“Elf; the Musical” MILWAUKEE reviewed by Amy Menzel

***** What can I say? I just like smiling. Smiling’s my favorite. And this show is all smiles. Smiles and laughs and heart and whimsy. Take it from me and my 7-year-old niece, Lillian, ELF The Musical is a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.

The magic began as soon as we took our seats. After Lillian settled in with her new plush Elf, Jingle Bells, she looked wide-eyed at the stage and said, “It’s like it’s snowing.” I also found the whimsical set design enchanting and when the curtain rose, the scenes came to life with colorful costuming, plenty of Christmas decor, and even more seasonal cheer. Santa plays storyteller in this stage production, sharing the tale of Buddy, a human who grew up at the North Pole thinking he, too, was an elf. When Buddy finds out the truth, he sets out on a journey to the slightly-less-magical land of New York City to reunite with his biological father. Many of the twists and turns from the modern classic movie are included in this production, yet there are clever lines that breathe a little new life into this already lively story – and, of course, they added all the musical numbers.

As you can imagine, the music is pure entertainment. Big numbers are belted out by big, beautiful voices, and all of it is matched by big and bold choreography. Elves tap dance, (fake) Santas twirl and spin, and Lillian and I swayed and bounced along. If you told me the cast runs on cookies, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup, I’d believe you. Something has to fuel all that energy and, knowing Buddy, sugar seems appropriate.

I love all the big musical numbers, but there’s something about the solo number, “Never Fall in Love (with an Elf),” that makes me want more of this. It’s a sassy little swinging number sung by Buddy’s love interest, Jovie. It requires some serious musical talent and Tara Nicole Vinson has got it. This is the second time I’ve seen this show and both times the role of Jovie was perfectly cast. “Never Fall in Love” makes me wish there was more opportunity for the performer in this role to shine. I’m thankful to be witness to this solo, though.

While I’m throwing out accolades, shoutout to Jackson Reagin who makes Buddy his own with a spectacular lead performance, and Theodore Lowenstein who is fantastic as Buddy’s little brother, Michael.

Lillian and I both left inspired to add some extra sparkle to our holidays. I’m adding several of the musical numbers to my Christmas decorating playlist (which doubles as my holiday dance/singing playlist), including “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” “A Christmas Song,” and “The Story of Buddy the Elf.” Lillian is designing her own elf costume. (I hope my sister is ready to start sewing).

I know some folks have hard and fast rules about when you can start spreading Christmas cheer. If you’re one of them, you can catch this show after you chow down on some turkey this Thursday. (After tonight’s show, performances resume with two shows on Friday.) Rest assured, however, ELF The Musical is evergreen. It’s fun, funny, and heartwarming whatever the season.

★★★★★

ELF The Musical plays at Uihlein Hall at the Marcus Performing Arts Center (Milwaukee) and runs through December 1.

ELF The Musical is 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.

Wednesday, November 27 – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 29 – 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 30 – 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 1 – 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Sign Language Interpretation – Saturday, November 30 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are going fast! To purchase, visit marcuscenter.org, call 414-273-7206, or visit the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 North Water Street, Milwaukee.

For more on the ELF The Musical tour, visit elfthemusicaltour.com.