While you wait for ‘Beetlejuice 2,’ Broadway musical is coming — and it’s bringing a Miami actor home to SoFlo

Rod Stafford Hagwood, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Updated ·5 min read
While you wait for ‘Beetlejuice 2,’ Broadway musical is coming — and it’s bringing a Miami actor home to SoFlo
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If called into action, Matthew Michael Janisse may have to take over any number of parts when the Broadway national tour of “Beetlejuice” runs this month at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.

That because the actor, who grew up in Miami, is a “swing.” That’s an offstage role where the performer has to be ready to go onstage to fill in for several ensemble roles.

Janisse explains his swing-ness this way: “They cover all the people who don’t have lines and they have to know the dances and the harmony parts. They sing in groups and group numbers. So that is what I do on top of having understudy responsibilities.”

And those are some serious understudy responsibilities — including the title character Beetlejuice, ghostly lead Adam, father figure Charles, guru Otho and wealthy investor Maxie Dean. (Fun factoid: When Janisse does take on the Beetlejuice role, it is called “BeetleJANISSE,” according to his Instagram posts.)

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Based on the hit 1998 Tim Burton-directed movie starring Michael Keaton, the plot centers around a teenager named Lydia Deetz whose life changes when she meets (and teams up with) a recently deceased couple in the new home her father just bought. The ghosts call upon the demonic Beetlejuice to help scare the new inhabitants out of the house.

The stage musical version opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on April 25, 2019. The production was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and won the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award, both for scenic design.

By the way, “Beetlejuice 2” will reportedly hit screens on Sept. 6, 2024. Keaton recently made headlines when he announced that making the sequel was “the most fun I’ve had working on a movie in I can’t tell you how long.” He will be joined by returning stars Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, plus newbies Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Jenna Ortega.

Janisse’s favorite thing about Beetlejuice? “The music,” he says. “I remember the first song I got into was ‘What I Know Now’ … which is a ensemble heavy number that isn’t sung by one of the main characters. But then from that — and I don’t know if this happens to you in CDs or soundtracks — you listen to one song over and over and you’re like, ‘Maybe I’ll dip my toe into another song.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I really liked that song.’ … The music, no matter where you are, is infectious. And it goes from style to style. And it’s funny.”

The actor has previously done Broadway tours of “Cabaret,” “Mamma Mia!” and Something Rotten!” as well as appearing off-Broadway in “Kinky Boots.” You might also recognize him from his turn in a MassMutual commercial.

In South Florida, Janisse graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High in 2009 then earned a Musical Theatre degree from Florida State University in 2013.

The Janisse family has triple citizenship — from the United States, Canada and Venezuela. The actor was born in Venezuela to parents originally from Windsor, Canada. (He also spent time in Taiwan because of his father’s job.) They now call the United States home, with Janisse living in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, his parents in Miami’s Pinecrest and his brother in Wilmington, Del.

Here’s more from Janisse:

Q: Favorite SoFlo place to hangout?

A: Definitely Suniland (Shopping Center in Pinecrest). There was The Falls and then Suniland. And I preferred Suniland because it was like a five-story outdoor mall. But I did work at The Falls. I worked at Johnny Rockets next to the cinema … which was one of the best paying jobs I ever had.

Q: Lesson learned from previous Broadway tours that has been valuable on the road with “Beetlejuice”?

A: A very practical, actor thing, which is I learned what cookware to bring. On my first tour, I had like a George Foreman hot plate and it made the smoke alarm go off all the time. And I did a Grillerette and that was better, then I got an induction stove, and now I have an air fryer and no smoke alarm has gone off … I remember the first tour I packed like a full set of essential oils, which immediately shattered in the first airplane trip. I was like, “Ok, I’m not at home. I need to pare things down.”

Q: A little feature in “Beetlejuice” worth bringing to the audience’s attention?

A: Something I will say that’s special about this show is Beetlejuice himself works as a sort of narrator to the story. So he has a very intimate relationship with the audience and has a lot of room for improv.

Q: Best part about being a “swing” in a musical?

A: What I think is great about this position, and swings in general and understudies, is you think of actors in their careers and they’re like, “Oh, I get to be so many different parts and different things. I really get to express myself.” Well, I get to do that all in one show. I get to do different things at different moments. So I get to stay at one show and I get the benefit of a five-year career. One day, I can be Beetlejuice, next day it can be Adam. Next I can be mourner No. 3. It’s an exciting spot to me.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Beetlejuice”

WHEN: June 13-25

WHERE: Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale

COST: $33.79-$131.92

INFORMATION: 954-462-0222; browardcenter.org