Full Synopsis
Act One
When he sits down to watch TV after his Christmas deliveries and realizes that the football game he tried to TiVo has been recorded over, Santa decides to tell the Christmas story of Buddy, the Elf.
Lights up on Buddy, an oversized elf, excitedly getting ready for another day's work in Santa's workshop ("Christmastown"). At work, Charlie the shop manager informs the Elves they must work twice as hard this year, because more and more humans no longer believe in Santa and that Christmas spirit is what makes Santa's sleigh fly. Later, Charlie checks on Buddy's progress making his toys. As usual, he is way behind the others and feels terrible about it. Charlie asks him take a break, and as he does Buddy overhears a conversation in which Charlie reveals that Buddy is actually a human. It is Buddy's worst nightmare. Santa sits Buddy down and tells him the story of how he accidentally brought him back to the North Pole when Buddy's mother died. He tells Buddy that his father lives and works in New York City but is on the "naughty list". Determined to save his father with Christmas spirit, Buddy sets off for New York ("World's Greatest Dad").
When he arrives at his father, Walter's office in the Empire State Building, he finds him ranting to his wife and son about Christmas being a complete annoyance ("In The Way"). Walter is stunned to hear Buddy's declaration that he is his son and calls security to take him away. They drop him at Macy's where a manager mistakes him for an employee sent down from the corporate office to check on things. As they decorate the store all of the employees begrudge their overly happy new co-worker, until they too catch Buddy's infectious Christmas spirit ("Sparklejollytwinklejingley"). When everyone goes to leave for the night, Buddy asks, Jovie, his favorite co-worker on a date. She accepts. The next morning a department store Santa arrives. Buddy accuses him of being a fake and they fight. The police are called and take Buddy to his father's apartment.
Emily and Michael are at home, trying in vain to build Michael's science project. Buddy agrees to help if they will in turn summon some Christmas spirit to write Christmas letters to Santa. They sit down to ask Santa for the one thing they never get, some quality time with Walter ("I'll Believe In You"). Buddy fixes the science project to high-fives and hugs just as Walter walks in. Resistant at first, Emily talks him into allowing Buddy to stay the night. In the morning a Fed-Ex man arrive with the results of a DNA test. When they first met, Emily plucked one of Buddy's hairs and sent it off for testing. The results confirm he is Walter's son ("In The Way (Reprise)"). Buddy is elated. Walter is not, especially since he must take Buddy with him to work so Emily can attend a meeting.
Newly clothed in a business suit, Buddy excitedly accompanies Walter to work ("Just Like Him"). When Walter's boss comes in and threatens to fire him, Buddy's rambunctious curiosity and playfulness are not a welcome distraction. Later that night, Jovie and Buddy go on their date. At first it isn't going well, but soon things turn around. Buddy promises to give Jovie a real Christmas and a Christmas Eve dinner at Tavern on the Green like she's always dreamed ("A Christmas Song"). They kiss. Meanwhile Walter, still at work, has been just been given a manuscript for a Children's story that could save his job. Buddy bursts in to tell Walter he's in love, and while Walter talks with colleagues, Buddy decides to make "snow" by putting the manuscript through the shredder. The manuscript destroyed, Walter explodes with anger and tells Buddy to get out of the apartment and his life ("World's Greatest Dad (Reprise)").
Act Two
The Santa from the beginning of the play hurries back from intermission to again take-up the tale of Buddy, the Elf.
Back at the apartment Buddy leaves an apology and goodbye letter for Walter, Emily, and Michael. Then he wanders New York until he ends up at a Chinese restaurant with several other "Santas" and "Elves" on Christmas Eve. They complain about the state of Christmas and children these days ("Nobody Cares About Santa"). When they leave to return home to their families Buddy remembers he was supposed to go on another date with Jovie. Elsewhere, Jovie stands in front of the Tavern on the Green, upset and waiting for Buddy as she has been for 2 hours ("Never Fall In Love"). Buddy arrives, apologizes, and gives Jovie the snow-globe Santa gave him when he left the North Pole. Still upset, Jovie leaves.
When Emily and Michael find Buddy's note they are deeply saddened. Emily tells Michael that though she loves him, Buddy is crazy for believing in Santa at thirty years old. Just then Santa's sleigh flies through the sky and makes a renewed believer out of both of them ("There Is A Santa Claus"). They rush to Walter's office to tell him and find him in a desperate plea to come up with an idea for a new children's book before his boss arrives to hear the pitch. Greenway, Walter's boss arrives and as Walter begins his awful pitch, Buddy comes in. As a present to Walter, Buddy gives Greenway the story of Buddy, the Elf ("The Story of Buddy the Elf"). Greenway loves it, but he wants to change it to a Horse instead of an Elf, and he wants Walter to work with him on it all night and the next day, Christmas. Walter quits, having finally decided to spend time with his family, and Greenway storms out.
When Michael tells Buddy they saw Santa's sleigh land, Buddy realizes the sleigh has run out of the Christmas spirit that allows it to run. They run to help and find Santa sitting glumly beside his sled ("Nobody Cares About Santa (Reprise)"). Nearby Buddy spots a camera news crew. He grabs the microphone and begs all of New York to believe, sing and spread Christmas spirit so Santa can fly again. Jovie arrives, convinced, as other random New Yorkers join the movement ("A Christmas Song (Reprise)"), and Santa's sleight again takes flight. Santa invites Buddy to return to the North Pole with him, but Buddy decides to stay, finally feeling like he belongs. We now transition back to the Santa that began both acts as he closes the storybook and goes to answer the knock at the door. In come Michael, Emily, Walter, Buddy, Jovie, and their new baby, Buddy Hobbs to celebrate Christmas as they now do every year ("Finale").
Show History
Inspiration
Elf The Musical, with a book by Tony winners Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and Thomas Meehan (The Producers), music by Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer), and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, (The Wedding Singer) is a musical comedy based on the 2003 holiday film of the same name. The original film starred Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel, and quickly became a Christmas classic. The musical brought together the vintage comic styles of Martin and Meehan with the high-energy contemporary music of Sklar and Beguelin.
Productions
Elf premiered on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on November 24, 2010, after an industry reading the year before. It ran for a limited engagement during the holiday season until January 2, 2011, after 57 performances. The next holiday season in 2012, the production company NETworks launched a "mini-tour" of the musical, traveling all the way from Rhode Island to Florida.
With a large success from the original production, Elf returned to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on November 9, 2012. It ran until January 6, 2013, and contained a revised book and a completely new opening number. The changes in the musical carried through to two separate national tours that started in 2013, one union and one non-union. Outside of Broadway, the show has seen a fair amount of engagement. The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle produced its first regional production, while the Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia housed the international premiere.
Cultural Influence
- Elf broke box office records at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre three times during its first run. It currently holds the highest box office total for any show at that theatre.
- The original run of Elf was the third-best selling show in the 2010 Thanksgiving weekend, behind Wicked and The Lion King.
Trivia
- Elf was nominated for a Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical in 2011.
- Celebrities that have starred in Elf include: George Wendt (Santa), Wayne Knight (Santa), Beth Leavel (Emily), Sebastian Arcelus (Buddy), Amy Spanger (Jovie), Mark Jacoby (Walter), Jordan Gelber (Buddy), and Matthew Gumley (Michael).
Critical Reaction
"Even the biggest Cotton-Headed-Ninny-Muggins will leave the theatre with a warm festive glow!" - Entertainment Weekly
"A splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment [...] The score is [...] polished, hummable-tune laden and professional." - The New York Times
"Elf The Musical sails by quickly, with energetic and sugary appeal. [...] the show can t be accused failing to entertain. It s a syrupy confection Buddy himself would approve." - The Washingtonian
"Very funny. And warm. [...] Tom Meehan and Bob Martin [...] are just really amusing writers." - The Chicago Tribune
"A tight, polished, expensive-looking affair that has enough jokes for adults and enough special effects for kids." - ABC News
"Elf The Musical is happy enough for families, savvy enough for city kids, and plenty smart for adults!" - Variety
"Jolly holiday entertainment, decked out with a bunch of crowd-rousing songs!" - NewJerseyNewsroom.com
"Endearingly goofy!" - USA Today
Connect
Billing
- Book by
- Music by
- Lyrics by
Based on the New Line Cinema film by David Berenbaum.
Requirements
ELF - THE MUSICAL
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Size Type 100% |
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Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin |
Music by Matthew Sklar |
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin |
50% |
Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum
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25% |
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The names of the Composer, Lyricist and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent that the billing to the Authors except for the title of the Play. If the credit to the Authors is greater than 50%, the film credit shall be no less than 60% the size of the Authors’ credit.
In addition, you agree to include the following on the main credit page in all programs:
Originally produced by
Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures
in association with Unique Features
In advertisements of 1/4 page size or less, and online and mobile ads where in each case only the title of the play, performance dates and venue are provided and in outdoor advertising, transit and taxi ads and marquees where no other person is billed, the following "shortened billing" is permissible:
ELF - THE MUSICAL
Video Warning
If you purchase a separate Video Licence to allow non-commercial video recording of this production, you must print the following in your programme: ANY VIDEO RECORDING MADE OF THIS PERFORMANCE IS AUTHORISED FOR PERSONAL, AT-HOME, NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY. THE SALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH RECORDING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED UNDER COPYRIGHT LAW. If you do not purchase a separate Video Licence then you must print the following in your programme: The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.Included Materials
Item | Quantity Included |
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ERRATA LIST | 1 |
KEYBOARD1 - CONDUCTOR SCORE | 1 |
LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK | 25 |
PIANO VOCAL SCORE | 1 |
Production Resources
Resource |
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PERFORMANCE ACCOMPANIMENT RECORDING |
CUSTOMIZABLE SHOW POSTER |
FULL SCORE ACT 1 |
FULL SCORE ACT 2 |
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON-10/CS |
KEYBOARD PATCH SOLUTIONS |
KEYBOARDTEK |
LOGO PACK |
LOGO PACK DIGITAL |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT LARGE |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT MEDIUM |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT SMALL |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT X-LARGE |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK ADULT XX-LARGE |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK CHILD LARGE |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK CHILD MEDIUM |
LOGO TEES SIX-PACK CHILD SMALL |
ORCHEXTRA |
PRODUCTIONPRO-DIGITAL SCRIPT/SCORE |
REFERENCE RECORDING |
REHEARSAL ACCOMPANIMENT RECORDING |
REHEARSCORE APP |
SCENIC PROJECTIONS |
SCENIC PROJECTIONS PRO |
SCENIC PROJECTIONS-ANIMATED |
SCENIC PROJECTIONS-STILL |
STAGE MANAGER SCRIPT |
STAGE WRITE APPLICATION |
SUBPLOT CUSTOMIZED SHOW POSTER |
TRANSPOSITIONS-ON-DEMAND |
VIDEO LICENSE |
STANDARD ORCHESTRATION
Instrumentation | Doubling |
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BASS | ACOUSTIC BASS , ELECTRIC BASS |
CELLO | |
DRUMS | BELL TREE , BONGOS , COWBELL , DRUM KIT , FINGER CYMBAL , MARK TREE , SLEIGH BELLS , TAMBOURINE (MOUNTED), TEMPLE BLOCKS , TRIANGLE , WOOD BLOCK |
KEYBOARD 1 | |
KEYBOARD 2 | |
PERCUSSION | BELL TREE , BONGOS , CHIMES , CONGAS , CROTALES , FLEXITONE , GLOCKENSPIEL , SLEIGH BELLS , TEMPLE BLOCK , TIMPANI , VIBES , XYLOPHONE |
REED 1 | ALTO SAXOPHONE , CLARINET , FLUTE , PICCOLO |
REED 2 | CLARINET , ENGLISH HORN , FLUTE , OBOE , TENOR SAXOPHONE |
REED 3 | BARITONE SAXOPHONE , BASS CLARINET , BASSOON , CLARINET , FLUTE |
TROMBONE | |
TROMBONE 2 | |
TRUMPET | FLUGELHORN , TRUMPET |
TRUMPET 2 | FLUGELHORN , TRUMPET |
VIOLIN | |
VIOLIN 2 |