This season on Broadway there are a few new musicals people have been talking about, and one of those shows is Beetlejuice. It seems to have captured the imagination of many as it is based on the 1988 Tim Burton movie. In addition, the production images capture the brightness and spine-chilling fun of the stage production. Last week the Original Broadway Cast Recording was released by Ghostlight Records and it definitely captures the zaniness of this bright new show.
The musical Beetlejuice is based on the 1988 movie of the same name. However, in the first song the character Beetlejuice announces, “Such a bold departure from the original source material!” Although the concept is by Burton, the stage musical takes the audience on a different journey without losing the outrageousness or visual glamour that people would expect from the title Beetlejuice. The original music and lyrics are by Eddie Perfect and the book for the musical is by Scott Brown. The musical stars, Alex Brightman as Beetlejuice, Sophia Anne Caruso as Lydia, Kerry Butler as Barbara, Rob McClure as Adam, Adam Dannheisser as Charles, Leslie Kritzer as Delia, with Jill Abramovitz as Maxine Dean, Kelvin Moon Loh as Otho, Danny Rutigliano as Maxie Dean, and Dana Steingold as the Girl Scout. Those who have seen the show will love the cast recording of the musical as it captures the high-spirited fun of the show. Additionally, Ghostlight Records has partnered with Warner Bros. to present the Broadway Original Cast Recording of Beetlejuice.
I need to preface this music review by stating that I have not had the opportunity to see Beetlejuice onstage. That being said there are some songs I really enjoyed and some songs that I assume just work better with watching it being performed live. One of the things I really enjoyed on this recording is hearing Alex Brightman. As soon as he appears in the first song, “Prologue: Invisible” the listener can hear the eccentric and over the top characterization of Beetlejuice, which is exactly how it should be. The song “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing” not only captures Brightman’s energy, but his vocals really bring out the outlandishness of the character. Another one of my favorite songs on the album is “No Reason” performed by Leslie Kritzer and Sophia Anne Caruso. The powerhouse vocals in this song make it memorable and it is one of those songs I will listen to frequently. One last song I want to mention is the song “Invisible.” As much as I describe this musical as fun, I would say that the lyrics in this particular song such as “You’re invisible when you’re sad …. No one understands and everyone goes away” convey a more serious message. Some of the lyrics from the music of this show make it seem that even though this is an entertaining and fun show there is some depth to the characters. “Invisible” is wonderfully performed on the recording by Sophia Anne Caruso. One thing I need to mention is that some of the songs did not work for me due to the fact that I have not seen the show. One of those songs is “Day-o(The Banana Boat Song.)” I can hear that the song is animated, but without the visuals to accompany it, it seems to lose a little something when only hearing the song. That being said, those who have seen the show will adore this song and the rest of the recording as it captures all the vibrancy and liveliness of the cast.
Beetlejuice The Original Broadway Cast Recording is available for purchase through Ghostlight Records. For more information and to purchase the recording please visit www.ghostlightrecords.com/beetlejuice-original-broadway-cast-recording.html.
Photos courtesy of Ghostlight Records.
Kelli Curtin is founding editor and writer for theatresensation.com. She has maintained a love of the performing arts since a very early age and she is excited to share her passion about theatre and the Arts with her readers. Kelli can be found on Twitter, Facebook and on Instagram.
