If there’s one thing you’ll take away from Olney Theatre Center’s Elf the Musical it’s this: the DC musical theater scene has a tremendous talent base. To a one, Elf’s largely ensemble cast give some of the most enjoyable, high-energy and top-caliber performances I have seen in the area. And the performers in this movie-turned-stage musical don’t just sing and dance (but boy, can they)—under the skilled direction of Michael Bobbitt and choreographer Tara Vallee, they juggle, jump rope, roller skate and wow the audience with acrobatic feats. The result is a holiday spectacle nothing short of spectacular.
As Buddy—an elf raised in the North Pole by Santa’s elves who inadvertently discovers he is human and sets off to New York City to find his birth father—David Schlumpf is an absolute find. Tall and lanky (and vaguely reminiscent of his film counterpart, Will Ferrell) Schlumpf strikes the perfect balance of skill and silliness. Alternating between a gorgeous lyric tenor voice and a chattery sing-speak, Schlumpf is utterly believable and positively endearing as the grown man who sees the world through the eyes of an excited child.
Patricia Hurley, as Buddy’s love interest, Jovie, similarly stuns. Hurley’s Josie is a devil-may-care New Yorker, far edgier (and frankly more fun) than in the film. Regrettably, Jovie’s role in the stage version has been pared back, deleting many of the “spotlight” moments (Jovie singing in the shower at the department store, leading Christmas carols in Central Park) that showcased her singing voice. When Hurley finally gets a chance to unleash her robust belt (Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)) the audience is appreciatively gobsmacked, but left wanting more.
Nova Payton delivers a standout performance as Deb, Walter Hobbes’ long suffering office assistant, with her seemingly endless energy, unfailing comedic timing and rich, vibrant vocals. Eleven-year-old Tyler Smallwood, as Michael Hobbes, is sweetly captivating, with a clarity of voice and ease of presence that belie his age.[ezcol_1third]
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Elf the Musical
closes January 6, 2019
Details and tickets
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True to the Christmas spirit, Kendra Rai’s costumes are an over-the-top visual feast, gorgeously detailed and trimmed with fur, gilt and ribbon. Santa’s elves are given a worldly update—incorporating elements of traditional costumes from various cultures throughout the world. Even the traditional “boring,” buttoned-up office wear sports a playful pop of purple.
Daniel Ettinger’s set design is thoughtfully functional, transforming in scale from elfin to human size, and somewhat spare (perhaps to allow for the dancing and other hijinks that ensue). Ettinger evokes the “simpler times” of the 1950s and 60s. Santa’s living room is mid-century modern, complete with a furniture-style console television with a turn-knob. Mall Santas slug domestic beer from bottles as they bemoan a lack of Christmas spirit (Nobody Cares About Santa) in an ersatz, Americanized Chinese restaurant, emblazoned with red dragons and staffed by a cheeky bar mistress in flowered red silk.
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Layer on Max Doolittle’s lighting design and effects—which include dry ice fog, an indoor snow shower and a cacophony of flashing lights—and Elf’s overall production value is as high as any show in the area.
As with many films adapted to the stage, Elf struggles to both hew to the original storyline while also updating jokes and adding the elements of song and dance. Far less time and attention are devoted to Buddy’s backstory, which could lead to confusion for those who aren’t familiar with the movie. Devotees of the film version may also be disappointed by some of the characters and plot elements left out—including “Papa Elf,” Buddy’s adoptive father (memorably portrayed by Bob Newhart in the film) and Peter Dinklage’s character “Miles Finch” (“He’s an angry elf.”).
What faults there were fell largely to the script itself, and not the performances. Even at a running time of two and a half hours (with one 15-minute intermission) Elf the Musical is fun and family-friendly—holding the attention of even the youngest of audience members—and delivers Broadway-caliber performances without the schlep to New York (or the price tag).
Elf the Musical. Book by Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin. Music by Matthew Sklar. Lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Based on the New Line Cinema Film by David Berenbaum. Directed by Michael J. Bobbitt. Music Director Angie Benson. Choreographer Tara Jeanne Vallee. Scenic Designer Daniel Ettinger. Costume Designer Kendra Rai. Lighting Designer Max Doolittle. Projections Designer: Sarah Tundermann . Sound Designer Matt Rowe. Featuring Jessica Bennett, Michelle E. Carter, Jennifer Flohr, Isabel Garcia, Andrew Hinds, Patricia Hurley, Amanda Kaplan, Ashleigh King, Marty Austin Lamar, Eli Langer, Kevin McAllister, Calvin McCullough, James Mernin, Christian Montgomery, Nova Y. Payton, Taylor Elise Rector, Connor James Reilly, David Schlumpf, Sarah Ann Sillers, David Singleton, Tyler Quentin Smallwood, Bobby Smith, Janine Sunday and Laura Zinn. Reviewed by Meaghan Hannan Davant.
