Vail Performing Arts Academy Rotates Leads in Beetlejuice Jr

Aspen —The Battle Mountain High School Auditorium smells like dust, old velvet, and the specific kind of anxiety that precedes opening night. It is a scent familiar to any parent who has driven down Highway 6 from Vail, watching the mountain rise in the rearview mirror. Inside, more than 65 students are rehearsing chaos.

They are preparing to summon the ghost-with-the-most, or at least a version of him suitable for ages eight through sixteen.

Vail Performing Arts Academy is presenting Beetlejuice, Jr. this summer, marking its 33rd year of keeping local youth busy when school lets out. The dates are set: Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. Showtimes are at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. each day.

The obvious take is that this is just another school play. Parents nod, check their calendars, and assume they will see the same faces in the front row that they did last year. But the part everyone skips past is the structural shift this production makes to accommodate volume.

More than 65 students make up the cast. That is not a typo. It is a deliberate choice to spread the load, ensuring that "taking center stage" isn't reserved for the three kids who already know how to sing in harmony.

"This huge cast is one of our best," said Annah Scully, the executive producer and founder. "They have come ready with their A game since our first rehearsal and are truly a genuine ‘family’ supporting each other and creating lasting friendships that are so inspirational."

Scully wrote in the Vail Daily that whether you are a longtime theater lover or just looking for a fun family outing, the production promises laughter and music. She is not wrong. But the mechanics of that promise are worth looking at closer.

Artistic Director Colin Meiring has a simple philosophy for managing 65 energetic bodies: "it’s a way to ‘spread the love’ allowing more students the invaluable experience of taking center stage."

He is not exaggerating. Each show day features a different cast of lead actors. This means if you buy a ticket for Saturday, you might see one version of the story. If you return on Sunday, you will see another. The roles are not static; they rotate.

Take the role of Lydia Deetz, for example. Violet Hustad and Ella Flin share it. Hustad performs the role in the July 25 shows, while Flin takes over for July 26. It is a small detail, but it underscores the academy’s commitment to access over exclusivity.

The creative team behind this rotation is substantial. Meiring leads the artistic direction, supported by music directors Melinda Carlson, Emma Waldorf, and Hannah Belle Terrell. Scully serves as founder and executive producer, while student intern Sadie Solomon, tech wizard Luke Vlaar, and costumer Val Watts handle the operational heavy lifting.

Students have spent July singing, dancing, acting, and working together to bring this colorful production to life. They have learned teamwork, discipline, confidence, and communication skills along the way. These are not abstract concepts; they are visible in how a 12-year-old adjusts their microphone or helps a younger peer with a costume change.

The production is based on the beloved motion picture and Broadway sensation, so the source material is recognizable. But the execution here is distinctly local. It happens in Eagle County, using local talent and local infrastructure.

Stand there long enough during rehearsal, and you can hear the specific cadence of these kids learning to project their voices without shouting. It is a skill that translates well, whether they are performing in Battle Mountain or somewhere else later in life.

The doors open at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The lights dim. The ghost arrives, or rather, his many young versions do. And for two days in late July, the valley holds its breath, then exhales applause.