Bold, Bizarre and Beautifully Unhinged, Beetlejuice Brings a Supernatural Spectacle with Real Heart to South Florida’s Kravis Center.

May 27th, 2026

When audiences arrive at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts this June to see Beetlejuice, they can expect bold visuals, big musical numbers, and plenty of supernatural fun. At the heart of the show is Lydia, a smart, grieving teenager played by rising stage actress Leianna Weaver, who says the role has been one of the most meaningful experiences of her career.

“I love Lydia,” Weaver shared during a recent interview before the show’s June 2 opening in West Palm Beach. “One of my favorite things about this role is how she gives people permission to express grief really loudly.”

Unlike the original film, the musical places more focus on Lydia’s grief over losing her mother. That emotional journey is part of what makes the character so powerful for both the performer and the audience.

“She’s really smart, sharp, quick, funny, and sensitive,” Weaver said. “She thinks everyone should grieve the same way she does, and she’s not shy about it.”

For Weaver, playing Lydia is also rewarding because of how much the show and character mean to fans. She said it is exciting to bring the role to audiences who may have been waiting a long time to see Beetlejuice live, while hopefully doing justice to a character many already love.

Leianna Weaver (Lydia) and Ryan Stajmiger (Beetlejuice). Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2026

The role has been both emotionally rewarding and creatively fulfilling. Weaver previously played Ariel in The Little Mermaid and laughed about how different Lydia is.

“Lydia’s definitely not a princess,” she joked. “It’s all black instead.”

Still, she sees a connection between the two characters. Both are determined young women, although Lydia’s version of determination takes a much darker and wilder path.

“Lydia goes to any means necessary,” she said. “She literally makes a deal with a demon to try and reconnect with her mom.”

That emotional drive helps keep the performance grounded, even when the show around her is packed with ghosts, chaos, comedy, and large-scale theatrical spectacle.

Spectacle is a huge part of Beetlejuice. Weaver called the production “a feast for the eyes,” pointing to everything from the lighting design and sound effects to the massive ensemble numbers.

“It’s so much bigger than one character,” she said. “The dancing, the sound effects, the visuals — it’s incredible.”

While Lydia’s emotional story remains her focus on stage, Weaver sometimes gets to watch rehearsals from the audience during put-ins, when understudies perform with the full technical elements. Seeing the show from that perspective reminds her how ambitious the production really is.

She also praised the cast around her, including the ensemble and supporting characters who help bring the strange world of Beetlejuice to life. She mentioned the clones in “Beautiful Sound” as especially fun and called David Wilson’s Adam “so endearing,” adding that audiences are unlikely to leave without finding at least one character to love.

Despite the demanding emotional and vocal requirements of performing multiple shows a week, Weaver approaches each performance with a calm, grounded mindset.

“I try to stay as neutral as possible before the show,” she explained.

Rather than forcing herself into an emotional state before curtain, she allows the story itself to guide her into Lydia’s mindset. The musical begins at Lydia’s mother’s funeral, giving the character’s grief room to build naturally as the show unfolds.

“The build of the show does it for me,” she said. “By the time we get to certain scenes, everything has developed organically.”

One of those major emotional moments comes during a scene between Lydia and her father, Charles. Weaver said the story builds toward what she described as “a really beautiful release,” allowing the character’s grief, frustration, and need for connection to come through honestly.

Touring with a show brings its own challenges. Each venue has different acoustics, stage sizes, and technical needs, but keeping the show consistent for the audience remains the goal.

“I want audiences to feel like they’re seeing the full show every single night,” she said. “If we’re doing our jobs right, they won’t notice what changed backstage.”

That consistency depends on a major group effort, from the touring cast and crew to the local crews who help load in and adapt the production from city to city. At the same time, the show still leaves room for fresh moments. Weaver said the cast continues to play, explore, and find new things with each other on stage, and an engaged audience can give the performers an extra lift.

“We could come into a show super tired,” she said, “but if the audience is there with us, that gives us everything we need.”

Beetlejuice Tour: (L-R): David Wilson (Adam), Kaitlin Feely (Barbara), Leianna Weaver (Lydia) and Ryan Stajmiger (Beetlejuice). Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2026

She also credited director Katie Davis with helping shape the production. According to Weaver, Davis gave the cast a strong framework while still allowing room to explore and find their own versions of the characters. That outside perspective, she said, is key when actors are deep inside the work and need guidance on what is or is not serving the story.

Weaver also talked honestly about what it takes to pursue a career in theater. She started ballet at age three, performed in church plays, appeared in Annie in fourth grade, and began taking theater more seriously in middle school. She later earned a BFA in acting and eventually chose to make performing her life’s work.

“It’s really hard,” she said, “but it’s super rewarding.”

Her advice for aspiring performers was simple and sincere: “Don’t compare yourself to anyone.”

With social media everywhere, Weaver stressed the importance of being authentic rather than trying to model a career after someone else’s path.

“Comparison can rob you of figuring out who you are creatively,” she said. “You have to find your own path.”

She also acknowledged that imposter syndrome is real, saying she has experienced it herself and still feels it at times. For her, that makes it even more important to stay focused on the work and avoid getting lost in comparison.

Protecting her voice is another major part of the job. With more than 100 performances behind her on tour, Weaver said she has learned to listen closely to what her body and voice need. Sleep, electrolytes, steaming, and knowing when to pull back vocally all help her preserve energy for the moments that require the most power.

As Beetlejuice travels across the country, this production has become her favorite theater experience so far. She has performed in her hometown of San Diego and on famous stages like the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, calling the experience “beyond my wildest dreams.”

The tour will also take the cast to Mexico City in the fall, a stop Weaver said the company is especially excited about. She also mentioned looking forward to performing at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., and in Canada. Still, each new venue brings its own excitement because every stop gives the cast a new audience and a new room to fill.

Even with her growing success, Weaver stays focused on what drew her to theater in the first place: connection.

“We’re all in a room together for two and a half hours,” she said. “People get to avoid whatever is happening in the world for a little while. Hopefully they laugh, feel something emotional, and leave lighter than when they walked in.”

For her, connecting with an audience comes down to truthful storytelling. She does not try to force laughs or add anything outside Lydia’s journey. Instead, she focuses on what Lydia wants, what she needs, and why the stakes matter.

With its mix of heart, humor, and haunting spectacle, Beetlejuice promises exactly the kind of escape Weaver describes. At the center is her honest and human portrayal of Lydia, bringing real emotion to one of musical theater’s most beloved modern shows.