Beetlejuice the Musical Opens in October at the Des Moines Civic Center

Beetlejuice, the ghoulish demon that has captivated audiences for more than three decades, will haunt downtown Des Moines during the first week of October.

Des Moines Performing Arts presents a musical based on the Tim Burton film, which follows young Lydia Deetz as she moves into a haunted house with her family and encounters the striped demon Beetlejuice and a recently deceased couple.

In September, the Des Moines Register spoke with Isabella Esler, who plays Dietz in the musical, to discuss the beloved film-turned-musical and what audiences can expect from the Tony-nominated production.

You’ll enjoy the musical even if you haven’t seen the movie.

Esler said audiences will find many different reasons to love the musical. This includes the humor, how each show is a little different due to improvisation and audience interaction, and his personal story about family and loss. The film, which premiered in 1988, stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis as the late Maitland couple.

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If you’ve seen the movie, you’re in for something new.

According to Esler, the musical focuses more on the characters and perspectives of Dietz and Beetlejuice. For example, the musical explores Lydia’s character in greater detail, including how she copes with the loss of her mother, finding herself in a new home and meeting strange characters who lack a heartbeat.

It has music that will appeal to any audience.

Beetlejuice took care to create a soundtrack that reflected the different characters. “Each song I feel is different for each character,” Esler said. “I feel like Lydia has a more rocky, angsty vibe to her songs which reflects her character really well, and the Maitlands have a lot of that typical musical theater vibe to their songs which I think really reflects who they are. are.” Viewers can listen to the Beetlejuice soundtrack on music streaming services including Apple Music and Spotify.

This is the perfect opportunity to wear stripes or all black.

Whether you prefer Dietz’s gothic wardrobe or Beetlejuice’s signature pinstriped suit, just know that Esler enjoys seeing the looks from fans. “I’m 100 percent for everyone dressing up to perform, and I love seeing that on stage,” she said. “I don’t think I should watch, but I do. I definitely believe.”

At the core is a message that people can relate to.

Death may be an overarching and important theme throughout “Beetlejuice,” but the musical also explores family, including losing and holding on to what you have, Esler said. “It’s definitely nice to see fans in the US after shows and them telling me how they can cope with losing someone during a show or how much it means to them based on their own experiences,” she said. “It makes me happy to be a part of this type of experience for other people.”

When is Beetlejuice coming out?

Beetlejuice will appear at the Des Moines Community Center at 221 Walnut St. in Des Moines from October 3 to 8. Shows start at 19:30 from Tuesday to Saturday. There is a show on Saturday at 14:00 in addition to the evening show, as well as two Sunday shows at 13:00 and 18:30.

How much do Beetlejuice tickets cost?

Remaining tickets start at $95. Tickets can be purchased at the Des Moines Performing Arts website.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and the arts for the Des Moines Register. Contact her at PBarraza@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.