Say My Name: Backstage at Beetlejuice With Justin Collette, Episode 3: Debut Diaries

Justin Collette stars as the titular demon in Beetlejuice on Broadway. Someone must have said his name three times, because he's here to take fans behind the scenes of the spooky ooky show haunting the Palace Theatre. In episode three, Justin turns the camera on his castmates making their Broadway debuts in Beetlejuice.

Jesse Sharp, who plays Charles, started his career as an aspiring TV actor in Los Angeles 25 years ago, before he and his wife, multitalented swing Lexie Dorsett Sharp, moved to New York to focus on theater. “It still feels surreal every day," he said. "It’s not just the fact that I get to be an actor on Broadway, but I get to do this show with these people. It’s the greatest thing ever.” He and Dorsett Sharp are on Broadway together for the very first time. “My advice is, if you know this is meant for you, not to give up,” she said. “And along the way, make sure that you are building up people that love you and clapping for their success, because your timeline is your timeline…it doesn’t matter when you ‘make it’ if there’s no one there to celebrate with you.”

For ensemble member Michael Biren, the Great White Way was always the goal. “My parents are both performers and artists, so I kind of grew up into it,” he said. On opening night, Biren’s mother reminded him that he had initially intended to work his way through medical school while performing on Broadway. “Med school never happened,” Biren laughed. “But that’s OK; I finally got to Broadway.”

Ensemble member Matt Kurzyniec said he started performing in the eighth grade as a way to meet girls. He later worked as a bartender at the Marquis Theatre during Beetlejuice’s run. Maxie Dean/ensemble player Travis Mitchell said of reaching this career milestone: “There’s no timeline on it. It’s a lifetime.” These pros prove that even if you feel “Invisible” right now, there’s “No Reason” you can’t “Jump in the Line” with the best of them one “Day-O”!

Get inspired by watching the video below. Episodes are released weekly on Tuesdays. You can also catch highlights on The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal.

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