Broadway musicals, at least for me, are more than just a mere production in a theatre; in fact, these musicals can be considered their own type of spectacle. With bright costumes, impressive set designs, amazing choreography, awe-inspiring music, and emotion-stirring acting, musicals often work to combine many of our senses to provide audiences with a moving, all-encompassing production. For many, musicals are a feast for the eyes, a melody for the ears, and I can't help but agree. I love musicals from the complicated dance numbers to the beautiful melodies.

However, Broadway musicals are not the only form of entertainment that hold a place in my heart. Personally, I am also a big fan of movies and other forms of creative storytelling. Specifically, like musicals, I love movies and stories that look at life and find ways to expand upon it; in other words, I absolutely love stories that see how to make the creative world its own version of a spectacle. Themes of magic, supernatural, and paranormal are the foundations for some of my favorite stories. So, given this, it should come to nobody's surprise that I have a major love for the story of "Beetlejuice." The film about ghosts and a creatively designed world dedicated to the afterlife definitely caught my attention with the movie and sparked my love for the story, character, and visuals. That love grew with the "Beetlejuice" cartoon series and now I am happy to say that this love extends to the "Beetlejuice" Musical as well.

Yes, the ghost with the most is now the ghost with the most presence on Broadway. The musical hit the stage and the world and as a lover of musicals, I can happily say that this musical has definitely lived up to the legacy created by the "Beetlejuice" film and animated cartoon series. There are many reasons to definitely check out this wonderful and spooky new musical and I will gladly run through them throughout this article.

For one, the visuals found within this musical are absolutely stunning when it comes to beauty and complexity. Not only did they absolutely nail the costume and visual design of the actors, the musical did a wonderful job at capturing the surreal and twisted style found in Burton's original film. The colors and style of the sets completely encompass that same creative feel found in the film while also expanding upon the technical abilities of the theatre. This is mainly seen in effects such as the Sandworm and other larger, mechanical monstrosities. They do well at capturing the same tone while creating the perfect visual spectacle for the eyes as well.

Now, it wouldn't be a musical worth reporting about if the music itself wasn't wonderful. I am happy to report that the music found in the musical is a lot of fun while being lovely to hear. Personally, I love songs in musicals that feel larger than the sum of its parts and almost seem to have a life of their own. For me, a lot of these songs fit that bill as they groove and shake throughout the entirety of the "Beetlejuice" plot. From the very first "The Whole Being Dead Thing" to the loud and bombastic "That Beautiful Sound," the music takes you on a rollercoaster that you don't want to exit.

This mainly has to do with the amazing prowess of the actors and actresses themselves who work so hard to bring these characters to life. All of the people on stage do a beautiful job, but I personally have a soft spot in my heart for Alex Brightman who plays the titular character. For me, it is magical to see and hear this man work because he does an amazing job at expressing Beetlejuice through visuals and speech. His mannerisms and behavior are spot on and the work that he does with his voice (he has a special technique with his throat and vocal cords that blows my mind) blows my mind. For me, his special performance really does call upon my nostalgia; after all, his voice work sounds so similar to the animated cartoon version of the ghostly character (my personal favorite version due to the fact I grew up watching the show). The work that Brightman and the other actors and actresses bring to the show is absolutely stunning and I couldn't imagine a better cast to portray these characters.

Even if you don't like musicals all that much, I would still recommend this show just because it is so darn funny. The actors work hard to make themselves so expressive while staying true to the characters and story they are portraying; for me, that extra work makes the entire musical even funnier than it has any right to be in the first place. Plus, it helps that Beetlejuice himself is a fun character with his crude personality, his brass nature, and his lack of respect for the fourth wall make for an amusing experience. If you loved the character in the movie or the cartoon, I definitely would go see this musical just for the continued comedic antics found in its comedy.

Overall, musicals can be a spectacle like no other. If you would like to have that spectacle be especially spooky in nature, I definitely recommend giving this musical a try.