“IT’S SHOWTIME!!!”
On behalf of myself, RCT, and the staff & cast of Beetlejuice Jr., we welcome you to this kooky, quirky, strange, and unusual start to our 2026 season! This Tim Burton classic became a Broadway sensation, and now we’ve brought that sensation to the RCT stage for this Berks County premiere.
For anyone who may not know, this show is my directorial debut and I feel so incredibly honored and grateful that my first time directing a show is with the theater that I consider to be my home and my family. I had no idea back in 2016 when I was an RCT scholarship gala contestant, that a decade later I would get the chance to work side by side with my high school show director that taught me so much over the years. Jeannette, thank you so very much for this opportunity and for mentoring me through this. Getting to direct has been a dream come true.
And speaking of dreams coming true… This cast of 19 young performers was everything I wanted for this show and more. Even though this is labeled as a junior show, these are not junior level performers. I told them at the beginning of this process that I was not going to treat them like kids, I was going to treat them like professional level actors and expect them to do the work like professionals, and they delivered. This cast worked hard, came prepared,embraced their characters, and learned a ton of fun new skills that you normally wouldn’t learn in other shows (like how to scream in a healthy way for singers and how to be… dead).
As for my staff, I really lucked out and managed to get such a supportive staff that were with me every step of the way from start to finish. Jeannette, Patrick, Matt, Gene, Maxi, Carolyn, & Brandon… Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to make this show into what I envisioned. You and the cast have made my first time directing such a joy.
And of course I want to thank YOU dear audience member for taking the time to support this show, this cast, and this theater. I truly hope you fear for your life on this journey to the Netherworld and back where you’ll see themes of grief, regret, found family, love, and what it truly means to have a home.
“I HOPE YOU’RE READY FOR A SHOW ABOUT DEATH!”
Samantha Grinage,
Co-Director & Choreographer
