Beetlejuice the Musical has received rave reviews since making its highly anticipated Australian premiere in Melbourne in May. Karis Oka plays the musical’s star, the strange and unusual Lydia Deetz. The Scoop had the chance to sit down with Karis as the season heads into its final months. Karis talks all things Beetlejuice, including what the audiences have been like and what she’s doing to look after herself during the season. Read the full interview below.
Have you had any time to reflect on the experience of playing your dream role of Lydia in the Australian premiere of Beetlejuice? How are you feeling now that the show is up and running and you’re settled into the role?
I fear I’m in a constant state of reflection about it… I can’t help it (also just how I am about everything in life). It’s good to be in the thick of shows now, going from rehearsal into tech into previews into opening is a really turbulent time so I’m grateful to be in the rhythm of an 8 show week.
What has been your favourite Lydia moment in the show – the one you always look forward to in a run?
There are so so many – I truly don’t have a part of the show that I don’t enjoy doing. But once I get to the song Creepy Old Guy there is a certain relief that comes from being done with the heavier moments in Lydia’s storyline. And that song has everyone in it so it feels like a big stupid party. It’s the number where I end up laughing the most for sure.
There are some wildly outrageous comedic elements, including the enormous sandworm, but the show also tackles themes of grief and loss. How are you practising self-care during the season given the show requires so much both physically and emotionally?
Besides all the usual things like taking care of voice/body and striving for some semblance of a work-life balance (impossible), I go to therapy and have for years, so I’m pretty in practise of checking in with myself. We talk a lot about boundaries when it comes to not just me and the character, but also how I engage with people at stage door, online, doing publicity, and other demands of the show. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed by it all, and they’re not things you learn about in uni, so it’s an ongoing process.
Have you had any young fans reach out to you about what Lydia means to them?
So many! And not just young fans either. She’s such an iconic character and the movie came out in 1988, so heaps of people have loved Lydia Deetz before I was even alive. It’s really special to be a part of.
What have the Beetlejuice audiences been like, in general? Do they come dressed up? Are there any stage door moments you can share?
Beetlejuice fans are all true weirdos in the best way. And thank god. I have a lot of fun stage door interactions that I think could only happen at Beetlejuice. Someone handmade me a fuzzy puppet in a Lydia-inspired costume (there’s a lot of puppetry in the show). Someone else broke a wishbone with me. I’ve even done a few little drawings on people’s programs for them to get tattooed. I always tell people in costume I think they’re so cool for dressing up and I don’t know if they know how much I mean it. Anyone loving anything loudly is very cool to me.
The next two questions I always ask because I love hearing the answers. Are there any roles or shows on your personal bucket list – what is the next dream role for you?
To be honest I’m really just enjoying doing this now. And I’ll be a different person/performer on the other side of this, so who knows what I’ll want. The Crucible is probably on the bucket list. But to try to imagine what comes next feels like I just had a baby and everyone is asking me if I would have another one.
Yes, that’s so true! And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to get into this industry?
It’s a job. Yes it is a dream come true and heals your inner child etc. But it’s a job, and turning a passion into something you want to make money out of can be tricky to navigate. When you have a bad audition it’s easy to feel like not only you suck, but also maybe life sucks and you have no place in the industry. It spirals so quickly. Stay grounded and PLEASE – not just for your own sake, but also for the sake of everyone around you – go hang out with people that don’t know anything about musicals!
Beetlejuice the Musical runs until 11 September 2025 at the Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street Melbourne.
Tickets: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=BEETLEJ25
Website: https://beetlejuicethemusical.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/beetlejuiceaus/ and https://www.instagram.com/karisoka/
Photo credits: Michelle Grace Hunder
