Broadway’s ‘Beetlejuice’ Re-emerges in Philly With Local Talent

A touring Broadway production of the popular musical Beetlejuice has made its way to Philadelphia, along with two local stars.

Michael Biren from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Marc Ginsberg from Bensalem, Pennsylvania, have returned to their hometown musical theater roots along with the cast and crew of this musical adaptation of Tim Burton's 1988 film. The storyline revolves around Lydia Deetz, who meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a love for stripes named Beetlejuice following the death of her mother.

Beetlejuice opened on Tuesday, July 29, at the Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia. The production runs through Sunday, Aug. 3. Tickets and more information are available online.

"It's amazing to perform at the Academy of Music," said Biren to Action News 6. "It's a place where I grew up going to see shows, and it's amazing to have a chance to perform there. The first time I ever saw Beetlejuice was maybe 10 miles away across the bridge in Cherry Hill!"

Biren said he has been a member of this Broadway production from the first day. "The show's count is at like 960 shows at this point, and I've been in almost every single one of them," he added.

Ginsberg said he serves as an understudy for six roles in the musical, including Beetlejuice.

"People find something in the show that they relate to, and that's what keeps people coming back and enjoying the show in a way that I truly was not expecting," he said in a statement to Action News 6.