Beetlejuice 2 Musical Goes on Tour, Starring Riverview Actor

From Riverview, New Brunswick, to New York City and across North America, Justin Collette is living his dream.

For the past two years, the musical theatre actor has been starring as the title character in the touring production of Beetlejuice. The stage show, based on the cult-classic 1988 film, has been a hit with audiences across the continent. Collette’s portrayal of the mischievous and outrageous ghost comes at an exciting time, as fans eagerly anticipate the release of Beetlejuice 2, the long-awaited sequel to the original movie, set to premiere later this year.

Before the pandemic, Collette worked on the Broadway production of School of Rock. With a new city almost every week, he estimates he’s performed in close to 100 different locations so far.

'Performing in New York is so exciting... People you know who can afford to travel to New York make the trip to see a Broadway show,' he told CBC's Shift. Now, as he brings Beetlejuice to audiences across North America, Collette is thrilled to be part of a character's legacy that’s only growing stronger with the upcoming sequel.

Collette says that every audience on tour brings a unique energy, depending on the city and theatre. (Matthew Murphy)

'It’s always a different experience,' he explained. 'Performing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, feels very different from performing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The crowd sizes vary, the sensibilities are different, and, of course, people’s political outlooks can also shape the atmosphere.'

As excitement builds for the upcoming release of Beetlejuice 2, Collette notes that the iconic character resonates differently with each audience. 'Some cities really lean into the humor and absurdity, while others seem to embrace the darker, more gothic side of the story. That’s part of what makes touring so exciting—it’s never the same show twice.'

Beetlejuice, a musical adaptation of Tim Burton’s classic film, follows the story of Lydia Deetz as she encounters a deceased couple and the eccentric demon himself — Beetlejuice.

According to Collette, the show’s audiences vary greatly in size, with one week drawing a crowd of 1,000 and the next week performing for as many as 5,000. With anticipation growing for the release of Beetlejuice 2, Collette says the character's popularity continues to thrive, attracting fans old and new to the stage production.

Actor Michael Keaton first brought the character of Beetlejuice to life in Tim Burton’s 1988 classic, a role that became iconic. A sequel, Beetlejuice 2, was released last year, continuing the legacy of the mischievous ghost. (Warner Bros Studios/YouTube)

For Justin Collette, stepping into the striped suit, green wig, and growling voice of Beetlejuice has been a unique challenge — but one he embraces every time he takes the stage.

Collette believes his background in voice acting for cartoons has been a major asset in sustaining the demanding vocal performance required for the role.

'I don’t know if I have freak vocal cords, or if I’m just conditioned for it, but I’ve been lucky,' he said. 'I’m not someone who loses his voice easily, so it’s probably a mix of genetic luck and my obsession with figuring out how to make it work.'

Although Collette has played iconic characters like Dewey Finn in School of Rock on Broadway, he still dreams of one day originating a role in a musical.

'In musical theater, there usually isn’t much room to make the character your own — people want to see the original versions of these characters,' he explained. But with the massive success of Beetlejuice on stage and the excitement surrounding Beetlejuice 2, Collette has found his own way to bring something fresh to the role while staying true to its beloved roots.

Collette, pictured on the right as Beetlejuice, has been performing in the North American touring production of the hit musical for the past two years. He is seen alongside Madison Mosley, who plays Lydia Deetz. (Matthew Murphy)

"I’ve been really lucky to work with directors who encouraged me not to just copy someone else’s work," Collette said. "I’d love the chance to be on the other side of it someday — to build a character completely from scratch."

The Beetlejuice North American tour is currently scheduled to run until July, including a more-than-month-long stop at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto.

For Collette, returning to Toronto has special meaning, as he lived there for six years. He also recalls performing at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa — his first big theatre experience — when he was just 15.

"It’s going to be like a full-circle moment," he said, reflecting on the journey that’s brought him from those early days to starring as Beetlejuice, a role that continues to thrive as the character's popularity grows, especially with the release of Beetlejuice 2 last year.