THE PLAY: This musical adaptation of the movie tells the tale of a Buddy, a human who’s raised by elves at the North Pole. His wide-eyed gullibility and big-hearted enthusiasm are challenged when he travels to New York City to find his real father.

 

THE PRODUCTION: While the play features a simple script, the production gets a splashy staging. The cast delivers solid performances with good voices. Spenser Micetich (Buddy the Elf) relies on earnest delivery and simple appeal to win the audience’s affection. The comic standout is Morgan Billings Smith, as the diminutive but spunky secretary. The songs have a basic Bway style, but they’re effective and fun (thankfully, the sound system lets you hear most of the lyrics). The set serves the show effectively with the only unique design element provided by a lovely overlay of sheer blue and snowflakes. The orchestra offered solid support. Surprisingly, there’s only one person of color in the ensemble, which is especially weird since it takes place in multi-cultural NYC.

 

THE POINT: A spunky, cheerful Christmas confection to delight the whole family.

 

(4.5 / 5)

 

At the Altria Theatre thru 12/11