Actor, writer, and musician Justin Collette is currently starring in the title role of the North American tour of the 2019 Tony-nominated Broadway musical Beetlejuice.
Collette, playing the demon with a penchant for stripes, is joined in the touring production by Madison Mosley as Lydia Deetz, Will Burton as Adam, Megan McGinnis as Barbara, Jesse Sharp as Charles, Sarah Litzsinger as Delia, and more. Based on the cult-favorite, Tim Burton-directed 1988 film, Beetlejuice is playing the Northern Jubilee Auditorium in Alberta, Canada, through January 19 before heading on to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. Click here for the current itinerary, scheduled through July 2025.
Canadian-born Collette made his Broadway debut as Dewey Finn in Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock and was also seen as Lonny in a regional production of Rock of Ages. An accomplished sketch comedy/improv performer, he has also written and voiced numerous cartoon shorts for Bite on Mondo, racking up millions of views on YouTube.
In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get
Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians,
and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is
live theatre—Collette shares the benefits of improv, the challenges of performing on the road, and why growth as a person is especially important to growing as an artist.
Where were you born and raised?
Justin Collette: I was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. I grew up in a town called Riverview, which I think had a population of, like 11,000 when I lived there.
Where did you train/study?
I have no musical theatre or conservatory training. I played guitar and sang in bands throughout high school and got really involved with improv. Both those things just gave me so much stage time in front of a real crowd. I loved learning that way. There’s no more honest feedback than from a crowd who paid money to see you.
Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful?
I did take classes at the Second City and iO in Chicago with some incredible teachers. It was a really exciting time to be there; classes were still pretty small, and you got to know everyone in the theatre. All my teachers were so passionate; they really believed in what they were teaching, and to be surrounded by that energy was so inspiring.
Do you have a favorite onstage moment in Beetlejuice? What makes that part of the show particularly enjoyable?
There are honestly so many, but the attic scene in Act One is consistently my favorite. The scene has such a wild emotional arc for BJ, and it never gets dull to ride it. It’s also one of the scenes in the audition packet for the show, so it has a special place in my heart. I still have the video from the first time I performed it. I worked on that scene with friends, my dog… a lot of love went into it, and I still feel that every time I perform it.
What are the challenges and rewards of touring in a big musical?
It’s very challenging to find a work/life/health balance. I recharge socially, and I came out on tour right at the end of two pretty lonely pandemic years in Queens. So finding ways to charge my battery without burning out has been hard. Seeing the country and eating all the great food and performing for incredible audiences night after night though is unforgettable. There are more days where it’s hard to believe it can be this good than days when you can’t believe it’s this bad.
You made your Broadway debut in School of Rock. Can you share your memory of performing on a Broadway stage for the very first time?
I had done my put-in [rehearsal] for Dewey that afternoon and debuted in my ensemble track that night, for which there was no put in. So it was all very crazy. Part of my ensemble track was playing the drummer in "no vacancy" in a number that opens the show. I’ll never forget it—having the curtain go up on a packed house at the Winter Garden on a Friday night was ethereal. A total out-of-body experience. The only person I know who saw me in that track is my wife, and she said after the show, “You have to smile during the bows—you look insane.” I knew exactly what she meant. I was all business. So serious, haha.
Do you have a dream stage role or roles?
Let me be Bat Boy. Also, somebody please convince all parties involved to let me play Austin Powers on Broadway.
Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
The people that have my respect in this field are the people who aren’t afraid of the work. I live for this stuff and have never had much patience for people, like, blaming casting on a project they didn’t get or boiling down the reason they weren’t hired is 'cause they missed a note in their audition or something. I think you have to get so good they can’t ignore you. And I think becoming good at this is achievable if you approach this stuff with curiosity and vulnerability.
What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
My advice I would give to anyone starting out is to not forget to grow as a person while growing as an artist. It’s important to refine your skills, but it is critical that you grow as a person. Don’t spend all your time with other artists. Do a liberal arts degree if you can afford it. Do therapy if you can afford it. Fucking read. Read opinions you disagree with. You’ll never be good at pretending to be other people if you don’t know what other people are like.
Tell me about a time you almost gave up but didn’t.
I’ve gone so many times to “give up” only to learn I have no idea how to do that. The only thing I’ve given up on is giving up—I’m terrible at it. This is zero me trying to be inspirational and is just like, the truth.
What is your proudest achievement as an actor?
The proudest I’ve been as an actor I think has been doing Beetlejuice. And I feel the most genuine pride when someone I work with tells me their friends or family came to see the show and how much they loved it. It happens a lot on this show. As actors, there’s a lot of inviting your friends to see shit you don’t feel great about, and I’m so lucky to be part of a show where people are genuinely proud to show it off to people they love.
