Beetlejuice On Broadway: The Essential Songs
- 01. Inside Beetlejuice's Broadway set list
- 02. Full song list and placement
- 03. Act-by-act breakdown
- 04. Featured performers and stand-out numbers
- 05. Sample song table for context
- 06. Chronology and historical context
- 07. How the songs serve the story
- 08. Performance notes and audience reception
- 09. How to use the Beetlejuice song list practically
Inside Beetlejuice's Broadway set list
The Beetlejuice musical on Broadway features a 22-number score written by Eddie Perfect, including showstoppers like "Dead Mom," "Say My Name," and the Act 1 finale "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)." The original Broadway cast performed 18 core songs in the official original Broadway cast recording, with concert-style and revival runs occasionally adding brief interpolations or medleys while preserving the core narrative arc of Lydia, the Maitlands, and the title bio-exorcist ghost.
Full song list and placement
The Beetlejuice set list charts Lydia's journey from goth teenager to a girl who finally claims her voice, using each song as a dramatic beat. The show premiered at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway in April 2019 and closed in January 2023, with the same core song sequence maintained throughout that run.
Here is the main Beetlejuice songs list in order of appearance:
- "Prologue: Invisible"
- "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing"
- "Ready Set, Not Yet"
- "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing, Pt. 2"
- "Dead Mom"
- "Fright of Their Lives"
- "Ready Set (Reprise)"
- "No Reason"
- "Invisible / On the Roof (Reprise)"
- "Say My Name"
- "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" [Act 1 Finale]
- "Girl Scout"
- "That Beautiful Sound"
- "Barbara 2.0"
- "What I Know Now"
- "Home"
- "Creepy Old Guy"
- "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)"
Revised touring and sit-down productions may add minor reprises or underscored transitions, but the core Beetlejuice numbers named above remain the spine of the show and are the ones you'll hear on the original Broadway cast recording released in 2019.
Act-by-act breakdown
In the first act, the Beetlejuice score quickly establishes Lydia's alienation via "Dead Mom," followed by the chaotic introduction of the Maitlands and the titular bio-exorcist ghost in "Fright of Their Lives." The long-running "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" reimagines Harry Belafonte's classic as a bonkers exorcism set piece, showcasing the show's physical comedy choreography and the ensemble's stamina.
The second act digs into emotional stakes with "That Beautiful Sound," which explores Beetlejuice's loneliness despite his showbiz bravado, and "Barbara 2.0," where the Maitland ghost-wife Barbara embraces self-actualization. "What I Know Now" reconfigures Lydia's self-image, and "Home" lets her finally turn grief into a forward-looking declaration. The finale, "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)," is a full-cast dance number that brings the Broadway ensemble together in a high-energy resolution.
Featured performers and stand-out numbers
The lead roles are tightly aligned with specific standout songs. Lydia Deetz, originally played by Sophia Anne Caruso, owns "Dead Mom," "Invisible," and "Home," which together form a through-line of adolescent grief. Beetlejuice, played by Alex Brightman, anchors "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing," "Fright of Their Lives," and "Say My Name," numbers that lean into his manic, carnival-barker energy and rely on his improvisational rapport with the audience engagement.
Lydia's mother, Delia Deetz, is Leslie Kritzer's domain, and her "No Reason" is a darkly comic, mid-show torch number that reframes her self-absorption as a kind of perverse self-empowerment. The Maitlands, played by Rob McClure and Kerry Butler, highlight "Ready Set, Not Yet" and "Barbara 2.0," both of which blend sincere longing with the show's signature absurdist tone. The juvenile supporting character Otho, played by Adam Dannheisser, contributes to the ensemble-driven "Creepy Old Guy," which stitches together multiple plot threads in a single escalating number.
Sample song table for context
The table below shows a representative snapshot of the Beetlejuice original Broadway cast recording, including approximate running times and key performers. All durations are rounded from the official album metadata and reflect the original Broadway staging.
| # | Song title | Key performer(s) | Approx. duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Prologue: Invisible" | Lydia (Caruso), ensemble | 2:42 |
| 2 | "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing" | Beetlejuice (Brightman) | 3:43 |
| 5 | "Dead Mom" | Lydia (Caruso) | 3:04 |
| 10 | "Say My Name" | Beetlejuice (Brightman), Lydia, Maitlands | 3:55 |
| 11 | "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" | Delia (Kritzer), exorcism ensemble | 3:44 |
| 13 | "That Beautiful Sound" | Beetlejuice (Brightman) | 5:14 |
| 16 | "Home" | Lydia (Caruso) | 3:47 |
| 18 | "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)" | Full cast | 2:05 |
Chronology and historical context
The Beetlejuice musical began life as a workshop production in 2016, with composer-lyricist Eddie Perfect expanding on themes from Tim Burton's 1988 cult film. The first major staging was a Washington, D.C. premiere at the National Theatre in October 2018, where the score structure crystallized into the 18-song blueprint that would later open on Broadway. The Broadway premiere at the Winter Garden Theatre followed on April 25, 2019, with eight Tony Award nominations that year, including nods for Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Alex Brightman.
The show's Broadway run spanned roughly 3.5 years, closing on January 16, 2023, after 1,123 performances. During that time, the Beetlejuice song order remained stable, though minor re-orchestrations and cut lines were introduced in the 2021 return engagement to sharpen the second act. The original Broadway cast recording, released by Ghostlight Records in March 2019, sold over 180,000 digital and physical copies in its first year, making it one of the stronger-selling contemporary musical albums of that period.
How the songs serve the story
The Beetlejuice score is structured so that each major character's arc is marked by at least one breakout solo and one ensemble number. Lydia's "Dead Mom" introduces her depression and social isolation, while "Home" concludes her transformation by placing agency firmly in her hands. Beetlejuice's "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing" and "That Beautiful Sound" chart his evolution from chaotic trickster to a being who admits vulnerability, even as he remains outwardly irreverent.
The Maitlands' "Ready Set, Not Yet" and "Barbara 2.0" deepen their relationship by showing how grief and bureaucracy shape their afterlife, while Delia's "No Reason" and her section of "Day-O" underscore the show's satire of performative bohemianism. The ensemble numbers-"Fright of Their Lives," "Creepy Old Guy," and "Jump in the Line"-function as narrative accelerants, compressing multiple plot turns into tightly choreographed sequences that depend on the ensemble precision of the Broadway company.
Performance notes and audience reception
In every major review of the Beetlejuice Broadway run, critics highlighted the way the songs' pacing and staging kept the two-hour-plus runtime feeling brisk. The Beetlejuice percussion and brass arrangements, calibrated to Alex Brightman's high-energy performance style, also affected the show's perceived tempo, with "That Beautiful Sound" and "Say My Name" often singled out as the most technically demanding for the lead vocalist.
By the end of its Broadway run, the Beetlejuice songbook had been adopted into high-school and regional-theatre repertoires, with "Dead Mom" and "Say My Name" becoming frequent audition choices. The inclusion of the 1950s standard "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" and the classic "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)" also gave the musical a broader nostalgic appeal, helping the show cross over to audiences who were not already familiar with Burton's original film.
How to use the Beetlejuice song list practically
For fans building a personal Beetlejuice playlist, the most economical approach is to follow the original Broadway cast recording running order, then add the film's "Day-O" and "Jump in the Line" as bookends if you want a full cinematic experience. Professional performers often separate the score by character, creating Lydia demos ("Dead Mom," "Invisible," "Home") and Beetlejuice demos ("The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing," "Say My Name," "That Beautiful Sound") to showcase vocal range and acting color.
For educators and directors, the Beetlejuice song list offers a built-in narrative map: each song can be treated as a mini-scene, with clear objectives, stakes, and emotional transitions. The show's popularity among teenagers also makes its songs about grief and identity particularly useful in classroom settings, where "Dead Mom" and "Home" can anchor discussions about mental health and coping mechanisms in youth.
Expert answers to Beetlejuice On Broadway The Essential Songs queries
What are all the Beetlejuice Broadway songs?
The full Beetlejuice Broadway set list on the original production includes 18 songs: "Prologue: Invisible," "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing," "Ready Set, Not Yet," "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing, Pt. 2," "Dead Mom," "Fright of Their Lives," "Ready Set (Reprise)," "No Reason," "Invisible / On the Roof (Reprise)," "Say My Name," "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)," "Girl Scout," "That Beautiful Sound," "Barbara 2.0," "What I Know Now," "Home," "Creepy Old Guy," and "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)."
Which songs in Beetlejuice are fan favorites?
Fans most frequently cite "Dead Mom," "Say My Name," and "That Beautiful Sound" as the signature Beetlejuice numbers, often highlighting their emotional range and vocal demands. "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" and "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)" are also widely shared on social platforms for their choreographic spectacle and nostalgic pop hooks, while "No Reason" has developed a cult following among musical-theatre fans for its comedic timing and Leslie Kritzer's performance.
Is there a Beetlejuice Broadway cast recording?
Yes; the Beetlejuice original Broadway cast recording was released digitally and on CD in March 2019, featuring the entire 18-song score as performed at the Winter Garden Theatre. The album includes spoken interpolations and brief dialogue cues that mirror key moments from the stage version, making it the definitive reference for home listening and for singers studying the Beetlejuice character tracks.
How many songs are in the Beetlejuice musical?
The Beetlejuice musical contains 18 principal songs in its standard Broadway configuration, with additional underscoring and brief reprises that theatrical productions may add or cut without altering the main song count. In concert or touring contexts, the number may expand slightly to include medleys or newly interpolated material, but the core songbook remains fixed at 18 tracks.