Alex Brightman Is the 2019 Broadway.com Star of the Year! Here’s Why We’re Saying His Name Three Times

Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice's beloved headliner, is the 2019 Broadway.com Star of the Year! From an elite group of 10 nominees, the fans voted for Brightman, who opened Beetlejuice as the musical’s titular ghoul last April; he returned to the Winter Garden Theatre after his Tony-nominated turn as Dewey in School of Rock. Like that production, Beetlejuice has fueled its run with an outpouring of support from dedicated fans, and Brightman’s lively and original portrayal of the degenerate demon has kept audiences jumping in the line.  

Brightman’s popularity earned him the title of Star of the Year, joining a long line of previous winners such as Christy Altomare, Josh Groban, Kelli O'Hara, Ramin Karimloo, Patina Miller, Daniel Radcliffe, Kristin Chenoweth and last year's reigning superstar, Erika Henningsen of Mean Girls. 

Here are just a few reasons why we’re saying Brightman! Brightman! Brightman!

He can turn a look.

In a #LiveAtFive interview, Brightman said that he "loved the Beetlejuice drag,” explaining how the show's creative team—including director Alex Timbers and costume designer William Ivey Long—designed his undead appearance. “My look, in particular, took about three years of makeup tests, ones that ranged from the exact Michael Keaton look from the movie to something that was way too scary,” he said. But then the team decided, "What if we just let me do the character—I was pulling all of these faces out in rehearsal that had a buck teeth feel to them—and just allow me to sort of, you know, David Bowie Elephant Man-it.”

Brightman always makes “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing” work.

Brightman opens Beetlejuice with “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing,” which welcomes the crowd to the eccentric charm of the show. It’s an audience favorite, and Brightman’s performed the song all over New York, from the Tonys to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to Today. At every performance, he debuts customized lyrics for each venue, courtesy of songwriter Eddie Perfect. Brightman's ability to sell the number every time—while hilariously referencing everything from Adam Driver in Star Wars to pumpkin spice lattes—makes the song a perfect vehicle to showcase the off-kilter appeal of the musical. Fans loved Brightman’s Tony performance so much, they voted "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing" among their favorites this year.

He cleans up well.

He’s a man of the people. 

Fans love Brightman, and he loves them back. He's a pillar of graciousness at the stage door—and even waved at passersby from his dressing room window during a mini-crisis at the Winter Garden. “Audiences have been nuts," Brightman told us. "People have said it's like we lock the doors and have a party for two and a half hours, or that we're in this secret society on Broadway that no one knows about." The show really is like a party, albeit one about death and sandworms.

He plays well with others.

Brightman brings a genuine warmth and humor to Beetlejuice, elevating the movie's sinister take on the ghoul to a lovable (if a little creepy) stage character. A lot of that definition comes from Brightman’s chemistry with co-star Sophia Anne Caruso as Lydia, whose relationship with Beetlejuice is the musical’s center. “This is like the best possible fanfiction for Beetlejuice you can see,” he said in the Broadway.com Spring Preview. “It uses every character you know and love, but we've taken a different road. I think it's the right way to do an adaptation.” The musical is as much Lydia's story as Beetlejuice's, so we stan a leading man who can share the spotlight.

He workshops new characters backstage.

It's clear the cast has a ball backstage, as we saw in Leslie Kritzer's Seize the Day-O vlog. The ever-creative Brightman also uses his downtime to work on new characters, such as the "bully" who enjoys unsweetened tea while yelling at the nerds around him. Watch this space for further developments.

He knows what he wants.

Brightman told Susan Blackwell about his most diva moment growing up. "I want you all to call me Brandon," he instructed his elementary school class. They didn't. But we love him for trying.

And he knows how to live!

Beetlejuice is not just a show about death; it’s also about "carpe-ing more diems." At every turn, Brightman reminds fans about the musical's big heart. As he told us, "I think people are going to come expecting the Tim Burton story—the wackiness, the aesthetic and that's all there, but the story that we're telling is one of how people deal with grief." On opening night, he added, "We want to remind you that life is short, death is long. So, why waste the time you have?” Brightman is an inspiration, and that's why you voted him the 2019 Star of the Year!