Elf (musical) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elf
Broadway Playbill
Music	Matthew Sklar
Lyrics	Chad Beguelin
Book	Bob Martin Thomas Meehan
Basis	Elf by David Berenbaum
Productions	2010 Broadway 2012 Broadway revival 2013 US tour 2015 West End 2022 West End revival 2023 West End revival 2024 Broadway revival

Elf is a fun musical based on the popular 2003 movie of the same name. It tells the story of Buddy, a human raised as an elf at the North Pole. The music was written by Matthew Sklar, and the song lyrics by Chad Beguelin. The story for the stage was adapted by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan.

The musical first opened on Broadway in New York City during the Christmas season of 2010. It was so popular that it came back to Broadway in 2012 and 2024. Elf also played in London's West End in 2015, 2022, and 2023. It has traveled to many English-speaking countries, especially around the Christmas holidays.

What Happens in Elf the Musical?

Act 1: Buddy's Big Adventure

The story begins with Santa Claus reading from a big pop-up book. He tells us about Buddy, who is the happiest and tallest elf in Christmastown. But there's a secret: Buddy is actually human! Santa explains that Buddy's mom passed away. As a baby, Buddy crawled into Santa's toy sack by accident. He ended up at the North Pole and was raised by elves.

Santa encourages Buddy to go to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs. Walter is on Santa's "naughty list" because he doesn't believe in Santa. Even so, Buddy hopes Walter will be the "World's Greatest Dad."

Walter works very long hours as a book publisher in the Empire State Building. He's too busy to shop for gifts with his son, Michael, and wife, Emily. He often feels that Christmas just "Gets in the Way."

Buddy, still in his elf clothes, finds Walter's office. At first, people think he's a singing telegram. But Buddy sings that Walter is his father! Walter doesn't believe him and has security take Buddy to the Macy's Department Store Christmas village. The workers there love Buddy's happy Christmas spirit, which makes everything "Sparklejollytwinklejingley."

Buddy quickly likes Jovie, a practical Macy's elf. He convinces her to go on a date with him. The next day, Buddy sees the Macy's Santa and declares he's not the real Santa. This causes a big fuss! The police bring Buddy to the Hobbs family's home.

At home, Michael and Emily are trying to build a science project. Buddy helps them finish it. In return, Michael and Emily agree to send a letter to Santa. They ask for more quality time with Walter, saying "I'll Believe in You." Walter comes home, and they convince him to let Buddy stay for the night.

In the morning, they get the results of a DNA test Emily arranged. It proves Buddy is Walter's son! Walter is not happy, but he takes Buddy to his office because Emily has a meeting. Buddy, wearing a new suit like his dad's, hopes to be "Just Like Him."

Mr. Greenway, Walter's boss, tells Walter he'll be fired if he doesn't publish a hit children's book by Christmas Eve. Walter is under a lot of stress. Buddy's cheerful energy makes Walter even more frustrated.

Buddy takes Jovie on their date. They have a good time together. Buddy plans to take her to dinner at Tavern on the Green. Jovie enjoys Buddy's excitement as he encourages her to spread Christmas Cheer by singing "A Christmas Song" loudly.

Buddy is excited to tell Walter he's in love. He decides to cheer up his dad by making it snow in his office. He shreds some paper, which turns out to be the manuscript for Walter's important children's book! Walter gets very angry and tells Buddy to leave and never come back. Buddy feels very sad, singing a reprise of "World's Greatest Dad."

Act 2: Saving Christmas Spirit

Santa tells us that Buddy left a goodbye message for the Hobbs family. It's Christmas Eve, and Buddy is hungry and alone on the streets of New York. He finds a Chinese restaurant and meets unhappy fake Santas. They are complaining that "Nobody Cares About Santa."

Buddy is two hours late for his date with Jovie. She is waiting angrily at Tavern on the Green. She vows: "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)." When Buddy finally shows up, he gives her a snow globe that Santa gave him. But Jovie is too disappointed and leaves.

Emily and Michael find Buddy's letter and want to find him. From their apartment window, they see Santa's sleigh! They realize they were wrong and that "There Is a Santa Claus." They rush to the Empire State Building, where Buddy also arrives. They find Walter stressed, trying to pitch a book idea to his boss.

Buddy suggests a book idea: "The Story of Buddy the Elf." Mr. Greenway loves the idea but says the book should be about a horse, not an elf. He demands that Walter work through Christmas to finish the book. However, Mr. Greenway is rude to Walter's sons, and Walter quits his job!

Michael shares that he and his mom saw Santa's sleigh land. This worries Buddy, as he knows it means the sleigh lost power because there's not enough Christmas spirit in New York City. The Hobbs family rushes to Central Park.

Buddy has an idea. He sees a news crew covering what they think is a UFO. Buddy grabs the reporter's microphone and tells all New Yorkers to spread Christmas spirit. This will help power Santa's sleigh and get him on his way! Jovie appears and starts to sing "A Christmas Song" again. Other New Yorkers join in, and their combined Christmas cheer works!

Santa invites Buddy to come home to the North Pole. But Buddy finally feels like he belongs in New York. He can keep making everyone happy there.

On Christmas Day, Santa closes his big book at home. There's a knock at his door. It's Buddy, Jovie, their new baby, Buddy Jr., and the rest of the Hobbs family! They have come to celebrate Christmas with Santa. This becomes their yearly tradition.

How the Musical is Different from the Movie

The musical has some changes from the 2003 movie.

• In the movie, Papa Elf tells the story, but he isn't in the musical. Santa Claus narrates instead.
• Santa uses an iPhone to deliver gifts in the musical, not a list of names.
• Buddy and Jovie's child is a boy in the musical, but a girl in the movie.
• The department store scenes happen at Macy's in the musical, not Gimbels.
• Buddy is dropped off at the Hobbs house in the musical, instead of Walter bailing him out of jail.
• The musical adds a story about Michael and Emily Hobbs not believing in Santa.
• An elf named Ming Ming in the movie is changed to Charlie and a girl elf named Shwanda.

Some scenes from the movie are not in the musical. For example, Buddy's visit to the mail room and his snowball fight with bullies are cut. The character Miles Finch is also not in the musical.

In the musical, Walter's writers find a special manuscript for a Christmas story. Buddy shreds it without knowing how important it is. This is when Walter angrily says he wishes Buddy wasn't his son. In the movie, this happens after the Miles Finch scene.

Walter's character is also quite different. In the movie, Walter is shown as greedy and ignoring his family. In the musical, he is more forgetful and overworked. Santa says Walter is on the "naughty list" in the movie because he is mean. In the musical, it's because he doesn't believe in Santa.

In the musical, Mr. Greenway loves Buddy's book idea, but Walter quits when Mr. Greenway insults his sons. In the movie, Walter chooses to go with Michael to bring Buddy home, which leads to him being fired.

Songs in the Musical

Here are the songs from the first Broadway show:

Main Cast Members

Here are some of the main actors who played roles in the big productions:

History of the Show

The 2010 Broadway cast of Elf the Musical

Broadway Performances

After some early tryouts in 2009, Elf the Musical officially opened on Broadway in New York City. It played at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre starting November 14, 2010. Casey Nicholaw directed the show. It ran for 57 regular performances and closed on January 2, 2011. A recording of the Broadway cast was released on November 1, 2011. Famous Broadway actors like Sebastian Arcelus, Amy Spanger, and Beth Leavel starred in the original show.

Because it was so successful, the musical came back to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre for another holiday season. It ran from November 9, 2012, to January 6, 2013. This new version had some changes to the story and a new opening song called "Happy All the Time."

Elf returned to Broadway again for a short holiday run at the Marquis Theatre. It opened on November 17, 2024, and closed on January 4, 2025. This production was like the one seen in London in 2022. It starred Grey Henson as Buddy the Elf and Sean Astin as Santa Claus.

West End Performances

A production of Elf opened in London's West End at the Dominion Theatre on October 24, 2015. It ran for 10 weeks until January 2, 2016. Before London, the same cast performed in Plymouth, England, and Dublin, Ireland. Ben Forster played Buddy, and Kimberley Walsh played Jovie. In 2015, it was reported that this show sold tickets faster than any other show at the Dominion Theatre since it opened in 1929!

Elf came back to the Dominion Theatre from November 14, 2022, to January 7, 2023. Simon Lipkin played Buddy, and Georgina Castle played Jovie. The musical returned to the Dominion again from November 15, 2023, until January 6, 2024. Matthew Wolfenden played Buddy, and Georgina Castle returned as Jovie.

Tours in North America

A smaller tour of the musical visited several cities across North America during the 2012 holiday season. In 2013, two different tours ran at the same time. The musical also toured in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

A tour in the US and Canada in 2017 featured Erik Gratton as Buddy. It even stopped at the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City, with George Wendt playing Santa. TimeOut magazine called it one of the best Christmas shows in New York that year.

Other Notable Shows

A production of Elf ran in Seattle, Washington, from November 30 to December 31, 2012. A Canadian show played in Nova Scotia from November 20, 2012, to January 6, 2013. A touring show in 2013 was called Elf the Musical. A regional show ran at the Paper Mill Playhouse from November 26, 2014, to January 4, 2015.

There was a UK tour in late 2017 that ended on January 14, 2018, in Salford, England. Ben Forster played Buddy again. On December 24, 2017, a film of this production was shown on Channel 5 in the UK.

An arena tour in December 2018 visited large venues in Cardiff, Birmingham, and Nottingham. The tour came back in December 2019 to Liverpool, Glasgow, Wembley Arena, and Dublin. These arena shows had three stages. The audience could decorate a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree and take part in a giant snowball fight! The show included a flying sleigh and other cool stunts. Huge TV screens showed the action and added CGI backgrounds. In both arena tours, Tam Ryan played Buddy, Kym Marsh played Jovie, and Shaun Williamson played Walter. More than 100 performers were in the cast.

The musical was performed in UK arenas again in December 2022. It played in Liverpool, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff, and Nottingham. The show also had a run at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool. Elf: The Musical was performed at the Sydney Opera House in Australia in December 2024.

TV Show Based on the Musical

On December 16, 2014, the TV channel NBC aired a stop-motion animated version of the musical. It was called Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. It featured the voices of famous actors like Jim Parsons as Buddy, Mark Hamill as Walter, and Ed Asner who played Santa in the original movie. Kate Micucci voiced Jovie, and Jay Leno voiced the leader of the fake Santas. The TV special included songs from the musical and a new song called "Freezy the Snowman."

Awards and Recognition