By McKenzie Synal
A light and fluffy snowfall is projected onto the stage. Four staggered semi-circles that are reminiscent of a snow globe create a winter wonderland and set the stage at CenterPoint Legacy Theater. Elf, the Musical is a story about Buddy, an orphan who was mistakenly taken to the North Pole. He grows up believing he is an elf in spite of his large stature. When he finds out he is a human Buddy heads to New York City to meet his father, Walter Hobbs, who is a workaholic. With the inexperience and eagerness that only Buddy can offer, the true meaning of Christmas is sung loud and proud in a heartwarming finale.
Dave Hill as Santa welcomes us and begins the story of Elf. But this time Santa has got a sense of humor and has several super funny quips throughout his performance including references to the local Swig and Tim Allen. Hill is a textbook Santa, complete with the white beard, twinkling eyes, and a warm and welcoming personality.
Costume Designer Rachel Lindsay does a stunning job with all of the costuming for such a large cast. The opening number, “Happy All the Time,” is full of vibrant and colorful costumes in shades of green and red. Each one is complete with all the trimmings: quirky hats, luxurious furs, sparkly glitter, and silky ribbons. The attention to detail is apparent as the story progresses; Santa’s costume and the elves are my favorites.
The children that make up the elf ensemble (McGuire K. Bingham, Bridget Maxwell, Hannah Moody, Sarah Monson, Zoe Duncan, Lelini ” Chubby” Iongi, and Alfie Welch) deserve a special shout out- despite scenery falling and minor prop mishaps, they handled any issues with true professionalism and carried on the show, while staying in character. Bingham as Charlie is hilarious and captures the energy of a bossy adult wholeheartedly each time he is on stage. Their singing and energy are adorable and brought a smile to my daughter and I. I love seeing young performers on stage and CenterPoint does a great job of incorporating them in many of their plays.
Addison Welch as Buddy brings a new and effervescent attitude to a role that can easily feel rote or even feel like mimicry. Welch’s energy and smile are infectious and his voice is rich. I especially enjoy the songs, “World’s Greatest Dad” in Act One, which has many moving parts and set changes that are all handled effortlessly. Welch’s mannerisms, expressive face and unique interactions with each and every character are on point. Jackie Ward as Woman 1/Mrs. Claus and Welch share a hilarious moment when she offers him a free perfume sample and he proceeds to eat it. Their facial expressions captured perfectly below, show just one of the many splendid moments during Elf.
Welch’s exclamation and joy when he announces, “I’m an orphan just like Annie?!” gets a big laugh, as well as the brotherly relationship he shares with John Nelson Wakley as Michael Hobbs. They show real commitment including eating spaghetti with maple syrup during a breakfast scene and ganging up on their dad together. Wakley has a fantastic voice and very clear diction. His performance during “There Is a Santa Claus” shows the true magic of the belief in Santa and captures the childlike enthusiasm wonderfully. Wakley and Jennifer Williams as Emily Hobbs harmonize beautifully in each of their duets and they have a believable mother/son relationship on stage. I love all the little mom mannerism William’s incorporates, ruffling her son’s hair, giving him a quick shoulder rub, or putting her arm around him.
Emily Woods Sparks as Jovie is stunning and has the voice to match. Her voice is clear, strong, and mesmerizing during each of her solos. In “A Christmas Song” and “Never Fall in Love” her voice soars and hits each and every note. She commands attention on the stage. Her costumes are also striking, especially the red and black date outfit.
Other actors needing a special mention include Andrew Bringhurst as the Manager, who has excellent comedic timing and draws your attention every time he dances. And Taneesa Wright as Deb, who is my daughter’s favorite. She nails the song “In The Way” and her interactions with Buddy and Walter are so much fun as she puts up with her cranky boss and the many messes caused by Buddy.
There are many fun surprises throughout Elf. Without any spoilers, my two favorites are the magical finale “A Christmas Song (Reprise)”, which got my daughter out of her seat jumping with joy and Dylan Watson as Man 4/Fake Santa/Janitor who is a highlight of the play. I will say this- Elf brings all the magic and feelings needed for a wonderful holiday season.
Director Danny Inkley has a thoughtful director’s note in the program that gives Elf more meaning than a simple or silly Christmas play. Inkley says, “Theatre, at the core, is about belief. A group of people pay money to come and sit in the dark and watch people up on a stage pretending to be somebody else. And when we do it right, this group of people has an experience of shared belief, and they leave at the end believing more than they did before. So, I hope, amidst all of the singing and dancing and shouting and glitter and sparkle and ridiculousness and tenderness and heart and joy, I hope Elf helps you believe something. And once you believe it, I hope other great things start to follow.”
I highly recommend seeing Elf, the Musical–it is bursting with Christmas cheer and will help you believe in the magic of the season.
This show is appropriate for all ages, the theater recommends ages 3 and up.
CenterPoint Legacy Theatre presents Elf, the Musical, book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, Music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics Chad Beguelin.
CenterPoint Legacy Theatre, 525 N 400 W, Centerville, UT 84014
Nov 16 – Dec 22, 2022 Monday – Saturday 7:30 PM, Saturday Matinees 2:30 PM
Tickets: $18.75-$34.50, Note: All Jr. High and High School students are invited to come see ELF The Musical on Dec. 3rd at 2:30 for the incredible price of just $5.00 per ticket!
Contact: 801-298-1302
CenterPoint Legacy Theatre Facebook Page
Elf, the Musical promotional video
Elf is sponsored by a generous donation from Dewsnup, King, Olsen, Worel, Havas, Mortensen, Milne, Attorneys at Law
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