‘Elf Jr.’ musical brings spirit of an innocent man-child to NYC during Christmas
Mt. Madonna students perform hit show full of friendship, self-discovery and offbeat holiday humor
By Staff Report
Get ready to let your inner elf run wild when Mount Madonna School’s middle school thespians sleigh the stage with a yuletide dose of offbeat humor and spirited holiday cheer.
Based on the hit 2003 film starring Will Ferrell as “Buddy, the students will perform the musical comedy “Elf Jr.” 2 p.m. December 9 and 10 at the school’s Hawks’ Nest Theater.
Their rollicking production tells the laugh-out-loud, fish-out-of-water tale of a young orphan who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The childlike Buddy becomes human-sized “elf” with the rest of Santa’s workers making holiday gifts at the toy shop. As a grown man, he journeys to New York City seeking his Scrooge-like birth father. Hilarious hijinks ensue as he joyfully shakes up their humbug lives with his naive wonder, incorrigible toy-making ineptitude, and super-sized appetite for sugar and holiday mirth.
“‘Elf Jr.’” is a sleigh ride through the core values of friendship, openness and self-discovery – all served up with a generous helping of holiday cheer,” said the show’s director Chelsea Otterness. “It’s a story that will entertain, and also teach lessons our young cast will carry with them for life.”
Along the way, the would-be elf discovers deeper truths about himself while melting even the grumpiest of hearts, said eighth-grader Jacqui Overson who plays the character “Jovi,” Buddy’s love interest.
“The message of this story is that it is important to believe in things even if you think they are childish and silly,” she said. “You don’t need to be serious and sulky all the time. In the beginning, Jovi was really grumpy and tired, and I can relate to this being a middle school student. Teenager hormones make you grumpy! When you leave elementary school and get into middle school, sometimes you start not wanting to do fun kid stuff, and I feel that shouldn’t happen. You should continue to enjoy childlike things; better enjoy it while you can and don’t grow up in a negative sense!”
Faced with the harsh reality that his father, “Walter Hobbs,” (played by eighth-grader Aiden Powers) is on the “naughty list” and that 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.
“Walter Hobbs seems scarred from his past,” Powers said. “His ex-wife died and now he has a son and new wife, and only cares about his job. During the story, he shows growth; at first he doesn’t care about his family and then he learns how to embrace family.”
Deja Orozco is cast in the role of Santa Claus.
“Santa wants people to be on the good list and doesn’t enjoy giving people coal,” the eight-grader said. “Santa cares for people a lot, and I really do care about my loved ones too. Santa Claus likes to teach the elves, and I like to do this too; I teach my niece how to be caring and how to interact with people who aren’t being nice to her. As eighth graders, we are leaders and care for our community, the same way Santa does with his community.”
Mount Madonna School has a longstanding tradition of performing arts for students preschool through high school. Beyond outstanding performances, engaging in performing arts prepares students for life well beyond the stage.
“Performing arts prepares you for public speaking,” Powers said. “The experience – saying lines and singing on a stage – makes it easier to talk in front of anyone.”
So tap into your inner elf when Mount Madonna’s musical comedy lesson in embracing life’s childlike joys. This tinseled treat promises a magical start to the season.