Elf on Broadway

November 29, 2010

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than with the beloved Buddy the Elf?

 

Well, give your DVD player a rest, because now you can catch Buddy and his pals on Broadway! I checked out the show last week and I’m happy to report back saying I loved it.

 

I went into the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in NYC feeling a bit skeptical. How could someone ever recreate the iconic character, so brilliantly portrayed in the film by love-of-my-life Will Ferrell? I was nervous the lead actor, Sebastian Arcelus, wouldn’t be able to pull it off.

 

Verdict:
He was awesome! The thing I liked about his portrayal of Buddy was that, while he held onto many of the same mannerisms as the original Ferrell character, he made Buddy his own.

 

Amy Spanger
took on the role of Jovie, Buddy’s love interest, and though admittedly she’s not my favorite Broadway gal (shout out to Savannah Wise!), she was pretty hilarious playing the deadpan, sarcastic Macy’s employee.

 

The dancing, choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, was fun, lively and super-energetic. It reminded me a bit of the playful moves from Shrek The Musical. Lots of high kicking, twirling, partnering and jumping. Bravo to the dancers! Their energy was incredible.

 

Overall, the show was entertaining and pretty hilarious. There were some great original lines that you won’t know from the movie and (spoiler alert!) the show’s ending is quite magical. Hint: it involves snow.

 

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