Donning eccentric costumes and drowning in fake-death makeup, NC Drama prepared and presented an exciting rendition of “Beetlejuice Jr.” A breathtaking version of the full-length musical — a Broadway hit from 2018 to January 2026, — the show follows a young girl suffering the recent death of her mother who attempts to follow her to the underworld and learns the value of her remaining family along the way. Through an on-point casting, creative set changes and countless rehearsal hours, the NC Drama department truly brought a “show about death” to life.
Serving the role of the protagonist, Lydia Deets, magnet senior Mary Washburn beautifully portrayed a struggle between loss and acceptance. Magnet senior Seneca Cruz Cruz played the supportive father Charles Deets, as sophomore Katelyn McKoon presented the eccentric stepmother, Delia Deets. Throughout the story, the quilted family struggles to live in harmony as Lydia rages against their perceived disinterest in her mother’s passing. Meanwhile, a recently deceased couple, Adam and Barbra Maitland — portrayed by freshman Cameron McDermott and magnet senior Ella Cummings — navigate the life of the dead. The man of the hour, Beetlejuice, as presented by magnet senior Bryce Nichols, works in twisted ways to leave his lonely life of death for a second chance at life. During this scheming, he teams up with Lydia, who desperately wants to see her late mother again. Through a journey of music led by incredible vocals, impressive choreography and acting that walks the line between humor and vulnerability, NC Drama presented a spectacular show.
“I think Beetlejuice was so much fun and so unique because of all the improvising I was able to do. I genuinely don’t think any of my performances were the exact same any night, and I loved that. I loved being able to tweak my own reactions, and even words sometimes, but still authentically be Beetlejuice. It just felt like I was running around, and that was super freeing; it made me a lot less nervous. With most characters, I try to get into their heads and think how they would feel in this exact moment; with Beetlejuice, he’s so unpredictable and such a spaz that I just get to be stupid and silly, and it still works for his character,” Nichols said.
January 29 and 30, the team of actors, techies and directors finally performed the musical. Leading up to the show, auditions recruited a select cast and crew. Rehearsals were held twice a week — except for the full business week of dress rehearsals. NC construction built components of a set, while tech painted and built the rest, and sound and light techies composed stunning cues. Student directors — Washburn, McKoon and senior Ryan Mason — ensured each piece of the show fit together for a seamless performance. While the opening night on the 29th provided a thrilling performance to its audience, the Drama team truly shone on Friday, the 30th, demonstrating a comfort level on stage and expressing a clear elation upon the crowd’s responsiveness.
While originally scheduled for January 31, a Winter Storm Watch issued by the National Weather Service forced NC Drama to postpone their Saturday performances until February 28. The troupe of actors and tech gurus took the setback in stride, however, keeping their skills sharp via extra rehearsals in the dates leading up to the new matinee and closing night shows.
On the afternoon of their last shows, Adam Maitland actor, McDermott, fell ill and lost any ability to perform. Theatre teacher Candice Corcoran took the stressful announcement in stride, however, and appointed sophomore Ethan Hamilton to fill the role. After learning all the lines and dances in a short two hours, with the help of his cast, Hamilton put together an impressive and hilariously entertaining performance. His diligent work earned him special applause at the end of each Saturday show, as well as prideful hype from the NC theatre family.
“I feel like everyone in the cast was incredibly talented vocally, and it was great getting to hear everyone sing. Plus, the fun part of musicals is getting to express a character’s feelings and motivations through song — I think the music in Beetlejuice is great. I think it’s crazy how adverse I was to joining theatre initially because ultimately I felt like I wasn’t that great and was nervous, but I had a really great support system that encouraged me, and I’m thankful. Without them, I wouldn’t have had so many of the great experiences I’ve had in high school. I’m gonna miss everyone when the next show ends,” Nichols said.
