Pleasanton Youth Theater Company performing ‘Beetlejuice JR’ next two weekends

The Firehouse Arts Center is extending the spooky season another two weekends after Halloween, with Pleasanton Youth Theater Company’s production of “Beetlejuice JR”.

The stage show follows the familiar story from the original film and follow-up Broadway musical, with outcast teenager Lydia Deetz navigating the loss of her mother while moving into a new house with her father – a house that happens to be haunted by a recently deceased couple and the eccentric demon Beetlejuice.

“I think fans of the original movie will find that same zany humor from the movie, while adding some new insight to each of the characters,” city library and recreation coordinator Jeff Zavattero told the Pleasanton Weekly as rehearsals wound down before opening night.

“Anyone who hasn’t seen the movie will have a blast discovering these characters and some people may relate to the journey they are all going through. This show doesn’t shy away from the pain of loss, but also celebrates the joy you can still find in life after loss,” Zavattero said. “I am really excited for people to see this show and see how these casts – the Strange Cast and Unusual Cast – present the material.”

PYTC Center Stage is presenting eight shows among the two casts of young actors between this Friday (Nov. 7) and next Sunday (Nov. 16). Performance times are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the city-operated black-box theater in downtown Pleasanton.

Firehouse reps hope the production brings the right combination of “humor, heart and mayhem” to engage and entertain not only families, but theater fans in general.

“The most intriguing thing to me was how this show handles grief in a very real way, while maintaining the humor people expect from Beetlejuice,” Zavattero said. “This version focuses more on the loss of Lydia’s mom and Charles’s wife, illustrating the different ways that they are coping as the story moves forward and how it affects their reactions to the wild events of the show.”

“Our actors have done such a wonderful job navigating the emotions that come with these heavy subjects, and I have found myself laughing and shedding tears during our rehearsals,” he added.

For tickets and more information, visit firehousearts.org.

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