See Beetlejuice Jr. for 1 weekend only, November 6-8! Get tickets here.
At 13, Laird LaCoste has already worked alongside Hollywood stars, appeared in television commercials and performed in professional theatrical productions. But ask him about his latest role, and it's clear that playing a mischievous ghost in Norwell might be his favorite experience yet.
"I'm at the max of fun," Laird said of rehearsing for Beetlejuice Jr., which runs November 6–8 at The Company Theatre.
The seventh grader at Inly School in Scituate is taking on the title role in the musical, based on the beloved 1988 movie and Broadway production. For Laird, it's a dream come true. He fell in love with the show after seeing it in Boston and enjoyed it so much that he went back twice more.
"It's my dream role ever since I saw it in Boston," he said. "Beetlejuice is a very, very, very big and emotional character. This guy can be happy. This guy can be sad, angry, and worried all in one scene."
Laird is particularly drawn to the character's unpredictable personality. Beetlejuice may be determined to create chaos among the living, but beneath the mischief, there's a softer side.
"He's a lovable demon," Laird said.
Laird's love of performing started long before he stepped onto a stage. As a young child, he was more interested in pretending to play music than engaging in traditional make-believe games.
While other children might pick up a stick and imagine it was a sword, Laird pretended it was a guitar. He carried a miniature ukulele everywhere and began learning guitar at age 6.
A year later, he made his theatrical debut at The Company Theatre, playing a sprite in A Christmas Carol. Since then, he's built an impressive résumé that includes both professional and community theater productions.
His screen credits include playing Holden in the psychological thriller Sleepwalker, starring Hayden Panettiere and Beverly D'Angelo. He's also appeared in commercials for Stop & Shop and South Shore Health.
On stage, Laird portrayed Kid Elvis in Heartbreak Hotel at Theatre By The Sea, a role that combined two of his passions: acting and playing guitar. At The Company Theatre, he's played Nemo in Finding Nemo, the Mayor of Munchkin City and Nikko the Flying Monkey in The Wizard of Oz, Boy Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Kurt in The Sound of Music and the original role of Young King Henry VI in Born to Do This: The Joan of Arc Rock Opera.
Despite his professional experience, Laird sees important differences between acting for a camera and performing before a live audience.
In film, he explained, the camera captures subtle emotions and facial expressions. On stage, actors have to communicate those same feelings to people sitting much farther away.
"When it comes to theater, people are not up in your face. They're not like two inches away from you," he said. "So you need to act your face off to show them what you're feeling."
Laird's passion for performing isn't entirely surprising given his family's background.
His mother, Carola, has worked as a professional stage manager for 25 years, including at Boston's Huntington Theatre and Blue Man Group. She knows firsthand how demanding the entertainment industry can be, but says her son's desire to perform was apparent from an early age.
"For better or for worse, we could not stop him from this path," she said. "He just has a biological need to be performing all the time. So this is just what he was made to do."
Carola has also found her own connection to The Company Theatre, where she has worked on productions while watching her son develop as a performer. She credits the theater with providing professional-quality experiences in a welcoming community environment.
"We've always felt since we walked through the door there just like it was home," she said. "It's provided some incredible opportunities for Laird, both in learning more about his craft and being able to perform, but also for me, to be able to come back into a field that I thought I had kind of had to give up when I had children."
For Zoe Bradford, co-founder, artistic director and president of The Company Theatre, Laird's journey illustrates the importance of giving young performers opportunities to grow.
"One of the most rewarding parts of what we do at A.C.T. is watching young performers discover what they're capable of and seeing their confidence grow with every production," Bradford said. "Laird is a wonderful example of the talent and dedication we see in many of our young actors. Whether a student dreams of performing professionally or simply wants to experience the joy of being part of a production, our goal is to create an environment where they feel supported, challenged and encouraged to take creative risks. We're proud to be part of Laird's journey."
Beetlejuice Jr. brings the ghost-with-the-most and a cast of eccentric characters to the South Shore stage for five performances over three days.
Based on the popular film and Broadway musical, the production follows Beetlejuice as he attempts to interfere with the living, creating supernatural chaos along the way. The show combines offbeat humor, energetic musical numbers and an unexpectedly heartfelt story about family, friendship and belonging.
For Laird, the role offers a chance to embrace the kind of exaggerated, unpredictable character that makes live theater so much fun.
And while his acting career has already taken him to professional sets and stages, he remains enthusiastic about the theater where he got his start.
"If you're into theater and you like acting, and if you play an instrument, whatever it is you do, Company Theatre is the place to be," he said.
What: Beetlejuice Jr., presented by the Academy of The Company Theatre (A.C.T.)
Where: The Company Theatre, 30 Accord Park Drive, Norwell
When:
Friday, November 6, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 7, at 4 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 8, at 1 and 4 p.m.
Tickets: www.companytheatre.com