At the end of September, Beetlejuice Broadway’s show producers announced the show will be closing in NYC on Jan. 8, 2023. Based on the 1988 Tim Burton film, this musical retells the story of the demon Beetlejuice, a lonely goth teenager, and the recently deceased. Its Broadway run had a bit of a bumpy ride. The show opened in April 2019 and was immediately a hit. In March 2020, the show closed with the rest of Broadway’s shut down for the pandemic. During the shutdown, producers were uncertain if the show would reopen, as they needed to find a new theater. In April 2022 they were able to reopen at the Marquis theater, and ticket sales continued to rise. However, nationwide inflation has seen a recent decrease in ticket sales, and the producers have decided to close the NYC run and focus on the national tour.
I had the opportunity to experience Beetlejuice on Broadway on Sept. 25 and here are five reasons why you shouldn’t see it:
- You Aren’t Funny
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At its core, this show is a comedy. The jokes begin at the very first line, and the humor is dark, raunchy, and contemporary. I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt by intermission, the crowd was in a cycle between gasps, giggles, and laughing so hard they snorted. If you aren’t funny or at least chuckle while scrolling through TikTok, you will hate this.
- You Hate Halloween
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Now I don’t mean hate Halloween as in you don’t like horror movies – I personally do not vibe with being scared by movies. I mean you hate Halloween as in: dressing up in costumes is a no for you, pumpkin patches and apple orchards don’t excite you, and seeing the leaves change colors doesn’t practically bring you to tears. If you weren’t excited for Hocus Pocus 2, you probably hate Halloween. Just like the film, Beetlejuice combines all the wonders of the holiday; it’s a bit dark and spooky, and there are bats, demons, and ghosts. It makes you feel like a kid again, begging the sun to start setting so you can trick-or-treat.
- You Are a Republican
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If you are a Republican, you will hate this. Especially if you are a white man. The jokes will be about you, and everyone will be laughing. There’s nothing else to say.
- You Hate Musicals
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If you hate musicals, you probably aren’t reading this – but the cast is incredibly talented, the songs beautifully combine ballads and show tunes, and the lyrics will remain stuck in your head for days. So you have been warned, this is only for those who can appreciate it. If you like the Nightmare Before Christmas then you are in the right place, if not, skip this one.
- You Don’t Appreciate Broadway
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This show has every quintessential Broadway trope you could ask for. The characters have depth, they evolve, and you fall in love with them. The crowd is interactive with the show – you’ll clap along to songs, the cast will interact with you, and it will be an experience you won’t forget. This is a show for many, but especially the Broadway obsessed.
In all seriousness, I can’t recommend this show enough. Please, please, please see it before they close. On top of an insanely talented cast and a captivating story, tickets are really affordable. My advice: buy them through TodayTix. They always have discounts and tickets available for any show. You will not know where your seats are if you buy through them, just your section, until the day of – but the theater is small enough that nowhere is a bad seat! Don’t let yourself miss out on this before it closes!