As she sat in the audience watching the Broadway tour of “Beetlejuice” a few years ago, Kendall Smith knew she wanted to be in it one day.
“It was one of the most exciting shows I’ve seen,” said Smith, a Lakeside High School senior, who plays Barbara Maitland in the Augusta Jr. Players’ version of the show Sept. 26-27 at the Kroc Center.
“The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in ‘Beetlejuice JR.,’ the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion-picture-turned-Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole ‘being dead thing.’ Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium,” according to the play’s synopsis at the Augusta Players’ website.
The play takes the story from the film version, adds high-energy songs and blends in a softer side to elevate it.
“The way they deal with Lydia’s trauma is one of the better parts,” said Ebin Ryan, a 10th grade homeschool student who plays Adam Maitland. “I feel like it’s more in-depth.”
Both performers feel the songs bring the story to another level and admit to preferring the stage version to the film.
For Smith, she can see the character development in Barbara and compared Barbara’s arc to her own journey with the Augusta Junior Players.
She’s been in several shows including “Sister Act,” “Moana” and “Matilda.” In addition to acting, she’s helped behind the scenes with stage managing and technical aspects
“I feel I can really relate to her,” she said of Barbara.
Barbara is unsure and doubts herself, and Smith said she’s grown through her experiences, overcoming self-doubt while tackling stage fright and being able to perform on stage without any trace of it.
Ryan also feels being part of the Augusta Junior Players has helped him.
“It really gets you out of your shell,” he said.
It’s helped both of them create friendships with people they never would’ve met. Teens come from multiple schools across the area.
Smith and Ryan are having a blast doing this show, and they believe audiences will latch onto the vibe they bring to the stage and have a great time as well.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sept. 27. For tickets, go here.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards and is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
