Dead Serious: Grade 8 Musical, Beetlejuice!

Dead Serious: Grade 8 Musical, Beetlejuice!

1 December 2025Lila C, Hope ‘26

The hilarious, heartfelt, and a little creepy musical, Beetlejuice, hit the Killy Theatre running, with the talented Grade 8 performers and crew putting on a fun and frightful show! Beetlejuice, a chaotic but hilarious demon, is desperate to be seen. Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager, is dealing with rebellion and grief.

Brentwood’s new dance and musical theatre teacher, Ms Megan Rea, put her utmost into working with these eager performers to tackle this difficult but fun musical. Rehearsals are no easy task; they take long hours and often feel repetitive, but with this group of students, it was brilliant. “The Grade 8s worked extremely hard. All of their hard work and efforts were shown in the final performance,” Ms Rea explained. These aspiring actors learned their songs, dances, and lines in less than three months, with songs like The Whole Being Dead Thing and Say My Name being ones that were difficult to grasp. Sunday rehearsals and dress rehearsals were buzzing with positive energy from the performers and crew, creating an environment we will never forget. Songs and dances were stuck in heads, practised at home, and, of course, shone on stage.

For the majority of these 8s, it is their first time performing. Singing, dancing, and acting are daunting tasks, especially for your first time on stage. It takes courage, bravery, and determination to perform with a smile on your face. Grade 8 Teacher, Ms Waugh, explained, “I’m so proud of the fact that every single one of them is genuinely excited to be in musical this year.” For many, they stepped out of their comfort zone and portrayed their characters spectacularly. Liza D, Mack ‘26 said, “I’ll miss singing the songs backstage and getting to know the Grade 8’s. Every rehearsal and show was incredibly fun, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to be here.” The ghost that does the most, Ethan L, Ellis ‘30, reigned the stage in his role as Beetlejuice and Ainsley M, Mackenzie ‘30, embodied the ‘strange and unusual’ role of Lydia Deetz.

What made this musical special was not only the brilliant performance, but also the connection the crew and students made. Before every performance, the Theatre Pro crew would lead the them in a “pre-game huddle”, hyping them up and encouraging them to do their best. Kang C, Whittall ‘26 said, “I’m so happy to have had the chance to help them feel uplifted before the show, it was fun to watch them come alive on stage.’

As the curtain was about to close, the cast and crew had their final moments on stage together, a bittersweet moment for all.

A big thanks to Ms Rea, Ms Britton-Foster, the students of Theatre Production, and of course, our talented Grade 8s! I personally had a great time working on this production, and I am hopeful for the future of these aspiring performers.

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