Elf Jr. at Woodford Theatre is polished til it's Sparkle-Jolly-Twinkle-Jingly!
The Production Elf Jr. At Woodford Theatre (275 Beasley Drive, Versailles, KY)
Presented by the Woodford Theatre Young Artists
Polished Til It's Sparkle-Jolly-Twinkle-Jingly! In my experience, any show directed by Vanessa Becker Weig is a well-oiled machine. This production is no exception. From expert blocking, to excellent comedic timing, to well-organized scene changes, this show has a seamless flow that instantly puts the audience in the Christmas Spirit. The musical direction by Alyssa Sturgill includes clean harmonies and solid cut-offs. Jordan Guffey's choreography is precise and entertaining. The impressive ensemble adapts easily from elves to New Yorkers to young professionals. And that’s precisely what they are! These middle and high school aged Young Artists are proficient from start to finish.
I Can’t Lie, It Makes Me Tingle! There is something very special about seeing a Christmas show with children in the audience. The family-friendliness of this show is evident in the reactions of the young audience members. From their delight in seeing Christmas Trees brought on stage for the Macy’s scene, to their disgust at hearing Buddy talk about holding hands with his girlfriend, your children will enjoy this show as much as you do! And there’s plenty to enjoy for an adult audience member as well. Buddy (Chap Hollin) is a complete delight to watch. He is a solid triple threat, entertaining from start to finish, mastering the art of subtle comedy and pacing. Makenna Henehan as Jovie is his perfect counterpart. She may not "have a thing for tights", but she sure can sing! Jackson Becker as Mr. Hobbs is a stark contrast to his last role as the lively Dewey Finn in School of Rock, but just as successfully delivered. Emily DeBold’s presentation of Mrs. Greenway is vocally and physically interesting (and intimidating!).
Creative Problem Solving Every show has hurdles that the production team must jump to ensure a successful run. Woodford Theatre is currently producing two Christmas shows, and according to Vanessa Becker Weig, it has made for a unique experience: “The biggest challenge is the fact that we’re sharing in rotating rep with ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’. They have a full, huge set, so coordinating the tech rehearsals has been difficult.” Although large sets can certainly be nice, the simple set pieces work just fine in this setting, especially in the New York scenes. Projections fill in the visual gap to help us with transitions from the Streets of New York, to the Empire State Building, to the Hobbs family home. The jagged shadowed cityscape in the background not only looks appropriate to New York City, but also secretly hides pieces of the set for It’s A Wonderful Life!
There's Only One Thing Missing...
My only unfulfilled Christmas wish was for Santa to have a sleigh. Or at least the front half of a sleigh sticking out from the curtain. The distance between the curtain and Santa as he examines the damage may be a bit too far to help sell the illusion. For a moment, I thought he was inspecting an invisible sleigh on stage that I was unable to see. I found myself asking "Why can't I see the sleigh- is it my unbelief? Am I on the Naughty List?" Not likely! As I am full of Christmas Cheer, it's more likely that there was not enough backstage space available to accommodate my every Christmas Whim.
Those Magic Moments There are plenty of wonderful surprises and magic moments that I won’t give away. Let me just sum up that in this production of Elf Jr. you can look forward to an enchanted one-hour show that’s perfect for the kids, and the kid inside. You will enjoy the singing and dancing of an ensemble that is every bit as strong as the leads. You will hear beautiful solos and duets and see exceptionally polished acting from this young group. So bring the whole family and come experience the Story of Buddy the Elf!
See the Show
For tickets to Elf Jr. Or It's A Wonderful Life, call 859-873-0648 or go to woodfordtheatre.com. Elf Jr. Runs Dec. 3, 10, and 17, with a Sensory Friendly show December 17th at 10am. It's A Wonderful Life runs December 2-4, 9-11, and 16-18.
