Show Guide: Elf the Musical

• BUDDY—an incredibly cheerful and energetic human who was adopted and raised by Santa’s elves at the North Pole. He’s happy all the time, but decides to go to New York City in a quest to find his father.
  
  
• JOVIE—a not so cheerful and rather sarcastic young woman who works as an elf at Macy’s for the holiday season. She is “not a Christmas person” but finds herself gradually charmed by Buddy’s upbeat and innocent perspective on the world.
  
  
• WALTER HOBBS—Buddy’s biological father and a workaholic at his company, Greenway Press, publishing children’s books. His job gets more stressful during the holiday season and he has very little patience for the whole holiday season.
  
  
• EMILY HOBBS—Walter’s wife who actually enjoys the holidays and tolerates her husband’s workaholic ways even though his irritable and stressed-out attitude really comes between them and affects the family. The appearance of Buddy definitely makes their family’s life more complicated.
  
  
• MICHAEL HOBBS—Walter and Emily’s son who wishes he had a better relationship with his dad and finds Buddy’s upbeat holiday and spirit of fun to be very contagious.
  
  
• DEB—Walter’s assistant at Greenway Press who helps to manage Walter’s hectic schedule of meetings and keeps a smile as she puts up with his grumpy demeanor.
  
  
• MANAGER—Buddy’s boss at Macy’s. For him the holiday season means a lot of details to manage at one of the biggest retail stores in New York City!
  
  
• GREENWAY—the head of Greenway Press and Walter’s not-very-understanding boss.
  
  
• SANTA’S ELVES and MRS. CLAUS—all of Santa’s helpers at the North Pole who have been taking care of—and putting up with—Buddy since he came to
  the North Pole in Santa’s sack.
  
  
• THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK—various New Yorkers who live and work in the busy bustle of the Big Apple during the fun and festive and sometimes frustrating holiday season. With some help from Buddy, they just might find their holiday spirit!

• This production is based on a Broadway musical theater adaptation of the movie “Elf” and may depart from the story and dialogue of the original popular holiday film starring Will Ferrell.
• Buddy encounters many characters, both at the North Pole and on his journey to New York, who can be rather
  negative and unpleasant. A couple have senses of humor that might appeal to adults in the audience more than young children.
  
  
• Buddy’s journey of discovery to New York City is motivated by a desire to find his biological father. It may raise a few questions about how families are created that you may want to be prepared to chat about with your family.
  
  
• Some characters in the story are definitely more concerned about the commercial aspects of the holidays than the true spirit of the season.

From Story to Stage