“Beetlejuice” has taken the Broadway world by storm since its opening in 2019. The musical comedy based on the 1988 Tim Burton film quickly became a cult classic, myself included in the die-hard fanbase. Late October 2025, the Broadway community was taken by surprise when a new addition to the cast was announced; Trisha Paytas. For those who do not identify as being “chronically online,” the significance of Paytas’ addition to the cast might not register. Both her Broadway hyperfixation and transparency about being a “Beetlejuice” superfan since her days co-hosting “Frenemies” with H3’s Ethan Klein in 2021 made her a perfect celebrity guest for the role. But, can she actually sing? As someone who has seen Beetlejuice on Broadway twice before, once with original casting, as well as someone who is certainly chronically online, I knew I had to buy my ticket to see Paytas on her closing performance and get the scoop (just in case you missed it).
For those who are unfamiliar with the plot of “Beetlejuice,” here’s a quick recap. The 1988 film surrounds Lydia Deetz, a gothic teenager mourning her mother’s death. After her death, Lydia’s father, Charles Deetz, buys the family a house unknowingly haunted by a recently deceased couple, Adam and Barbara Maitland, whose ghosts live in the attic. Lydia is the only living human who can see Adam and Barbara, as “she herself is strange and unusual.” Enter Beetlejuice, a loud and chaotic demon from the netherworld who is seeking to escape his invisibility by making living Lydia say his name three times. Lydia enlists in Beetlejuice’s help to possess her father’s work dinner with Maxie Dean, hoping Charles would grow fearful of the ghosts in the house and move back to their old home, reverting to how life was before her mother’s passing. I won’t spoil the rest of the show for you, but you get the basic gist.
Trisha Paytas played the small but delightful role of Maxie Dean’s wife, Maxine. Her character is only present for one song, “Day-O,” the closing song of Act I. In this song, Beetlejuice, Adam, and Barbara Maitland wreak havoc on Charles Deetz’ work dinner with the Dean family and Charles’ business investors under Lydia’s orders. The iconic scene from the movie was the perfect place for a celebrity just as iconic as Trisha Paytas to be featured in.
I felt as though the role of Maxine Dean suited her perfectly. Despite being a small part without a song of her own, Paytas made the most of the time she had on stage. The majority of the lines for her role were filled with bubbly, ditzy laughter, perfectly fitting Paytas’ personality off stage. When she appeared on stage for the first time, there was a solid five minutes of applause before the song could begin. When she reappeared on stage for her final bow, the audience was erupting with excitement. I was clearly not the only one in the audience who thought that Paytas absolutely killed her role. As both a Trisha Paytas and Broadway superfan, I was absolutely delighted to see this production of “Beetlejuice.” Since Paytas has officially proven herself as a serious actor, I am looking forward to seeing her role in “Euphoria,” her first big role on screen. Are you going to be tuning in?