A title known the world over, “Elf The Musical” is a sweet-toothed musical comedy that will easily become the most memorable night out with your family this holiday season.
Elf opens at the East Sonora Theatre on Nov. 5.
Based on the 2003 film starring Will Farrell and Zoey Deschanel, Elf features songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer) and Chad Beguelin (Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway).
Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Elf director and choreographer Jim Christian, offers his take on why this holiday fantasy musical is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf: “As we move through life, we encounter innumerable challenges. Some harsh, some costly, all enlightening… and along the way, we lose some of the childlike wonder and magic that surrounded us in our early years. Being able to recapture some of those feelings and memories is vital for us. They buoy us up and remind us that dreams, imagination, and the ability to hope are the driving forces that have moved us forward since the beginning of time.”
The production is directed and choreographed by Jim Christian, with music directed by Sean Paxton.
The Elf cast includes Jerry Lee, Camryn Elias, Brenda O’Brien, Matt K. Miller, Kevin Heath, Jackie Thompson, Marcus J. Paige, Sarah Schori, Cheyenne Omani, Charlie Vershay, Sarah Villacarillo, Sergio Salinas, Robert Frederick Taylor, Mateo DeAngelo, Christopher Michael, Andreas Pantazis, Ruby E. James, Dexter Narron, and Austin Paris.
“This is one of those big splashy musicals,” says producer Scott Viets. “We’ve brought in the very best to get the job done right. We need Buddy’s relentless optimism and the joy that it brings. It’s a cure-all.”
After all, the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
Elf previews at the East Sonora Theatre at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 and 4, and 2 p.m. on Nov. 5. The show opens Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. and will be followed by an Opening Night Celebration.
Regular performance times are Wednesdays at noon, Thursdays at 2 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Dec. 18.
For more information about Sierra Repertory Theatre, please visit online at SierraRep.org or call the Box Office at (209) 532-3120. The East Sonora Theatre is located at 13891 Mono Way, Sonora.