Trisha Paytas Makes Her Debut in “Beetlejuice” on Broadway: ‘The Most Magical Night of My Life’

Trisha Paytas saw her big Broadway dream turn into a reality on Tuesday, Nov. 4, as she made her acting stage debut in Beetlejuice: The Musical.

The social media superstar and Just Trish podcast host is playing ‘Maxine Dean’ in the musical adaptation of Tim Burton’s 1988 film, which recently returned to the boards for the third time. Her three-week limited engagement is currently scheduled through Nov. 23.

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This is the first role Paytas has ever played on Broadway. She’s long discussed her dream of being in a musical, and back in February, performed a one-night-only benefit concert to a sold-out crowd.

Those same fans showed up at the Palace Theatre in New York City on Tuesday night, greeting Paytas with a rousing 30-second standing ovation when she made her entrance.

That same love was given to Paytas during her bows at curtain call and at the stage door after the show, where the internet sensation — who has amassed over 20 million fans and 2 billion views on YouTube — signed autographs and posed for photos with eager supporters.

“To everyone who came out to see the show tonight, [it was the] most magical night of my life because of you,” Paytas wrote on Instagram after the show, while reposting a series of photos shared by audience members. “Thank you. I love you. It’s because of YOU I’m here.”

Paytas is taking over the role of Maxine from Sharone Sayegh, who will continue to play “Juno” in the musical during Paytas’ run. She’ll resume performances as “Maxine Dean/Juno” on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Beetlejuice: The Musical is led by Justin Collette in the title role, created on screen by Michael Keaton. He’s joined by Isabella Esler (as “Lydia”), Megan McGinnis (as “Barbara”), Will Burton (as “Adam”), Jesse Sharp (as “Charles”) and Jenni Barber (as “Delia”) — characters memorialized in the film by Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara, respectively.

Madison Mosley plays “Lydia” at select performances, while Patrick Oliver Jones (“Otho”), Travis Mitchell (“Maxie Dean”), Vanessa Aurora Sierra (“Miss Argentina”) and Emilia Tagliani (“Girl Scout”) play featured roles.

The full cast includes Sophie Aknin, Michael Biren, Ryan Breslin, Jonathan Bryant, Marc Ginsburg, Katie Griffith, Eric Anthony Johnson, Maya Kazzaz, Matthew Kurzyniec, Kenway Hon Wai K Kua, Mateo Melendez, and Lexie Dorsett Sharp.

“This cast of Beetlejuice is something special,” Paytas wrote on Instagram. “Talent is unmatched. I’m lucky to get to be a fan backstage every night and listen to their brilliance. Soaking it all in.”

“They’ve been nothing but supportive and kind and wonderful,” she added. “Truly crying rn.”

Directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers with a score by Eddie Perfect and a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, Beetlejuice: The Musical first opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in April 25, 2019, and closed in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to an industry-wide Broadway shutdown. Performances resumed in April 2022 — this time at the Marquis Theatre, where it ran through January 2023.

In the six years since its debut, the show has become an internet sensation, with viewers online embracing the musical’s campy humor, jaw-dropping stage illusions and sing-along score, with bootlegs of the production going viral on TikTok and YouTube.

All of that love inspired Beetlejuice‘s return to Broadway again. The current run, coming from the North American tour, is scheduled to wrap on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.

Like the film, the story follows Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teen whose life takes a wild turn after she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a flair for chaos.

And while this is Paytas’ first time in the musical, she has honored it before, staging popular one-woman recreations of its numbers online.

Tickets for Beetlejuice: The Musical are now on sale.