While the concession won’t be selling spaghetti drenched in maple syrup and candy, Aurora Arts Theatre will be bringing “Elf” to its stage, marking the debut of the musical in the Coastal Bend.
The production is based on the 2003 Christmas film of the same name with Will Ferrell. The musical tells the story of Buddy the Elf, a human raised by Santa’s elves, who learns about his human origins and heads to New York City to meet his biological father.
The show will run from Nov. 21 through Dec. 27. Tickets are sold out for the musical, but you can join a waitlist at auroraartstheatre.com.
Assistant directing for the first time is Mariah Treadwell, who said she’s had a lot of fun coming up with how to present the show while preserving the heart of the original film.
“‘Elf’ brings that nostalgia feeling,” Treadwell said as the tech crew members buzzed their tools on a winter-like set. “To better get in that Christmas spirit, I encourage our guests to come in festive wear or Christmas pajamas. Just sit back, enjoy your popcorn and get lost in our production we’ve worked so hard on. Let the magic of Buddy give you that Christmas cheer.”
Portraying Buddy the Elf is Jakk Yarbro. This is their first leading role and has quickly become their favorite, Yarbro said, referencing the character’s “pure optimism.”
“When you think of Buddy the Elf, you think of home,” Yarbro said. “Buddy is just a (whimsical) inner child that stays with you as you grow up. As he goes through certain events of maturing while in New York, he still maintains that level of wonder and excitement for the world.”
Yarbro said that with the current climate of the world, people need “optimism and positivity” to hold their Christmas spirit.
Lauren Flinchbaugh portrays Jovie, the woman Buddy falls in love with when the character first lays eyes on her. Flinchbaugh said the musical has rekindled the Christmas spirit she lost over time.
“I feel like as we get older, we lose that love for Christmas,” Flinchbaugh said. “It becomes more of having to buy gifts for others and being able to afford bills. As a kid, you just worry about drinking hot cocoa and spending time with you family opening presents.
“I wanted to do something that woke that kid spirit in me. With ‘Elf,’ I get to spend time with people I care about, and we’re putting on a performance that I hope wakens up that spirit in our audience.”
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: ‘Elf’ musical makes Coastal Bend debut at Aurora Arts Theatre
Reporting by John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
