The Leads of Elf Jr. Light Up The Stage At Dunbar
The Production
Elf Jr. at Dunbar High School
Note: Some of the roles in this production are double-cast. I can only comment on the actors that I have seen.
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Lighting Up The Stage
The most compelling aspect of this performance is the strength of the leads and supporting characters. Jimmy Rutherford as Buddy has a strong stage presence and makes entertaining acting choices. Also a good singer, he lights up the stage wherever he goes. Jamie Bradley as Jovie is a strong leading lady with excellent belting skills. Her "Never Fall In Love With An Elf" will have you clapping and cheering as she moves seamlessly from full belt to mix. Emily and Michael Hobbs (in this cast Maddie McQueen and Katy Rucker) continue the trend of strong vocals and entertaining acting choices throughout the performance. Although not the strongest singer of the group, Charles Brennan as Walter Hobbs has his share of dramatic and well-played moments. Jonathan Smither's eccentric delivery of Mr. Greenway works tremendously well. His quirky interpretation of this role adds entertainment value to his scenes, especially as he joins in the dance during "The Story Of Buddy".
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Just Sing A Christmas Song
The music in this telling of Elf Jr. is well-handled and modified to highlight the strengths of those singing. Although I would have preferred to hear a few harmonies in "Happy All The Time", I can certainly respect the choice to present this song with a strong unison instead of risking the somewhat complicated harmonies with few people on stage. I enjoyed the delivery of the three part split in "A Christmas Song". Written in three parts, the ensemble sang one part, while Jovie and Buddy sang the other two parts. I thought that this was clever, especially considering that Jovie and Buddy were on mic and could each be heard at the same volume as the ensemble. I enjoyed the delivery of the solos in the "Sparklejollytwinklejingle" Reprise, choreographed to highlight each soloist so that we could clearly see who was singing each of these short lines.
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The Elf On The Shelf
My main point of critique is that most scenes are staged so that the focal point is upstage center. The semicircle layout in the office scene leaves the main action to take place at the point that's furthest away from the audience. Likewise in Macy's, the Christmas Tree is upstage center, putting Jovie and Buddy in the background instead of the foreground. Throughout the production, I wondered if the actors couldn't move past the curtain line due to lighting limitations, but as the leads came all the way downstage at the very end, I saw that their faces were well-lit. The James R. Halley Auditorium has a huge stage, and I would have liked to have seen more of its proscenium used.
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Getting Santa's Sleigh Off the Ground
Getting a production off the ground is always more involved than the audience ever knows. According to director Alicia Henning, the most challenging part of this show has been the rehearsal schedule. Put on by Dunbar's Advanced Drama Class, most of the rehearsals have been during school hours. However, during the past few weeks, after-school rehearsals have been added and may not necessarily be what all of the students are used to. While Henning points out that some of her more experienced students knew what to expect, it has not always been smooth sailing - or flying. However, just like Buddy's story, it all came together in the end!
See the Show
Dunbar's production of Elf Jr. is being performed at the James R. Halley Auditorium at Paul Laurence Dunbar High school. The show runs December 8, 9, and 10 at 7pm and December 10 at 2pm. Tickets are available at the door for $8 and $10.
