, which was really quite amazing.