No need to say his name three times. Beetlejuice, the striped-suit wearing, mischievous spirit himself will come to life on the stage of Draper Amphitheater this month in Draper Arts Council’s production of “Beetlejuice Jr.” The show is a version of “Beetlejuice: The Musical” performed by teen actors.

Based on Tim Burton’s 1988 cult film, “Beetlejuice: The Musical” opened on Broadway in 2018. Director Cassidy Ross explained the differences between the film and the musical. “There’s a lot more music,” she said. “It’s just got a little more pizazz, it’s a little more fun than the movie but tells the same basic story.” 

The plot revolves around self-described “strange and unusual” teen Lydia Deetz, who is mourning the death of her mother. She moves with her dad and stepmom into a house haunted by its previous owners, the Maitlands. Lydia is able to interact with the recently deceased couple as well as Beetlejuice, a powerful ghost. While Lydia wants Beetlejuice to help her reconnect with her mom, the spirit has his own plan to use her to escape the Netherworld and unleash chaos in the process.

Actor Ezekiel Binkerd, a recent graduate of Westlake High School, described the role of Beetlejuice as “a nice narcissist.” “He’s trying to help Lydia, but everything he does is to help himself,” Binkerd said. “His goal is to come back to life. To do that he has to marry someone so he’s trying to marry Lydia.” 

“It’s fun to play a big, over-the-top, fun character,” he added. “It’s a challenge to play.” 

On the one hand, “Beetlejuice Jr.” is filled with comedy and spectacle. The production includes the well-known scene from the original movie in which Lydia’s dad, stepmom and their guests perform Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” while possessed. At another point, Beetlejuice unleashes a giant striped sandworm, brought to life on stage as a huge puppet. 

Yet behind the show’s zany musical numbers lies a poignant message. Trinity Roberts, who plays Lydia, explained, “Lydia’s grief for her mom is very outward. But her dad’s attitude is, ‘let’s not even talk about it, it’s too painful.’ At the end of the show, Lydia and her dad are finally able to talk about their loss and come together again.” 

Roberts, a senior at Skyline High School, said that playing Lydia is a longtime dream come true. “I have a strong personal connection to this show,” she said, explaining that she lost her own mother four years ago. “I want to help people have a better understanding of their grief.” 

In the heavily-layered plot, each character has their own trajectory. In the song “Barbara 2.0,” Barbara and Adam Maitland sing about how being ghosts has been a liberating experience. Playing the roles has been an opportunity for actors Leah Memmott and Taylor Fairbourn, seniors at Alta High School, to grow as well. 

“Adam is a very simple character,” Fairbourn said. “You have to search a little to find him.” 

“This is my first lead role with Draper Arts Council,” Memmott said. “I’m really grateful for it, but it’s kind of scary. I’ve never been the one with the solo. It’s a big theater!” 

Director Ross remarked that the whole cast has shown themselves to be more than capable of handling their challenging roles. Junior versions of Broadway musicals often have somewhat streamlined plots and simplified musical arrangements. “We’re doing the same versions of the songs that Broadway does, not the junior versions,” Ross said. “All of these kids are so talented.”

The cast is comprised of teens from all over the valley. “We had 120 kids audition,” she said, explaining the difficulty of cutting down the cast list to 45.  

“One of my favorite things about being in the show is watching people and see how they grow,” Memmott said. “It is so cool how people can connect through theater.” 

Draper Arts Council’s “Beetlejuice Jr.” will be presented Aug. 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 and 11 at Draper Amphitheater. Gates open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. For more information and the link to purchase tickets, visit www.draperutah.gov/events-programs/draper-amphitheater/beetlejuice-jr/.