“Alex Timbers sets a lively pace, and a killer cast embraces the quirky characters, offbeat jokes, madcap songs, and zany choreography (by Connor Gallagher) with full-blown vibrancy.”

“Choreographer Connor Gallagher (Elf, The Robber Bridegroom), thrives in the animated, comic book sort of world that is Beetlejuice. All of Gallagher’s choreography is refreshingly character-driven. The quirks and individuality of each character are embodied in his or her gait, posture and pedestrian articulation, in addition to the frequent vaudevillian dance breaks. In the memorable “Day O (The Banana Boat Song)”, Lydia’s father, Delia, and the possessed dinner guests jerk and undulate robotically as if their bodies have been taken over, out of their control. The ensemble also shines in numerous production numbers. At one point, the stage is covered with a whole squad of pinstripe suit-clad Beetlejuices, all dancing with chaotic abandon and limitless energy to illustrate the real Beetlejuice’s over-the-top character. Later in the show, the ensemble dons black body suits with white skeleton bones and huge skull headpieces for a more precision/unison number as if the Rockettes dumped Christmas for a Halloween Spectacular.”

“The show is a loving homage to a wonderfully weird original, reconceived for the stage with eye-popping design, full-throttle performances and a mischievous sense of fun that literally seems to drip from the Winter Garden Theatre’s chandeliers, tinged a ghoulish green for the occasion.”

“True to its source material, it’s loud, it’s cheeky, and it’s all about excess. It’s also — thanks in large part to Alex Brightman’s spot-on performance as the incorrigible titular ghoul — a pretty fun time.”

“The retooling done since its out-of-town tryout in D.C. — along with a host of others plot twists and character tweaks — gives the latest film-to-musical adaptation fresh snap, surprises and (gasp!) even heart. Sure, the narrative becomes a bit of a cluster-muck in the second act — but mostly it’s just screamingly good fun.”

““Beetlejuice”, the last new musical of the 2018-2019 Broadway season, is a ghoulishly good time that pays loving homage to the mythology of the movie while fundamentally reorienting the story and lending it an unexpected punch of pathos amid its crass and crude mania. Gorgeously designed with a Tim Burton aesthetic, and featuring a relentless series of bawdy jokes and entertaining songs, this hyperactive musical comedy might not meet the elevated aesthetic standards of some, but I had a blast. ”

“A joyful musical that celebrates death and the afterlife may seem like an odd mixture for audience entertainment, but black humor has long been an antidote to the venom of reality and Eddie Perfect’s wild and witty lyrics keep returning to existential minefields. While fans will be glad to see the dinner party scene in which all those gathered begin to sing and dance to “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” — yes at least one shrimp cocktail comes to life to grab an actor’s face and other objects become animated puppets to terrorize — the two best songs are reserved for the second act when we finally get a glimpse at the characters in the Netherworld (don’t fret, the hunter with the shrunken head appears for a song-and-dance number).”

“That song tells you more than the show’s subject matter. You know right away that you are in for one irreverent, funny roller-coaster ride to hell and back. It has bloodcurdlingly, witty dialogue. And a bunch of over-the-top characters. A man down the aisle from me laughed so hard he nearly lost one of his heads.”

“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! Cheering his name three times from the rafters wouldn’t be nearly enough to glorify this utterly fantastic stage adaptation. Praise the dark forces that conjured such a demonic delight! Its wild antics and grotesque yet glittery depictions of the underworld have restored lightness, cheek-aching laughter (as well as glimmers of unexpected depth) and unabashed, over-the-top, go-for-broke fun back to Broadway that hasn’t been this good since The Book of Mormon took over the town.”