‘Elf: The Musical’

We’ll admit it: We were initially kind of bah-humbug on the idea of this one. But the 2003 film is improved upon here, musicalized by book writers Bob Martin (Slings and Arrows, The Drowsy Chaperone) and Thomas Meehan (Hairspray), with score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (Aladdin, The Wedding Singer), bringing to the stage the story of Buddy, a human who grew up as an elf but who now must navigate the real world. He’s a pesky, manic man-child, but his purity of spirit enchants everyone around him—the way this big splashy show, reminiscent of the Golden Age of musicals, enchants its audience. Matt Owen stars, Peggy Hickey directs.