By Claudia Carbone
It’s impossible to leave the Arvada Center without feeling a jolly holiday spirit after seeing Elf – The Musical. This non-religious play based on the 2003 movie Elf is taking its place alongside holiday classics like It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street and The Chanukkah Guest.
How can we not be inspired by the lovable Buddy who crawls into Santa’s pack as a baby and is raised in the North Pole by Santa and his happy elves. When he learns he is human (gasp!), Santa sends him to New York City to find his birth father. He is, after all, 6’6” and can’t be an elf any longer – physically, anyway. But he never sheds his endearing elf spirit that creates havoc with whomever he meets and wherever he goes on his journey.
He’s shocked to learn his workaholic father is on the naughty list (he thinks “Christmas gets in the way of work”) and his little stepbrother doesn’t believe in Santa. So he sets his mind to change that and bring the Christmas spirit back to overworked New Yorkers and a group of out-of-work department store Santas.
“When a room is gloomy and it’s atmosphere has called it quits
You gotta remember that December is the time for glitz
Never stop til’ ev’ry limb on your Christmas tree
is Sparklejollytwinklejingley”
New York-based Josh Houghton makes his Arvada Center debut as Buddy. His comic timing, facial expressions, body language and wide-eyed innocence are superb, rivaling Will Farrell’s film portrayal of the lanky, clumsy nerd-in-an-elf-suit loose in the Big Apple. Other strong performances are Leslie Hiatt as Buddy’s love interest Jovie who shines when she sings “Never Fall in Love with an Elf;” and Mark Devine, an Arvada Center veteran who most recently played Harry in Mamma Mia!, as Walter Hobbs, Buddy’s gruff real dad. Young Tyler Fruhwirth, a local boy at Denver School of the Arts, aptly plays Michael, Buddy’s half-brother. His duet of “There is a Santa Claus” with Maria Couch, who gives a high-spirited performance as his mother Emily Hobbs, is touching. Colin Alexander is a fun Santa who narrates the story loud and clear, throwing in an “Oy Vey” just because.
This family-friendly play emphasizes love, friendship, family and the infectious spirit of the season. It will definitely put you and your grandkids in a sparklejollytwinklejingley mood!
Elf – The Musical plays at the Arvada Center through December 23. For tickets, dates and times, visit arvadacenter.org.
Claudia Carbone is an award-winning journalist based in Denver. She covers performing arts, travel and restaurants for a variety of magazines and websites. Follow her travel blog Sleepin’ Around on GoWorldTravel.com.