Beetlejuice!

Act 1: The Arrival of Beetlejuice and the Haunting of the Maitlands

Main Characters:

• Beetlejuice:

  • Initial Outfit:
    • Beetlejuice’s costume is designed to reflect his chaotic, unkempt, and over-the-top personality. He wears a black and white striped suit with a disheveled tie. The suit is a signature part of his look, symbolizing his eccentric nature.
    • Accessories: Messy, wild hair, makeup that’s smeared and exaggerated (to reflect his ghoulish features), and black shoes that complete his rebellious look. He carries a manic, energetic persona with his costume.

• Lydia Deetz:

  • Outfit:
    • Lydia’s costume reflects her goth, rebellious teenage personality. She typically wears dark clothing, often in shades of black or deep red, and embraces a more gothic aesthetic. Her outfit includes a fitted black dress or skirt paired with tights and boots.
    • Accessories: Heavy black eyeliner, dark makeup, and a choker or other goth-inspired jewelry, which emphasize her brooding, artistic nature.

• Barbara Maitland:

  • Outfit:
    • Barbara’s costume is grounded in the mid-20th-century suburban style, reflecting her “before-death” look. She typically wears a comfortable, modest outfit like a cardigan, blouse, and skirt, representing the everyday, housewife persona.
    • Accessories: Simple accessories such as a pair of glasses, shoes, and her hair in a neat style, reflecting her character's normalcy before the haunting begins.

• Adam Maitland:

  • Outfit:
    • Similar to Barbara, Adam’s outfit reflects a simple, suburban lifestyle. He often wears button-up shirts, slacks, and suspenders. His look is more laid-back and comfortable.
    • Accessories: Glasses, a belt, and simple shoes reflect his easy-going, yet somewhat nerdy character.

• Delia Deetz:

  • Outfit:
    • Delia’s costume reflects her attempts at sophistication and class, despite her eccentricity. She often wears high-fashion outfits with a quirky twist. Expect bright colors, bold patterns, and exaggerated silhouettes in her wardrobe.
    • Accessories: Statement jewelry, large hats, or scarves that show her eccentric taste, along with extravagant makeup.

• The Maitland's Ghosts (Ensemble):

  • Outfits:
    • As the Maitlands become ghosts, their costumes evolve to reflect their supernatural state. They wear the same outfits they were wearing when they died, but with a ghostly twist: their clothes are tattered, and their appearances are slightly decayed.
    • Accessories: Pale makeup, tattered clothing, and visible ghostly details like translucent or muted colors in the fabric to enhance their undead look.

Ensemble (Townfolk, Guests, and Other Characters):

• Townfolk:

  • The ensemble characters wear simple, everyday clothes for the town scenes, reflecting the 1980s suburban lifestyle. Expect button-up shirts, dresses, skirts, and slacks in muted colors, with the characters blending into the world of the Maitlands.
  • Accessories: Standard suburban accessories like hats, bags, and shoes to reinforce the mundane nature of the town.

• Other Characters (Ghosts, Guests):

  • Guests and additional characters in Act 1 wear period-appropriate costumes to the party or hauntings. For example, ghosts may wear outdated or vintage clothing to reflect the passage of time since their deaths.

Act 2: Beetlejuice's Chaos and the Final Showdown

Main Characters (Continued):

• Beetlejuice:

  • Costume Change (After Chaos):
    • As Beetlejuice’s chaos escalates in Act 2, his costume becomes even more exaggerated. He may wear different versions of his striped suit, with more outrageous embellishments. Expect neon colors, glowing elements, and more dramatic designs to show his growing power and instability.
    • Accessories: Extra props or accessories like a microphone or a chaotic item in his possession to highlight his over-the-top persona.

• Lydia Deetz:

  • Costume Change (The Final Scene):
    • Lydia’s costume in Act 2 is more elaborate and reflective of her bond with the supernatural world. She may wear an iconic red or black gown for the final showdown or transformation scene, signifying her evolution from goth teenager to the "Bride of Beetlejuice."
    • Accessories: Dark, dramatic makeup and a more refined, gothic wedding-style look, which contrasts with her earlier, more casual attire.

• Barbara Maitland:

  • Costume Change (Ghost Transformation):
    • As Barbara embraces her ghostly existence, her costume remains similar to Act 1, but it is enhanced with more ghostly and supernatural elements. She may wear a more ethereal version of her original outfit, with a glowing or spectral effect.
    • Accessories: Pale, glowing makeup or shimmering details in her dress, symbolizing her final acceptance of her spectral form.

• Adam Maitland:

  • Costume Change (Final Scene):
    • Adam’s ghostly costume is similarly enhanced, reflecting the character’s transition into the afterlife. His outfit remains the same, but there may be ethereal or glowing details that make him appear more otherworldly.
    • Accessories: Pale makeup, subtle glowing details, and a more ethereal aura to emphasize the ghostly, supernatural change.

• Delia Deetz:

  • Costume Change (Final Showdown):
    • In Act 2, Delia’s costumes become more eccentric and exaggerated, often with theatrical, over-the-top elements to match the chaos unfolding. She may wear bright, bold colors and extravagant designs that contrast with the ghosts’ more muted or ethereal looks.
    • Accessories: Bold jewelry, large hats, and dramatic accessories that show her need to control the situation while adapting to the chaos.

Ensemble (Party Guests, Ghoulish Figures, and Other Characters):

• Ghoulish Figures:
  • The ensemble ghoulish figures in Act 2 wear spooky, supernatural costumes, often with exaggerated makeup and clothing that reflects their monstrous or ghostly forms. Expect tattered clothing and eerie, glowing accessories to heighten the horror-comedy atmosphere.
• Party Guests:
  • The guests at the final party scene wear costumes reflecting their role in the final, surreal celebration or showdown. Their outfits often feature gaudy, dramatic styles to reflect the chaos, including oversized, vibrant dresses and exaggerated suits.

Special Notes:

• Color Palette:

  • Act 1: The color palette is more subdued and natural, with characters dressed in 1980s suburban-style clothing. Beetlejuice’s black-and-white striped suit is a focal point, with the contrast between his chaotic appearance and the normalcy of the other characters.
  • Act 2: The colors in Act 2 become more vibrant and chaotic. Expect neon greens, bright reds, purples, and blacks, especially for Beetlejuice’s costume and the surreal, supernatural elements. The colors reflect the absurd, out-of-control atmosphere as Beetlejuice’s antics escalate.

• Fabric Choices:

  • Act 1: Fabrics in Act 1 are practical and grounded, with cotton, polyester, and denim being common in the characters’ everyday clothing.
  • Act 2: As the supernatural world begins to unfold, fabrics like sequins, velvet, and glittery materials are used for the chaotic and larger-than-life costumes, reflecting the madness that ensues in the second act.