Sophia Anne Caruso abruptly exits Beetlejuice on Broadway
Sophia Anne Caruso will no longer count herself among the strange and unusual.
The actress, who originated the role of Lydia Deetz in Broadway’s Beetlejuice, has abruptly exited the production before its scheduled closing on June 6.
Caruso, who had been with the show since its out-of-town tryout in Washington, posted on her Instagram story on Friday announcing her exit, writing, “If you planned tickets to see me, please note that Weds eve (19th) was my last performance of Beetlejuice. I will not be doing any future performances from it.”
That post no longer appears on her account, but a representative for the show confirmed that Wednesday was indeed her final performance. “Sophia Anne Caruso played her final performance in Beetlejuice on Wednesday, Feb. 19,” a representative said. “Sophia has decided to exercise her contractual out to pursue television work.” Presley Ryan is playing the role of Lydia through this weekend, and the production plans to announce a new Lydia next week.
It’s unusual for a star to exit a Broadway production with no advance warning. Typically, final performances are announced well in advance to alert ticket buyers and give audiences time to plan to see the cast member in question. Caruso, who is only 18, has worked more extensively on stage than television thus far. She guest starred on CBS’s Evil last year.
This news come on the heels of December’s closing notice. Beetlejuice is reportedly being pushed out of the Winter Garden Theatre in June to make room for this fall’s splashy revival of The Music Man. Many had hoped the show, which had consistently improved its box office returns since its March 2019 opening, could find a new home on Broadway — but Caruso’s exit further throws that possibility into doubt.
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