It may still be two months until Singapore officially enters the Netherworld, but Beetlejuice The Musical is already raising the dead. Broadway’s brilliantly bonkers, eight-time Tony-nominated phenomenon will take over the Esplanade Theatre in January 2026. Here on a whirlwind media tour to stir up some trouble are the show’s two leads: Broadway titan Andy Karl (Beetlejuice) and breakout Australian star Karis Oka (Lydia Deetz), offering a first taste of the madness ahead before the musical arrives next year, fresh from a critically-acclaimed run in Melbourne.

Karl, a three-time Tony nominee and Olivier Award winner whose career has spanned Rocky, Groundhog Day The Musical, and Moulin Rouge!, says stepping into Beetlejuice’s striped suit is the most dangerously fun job he’s ever had. “This show doesn’t hold anything back,” he laughs. “It’s loud, it’s unhinged, and it gives me permission to be absolutely ridiculous in the best way.”

Based on Tim Burton’s beloved cult-classic film, the musical follows Lydia Deetz, a teen with a penchantfor the strange and unusual, whose world is turned upside down when she meets a recently deceased couple and a supernatural menace with a big mouth and even bigger personality. With a jaw-dropping set, a score that electrifies, and a book that gleefully ignores all the rules, Beetlejuice blends chaotic comedy with shockingly heartfelt storytelling.

Even with his long list of accolades, stepping into a character who gleefully breaks every theatre rule has been a new thrill. “Beetlejuice talks straight to the audience. I’m in their faces, messing with them; it’s chaos! But it’s also this incredibly joyful energy. When that connection works, you feel the whole room come alive.”

Meanwhile, Oka, whose radiant performances in SIX The Musical, Fangirls and Ride the Cyclone have made her one of Australia’s most exciting rising stars, promises that Lydia Deetz will hit Singapore right in the feels. “Lydia is so strong, so determined, and she runs at every emotion with her entire heart,” she says. “I love her for that; she’s fearless even when she’s breaking.”

Though Beetlejuice is packed with spectacle, with jaw-dropping illusions, sandworms, skeletons, and a practically living, breathing set, Oka says audiences should prepare to be blindsided by its emotional depth. “We go from the wildest comedy to moments that are incredibly real. I think that’s why people fall in love with it. It’s funny because it’s honest, and that honesty sneaks up on you when you least expect it.”

Bringing this larger-than-afterlife musical to Singapore is a career first for both performers, and they’re ready to make a mess of the place in the most theatrical way possible. “International audiences are the best,” Karl insists. “The excitement is different. And Singapore, we want you to get loud with us.”

Oka beams at the thought of opening this chapter of Lydia’s story abroad. “I feel incredibly lucky that theatre is letting me see more of the world. Doing a show I love, meeting new audiences, it’s the dream,” she says.

For a show built around characters demanding to be seen, this Singapore stop is all about bringing the feeling of home to all its audiences. “At its heart, the show is about belonging,” Karl says. “About finding your people, even if they’re dead, or a demon.”

Adds Oka: “Everyone feels strange and unusual sometimes. Lydia reminds us that’s not something to hide. It’s something to celebrate.”

So, Singapore, get ready for a haunting of the good kind. Skeletons will dance, demons will shout, and audiences will be invited to laugh, scream, and maybe even shed a tear or two. The countdown is ticking. The Netherworld is warming up. Say his name three times, and see what happens next.

Photo Credit: Michael Cassel Group

Beetlejuice The Musical plays from 15th January to 15th February 2026 at the Esplanade Theatre. Tickets available from SISTIC