The premiere of the musical “Beetlejuice”, directed by Jacek Mikołajczyk, will open the 2025/26 season in the Syrena Theatre. Rehearsals for the play based on Tim Burton’s cult movie have just began.
Warsaw’s Syrena Theatre is celebrating its 80th anniversary. The first premiere of the jubilee year was the play “On Drugs” directed by Robert Talarczyk, which debuted in February. The second premiere will be the musical “Beetlejuice”, scheduled for September, directed by Jacek Mikołajczyk, the theatre’s artistic director, who is also the translator of the musical.
“Beetlejuice” is one of the best musical film adaptations that have premiered on Broadway in recent years. It is as bold as the original, keeping with its spirit of subversion, anarchism, although the authors have noticed that 40 years have passed since the film’s premiere, and they created a definitely modern musical. It’s full of great acting roles, powerful lyrics and jokes about reality, but most importantly, brilliant music and Eddie Perfect’s lyrics. Translating his smart jokes was pure happiness!
Jacek Mikołajczyk, theatre’s artistic director
Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! – every fan of Tim Burton’s cult 1988 film with Michael Keaton in the lead role knows this chant. Known in Poland as “Sok z żuka”, the film tells the story of the Maitlands, a married couple who die in an accident but return to their home as ghosts. They have no intention of leaving, even though another family has moved in. In an attempt to scare them away, the Maitlands enlist the help of the eccentric spirit Beetlejuice.
The creative team behind the musical adaptation, Scott Brown and Anthony King, together with Eddie Perfect responsible for writing the music and song lyrics, transferred to the stage Burton’s mix of weirdness and comic horror. But “Beetlejuice” is not only a sentimental journey back to the cinema of the 80s and 90s, but also a moving story about a lost teenager who has to deal with her mother’s passing.
The pre-premiere of the “Beetlejuice” musical which we are transferring to Poland from Broadway (the American show was nominated for eight Tony awards – the theatrical Academy Awards), is being coproduced by two theatres: the Syrena Theatre (premiere in Warsaw on September 13 and 14) and Teatr Rozrywki in Chorzów (premiere in Chorzów in Spring 2026).
I’m very happy that for this premiere we are working alongside one of the best Polish musical theatres. During the production, we had the chance to work with an excellent team of theatrical artisans from Chorzów, whose professionalism and mastery of their craft command the highest respect. Thanks to our co-production, audiences will have the opportunity to see “Beetlejuice” performed by two acting ensembles: one from the Syrena Theatre and one from Teatr Rozrywki. Together with Aleksandra Gajewska, the director of Teatr Rozrywki in Chorzów, we’re eagerly awaiting for both productions.
Monika Walecka, the director of the Syrena Theatre
The cast in Warsaw was selected through a casting process among 480 actors and actresses – a new record for the Syrena Theatre. Audiences will get a chance to see both our returning stars as well as eight new faces who will be debuting on our stage at Litewska 3 street. These are: Marcin “Sosna” Sosiński, as one of the actors playing Beetlejuice, Aleksandra Rownicka and Julia Totoszko as Lydia, as well as Żaneta Rus, Katarzyna Miednik, Krzysztof Dzwoniarski, Łukasz Kamiński and Marcel Zawadzki.
– We want to offer Syrena’s audiences the best musical acting in Poland – emphasizes Jacek Mikołajczyk. – And this time we were pleased that a group of fantastic artists have accepted our invitation to work in the play – both those known from our stage and new faces. It’s the perfect cast for “Beetlejuice”!
Tickets are available for the premiere set of “Beetlejuice” in the Syrena Theatre in September (11-28) and for the next set planned for December (11-21). Tickets can be purchased here.
The first part of rehearsals for “Beetlejuice” will run until the end of June, followed by preparations for the premiere – on stage and in costumes – starting in the second half of August.
CAST OF BEETLEJUICE
BEETLEJUICE: Maciej Maciejewski and Marcin „Sosna” Sosiński
LYDIA: Aleksandra Rowicka and Julia Totoszko
ADAM: Marek Grabiniok and Michał Juraszek
BARBARA: Małgorzata Majerska and Agnieszka Rose
DELIA:Małgorzata Chruściel and Anna Terpiłowska
MISS ARGENTINA:Aleksandra Gotowicka, Żaneta Rus and Paulina Mróz
CHARLES: Michał Konarski and Jacek Pluta
MAXINE/JUNE: Beatrycze Łukaszewska and Marta Walesiak-Łabędzka
MAXIE: Albert Osik and Piotr Siejka
ANSAMBLE:Adrianna Kućmierz, Dominika Łysakowska, Katarzyna Miednik, Paulina Mróz, Krzysztof Dzwoniarski, Krystian Embradora, Łukasz Kamiński, Karol Ledwosiński, Marcel Zawadzki
SWINGS: Klaudia Duda and Dominik Ochociński
GIRL SCOUT: Łucja Dobrogowska, Nadia Kędracka and Lena Wiciak
CREATIVE TEAM
SCREENPLAY: Scott Brown i Anthony King
MUSIC AND SONG LYRICS: Eddie Perfect
DIRECTION AND TRANSLATION: Jacek Mikołajczyk
CHOREOGRAPHY: Barbara Olech
SET DESIGN: Mariusz Napierała
COSTUMES: Anna Adamek
LIGHT DIRECTION: Katarzyna Łuszczyk
MUSIC DIRECTION: Tomasz Filipczak
VOCAL PREPARATION: Paulina Stekla
DIRECTOR’S ASSISTANT: Beatrycze Łukaszewska
CHOREOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: Dasha Melekh
Musical licensed by Music Theatre International.