‘Beetlejuice’ offers ghoulish fun

In the wildly unhinged show about death, Ray Graham Ray as Beetlejuice and Liv Phillips as Lydia, together with their talented cast, will take the stage to deliver a hilarious, chaotic and mesmerizing performance of Beetlejuice Jr. at Whidbey Playhouse July 18-27.

As one of the Playhouse’s most tech-heavy shows, it incorporates colorful lights, interesting backdrops, smoke and furniture, which, in Beetlejuice’s words, will make you question your taste in home decor. Actors as young as 6 years old play dead cheerleaders, a giant sandworm, a demon mother and more, in choreographed numbers, as they flip, shout and sing.

“It was the perfect amount of, like, chaos and energy,” Julia Waldrup, a fourth-grade teacher, said after watching the preview. “So it was truly, really something special to watch. Probably like my favorite show that I’ve seen here to date. Like, oh my gosh, it was everything.”

Playhouse Vice President Eric George praised co-directors Shelbie and Matt Montoya for their teamwork and “phenomenal shows.” They one-up themselves in every show, he claimed.

The production itself is a family affair.

“My mom’s a producer, my husband does the tech stuff, my dad directs it with me,” Shelbie Montoya explained.

The cast’s fondness for each other shows up on and off stage, Shelby attested, and that has really contributed to their bond. Shelby loved watching the kids grow and gain confidence in their abilities throughout each rehearsal.

“Making magic together is really fun,” she said.

Liz Henricks, the music director, said the actors are natural talents. She enjoyed working with them on pronunciation, singing with clarity, and volume.

“The music, just, it’s a gift. Being able to be up there just builds confidence and builds memories and friendships that they’ll just never forget,” Hendricks said.

Cynthia Allen, the costume designer who has worked for the Playhouse for three years, shared an insider secret about the costumes. What most people wouldn’t know, she explained, is that she makes them from normal clothes. Lydia’s black dress, for example, was just a plain black dress before she added the lace and the frill details.

Another not-so-secret detail about the show is that the actors incorporate improvisation into their scenes, with the game show sequence being the most improvised scene, Ray said. It requires the audience to interact with the actors, leading to comedic chaos.

Ray, too, enjoyed the freedom of improvising a few of their lines while playing the positively insane and endearing character, Beetlejuice.

“The script is mostly just a guideline, and it’s just so much fun to toy around with it and see how much you can push boundaries before Shelbie gets mad at me,” Ray said. “Oh, my gosh, I live for it.”

Beetlejuice’s makeup, costume and hair take around two and a half hours to do every night. But to prepare for this role, Ray changed more than just their looks.

“Taking inspiration from the past people who got to fill the shoes of Beetlejuice was a big part of me kind of finding my space in the character,” they said.

In the past, Ray has worked as a metal singer for punk bands in the local music scene, where they perfected vocal-fry singing, which is a key part of Beetlejuice’s character.

Whidbey Playhouse is more than a stage for the actors; it is a safe haven for the community, George affirmed.

“For a lot of us and a lot of the people here in the community, this is like a second home for them. This is a safe place for a lot of adults, a lot of kids,” George said. “Without this place, there would be no creative arts.”

Performances will run at 7 p.m. on July 18 and 25, 7 and 2:30 p.m. on July 19 and 26 and 7:30 p.m. on July 20 and 27. On July 19, the role of Lydia will be played by Phillip’s understudy, Victoria Mutka.

Tickets may be purchased for $15 at the box office or online.

(Photos by Marina Blatt) Ray Graham Ray as ‘Beetlejuice,’ pretends to pee on stage as bystanders act disgusted.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Liv Phillips as ‘Lydia Deetz’ lies on a couch, missing her dead mom.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Beetlejuice sings and dance in sync with his clones.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Cora Fix as Delia Schlimmer sings Day-O while being possessed by ghosts.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Beetlejuice dances with glee during a chaotic dinner table scene.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Cyrus Amor as Otho acts sassy.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) ‘Dead cheerleader,’ played by Violette Harris, sings about how she died.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) From left, Lucas Smith, Adriana Froman and Dana Rivo sing about the Netherworld.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Lucas Smith and Amilia Gonzales dance as confetti rains down.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) Beetlejuice Clones One and Two, Jack Johnson and Kepanoinoapa Nero dance with Miss Argentina, Adriana Froman, in the Netherworld.