The holiday season is already in full swing at Linton-Stockton Schools, where the cast of Elf Junior – The Musical delighted local audiences this weekend under the direction of Katie Graves and assistant director Tiffany Todd. Based on the hit 2003 movie Elf, this family-friendly show is packed with lots of energy, catchy songs, funny moments — and a heartwarming story about the true meaning of Christmas. Some photos from the various performances are shown below:
Leah McKee, starring as Buddy the Elf, gave an energetic and hilarious performance. From his silly elf-ish misunderstandings about the “human world” to his always over-the-top cheerful attitude, Buddy had the audience laughing and smiling throughout the show. Whether he was singing about leaving the North Pole or spreading Christmas cheer, Buddy was a loveable character.
The rest of the cast gave strong performances, too, and just to name a few: Charlotte Biggs played Jovie, who was Buddy’s love interest, with just seemingly the right mix of humor — and sweetness. Her solo song, “Never Fall in Love (with an Elf),” showed off her great singing voice. Buddy’s father, Walter Hobbs (Carson Albright), was pretty bah-humbug-ish grumpy at first, but he eventually warmed up to his son in the end with a touching moment that had the audience applauding. The large cast of elves, office workers, and New Yorkers brought energy and fun to songs like “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” and “There Is a Santa Claus.” A full list of the cast members is shown below:
The show’s creative team brought the magic of Elf to life on stage. The colorful sets, like Santa’s North Pole workshop and the backdrop of the busy streets of New York City, made it easy to follow Buddy’s journey. Snowflake-shaped lights making it “snow” on stage added a festive touch, and even the welding and construction classes at the school were given a “special shout out” for helping with theatre set pieces.
The costumes were also a big hit. Of course, Buddy’s bright green elf suit stood out everywhere he went throughout the story. The elf costumes, the winter crowd scenes, and especially a lone New York jogger complete with 80’s Richard Simmons-esque headband (Silas Dawson) were all unforgettable too. The choreography (designed by Britney Lynn) made the songs even more fun to watch, especially in the many big group numbers during the performance.
The crowd — full of grandparents, parents, kids, and local supporters alike — was clearly having a great time. There were lots of laughs during Buddy’s funny moments, and there was plenty of cheers after the big musical numbers too. In the hallways after the show, many were overheard praising the it, saying musical was the perfect way to steer in the holidays. Buddy the Elf and friends certainly ushered in some local Christmas cheer this weekend!