Beetlejuice Haunts The National Theatre
The ghost with the most is back in Washington. Beetlejuice, the raucous musical comedy based on Tim Burton's beloved 1988 film, has taken up residence at The National Theatre, where it runs through July 26, 2026.
For DC audiences, this is something of a homecoming. The National hosted the show's pre-Broadway tryout back in 2018, before it transferred to New York, survived a pandemic shutdown, and found viral new life with a devoted online fanbase. Now the North American tour brings the striped suit and green hair back to Pennsylvania Avenue for a limited engagement.
With music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect and a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, the musical takes the bones of the film and reshapes them into something all its own. The major story beats remain: a recently deceased couple, a haunted house, a demonic con man desperate to be seen, and a strange and unusual teenager named Lydia Deetz. But the stage version digs deeper into themes of grief, loss, and what it means to feel invisible, giving the wild comedy a surprisingly beating heart underneath all the mayhem.
Ryan Stajmiger leads the tour as Beetlejuice himself, gleefully demolishing the fourth wall with a rapid-fire comic energy that keeps the audience guessing whether his lines are scripted or spontaneous. Opposite him, Leianna Weaver brings a powerhouse voice to Lydia, delivering the show's big emotional numbers with the kind of vocal force that raises goosebumps. She shoulders the trickiest role in the show, one that has to be both funny and heartbreaking, often within the same scene.
The supporting cast is stacked with comedic talent. David Wilson and Kaitlin Feely play Adam and Barbara Maitland, the sweetly bland ghost couple learning to be interesting in the afterlife, with Feely showing off impressive vocals along the way. Jeff Brooks brings expert timing and genuine warmth to Lydia's father Charles, while Bailey Frankenberg nearly steals the show as Delia, mixing awkward and overconfident energy with killer line readings and inspired physical comedy. The ensemble makes the most of every moment, from a scene-stealing girl scout to the pompous guru Otho to the denizens of the Netherworld, including a showstopping turn from Miss Argentina, whose second-act tango about embracing life is one of the evening's true highlights.
The production itself is a visual feast. William Ivey Long's Día de los Muertos-inspired costumes and David Korins' Edward Gorey-flavored sets create a gorgeously ghoulish world, and the famous dinner party scene set to "Day-O," complete with giant possessed prawns, remains one of the most gleefully unhinged sequences in musical theatre. Tour director Catie Davis keeps the whole thing moving at a brisk, energetic pace.
Fair warning for families: this is not a show for young kids. Beetlejuice is recommended for ages 13 and up, with strong language, mature references, and exactly the kind of crazy, inappropriate humor you'd expect from a deranged demon. Sensitive viewers should also note the production uses intense flashing light effects. For teens and adults, though, it's a wild, funny, and unexpectedly touching night at the theatre.
Beetlejuice runs approximately two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission, at The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, through July 26, 2026.