first night review: elf, the musical

Gnome alone: Elf, The Broadway Musical 
Review by Dorian Hatchett

New Orleans loves Christmas.  Any holiday that comes with an excuse to add glitter to anything really speaks to us.  We are the rhinestone-bedecked drag queen of American cities, and so it is no surprise that a musical whose primary message is that the christmas spirit can be found in the shimmering refraction of tinsel and lights would be well received.  Elf: The Broadway Musical at the Sanger is a saccharine, sparkling package wrapped in the exact right amount of ribbons and bows for our addiction to anything extra.  

I enlisted the aid of my eleven year old to add a youth perspective, and while he insisted that he would “literally die” if I tried to quantify the show’s relative level of “rizz” in a published review, all potential parental embarrassment was immediately forgotten as we approached the theatre entrance. Giant snow machines making soap bubble flakes transformed the marquis into a magical wonderland and turned every person in line into a kid anticipating an epic winter adventure. It doesn’t snow in New Orleans (3 times in my entire life, to be precise, and never enough to stick) but the Saenger Theatre would not be deterred, and even an avowed Christmas-hater like myself was melted a little bit by the kids and adults twirling around in the fluffy white flurries pouring onto the brick pavers.  

Director Sam Scalamoni brings us a feel-good story based on the 2003 Movie that’s appropriate for kids and adults alike. The cast is a mix of seasoned actors and relative newcomers who play their parts with sincerity and delight. Special mention must be made of New Orleans’ own Tyler Price Robinson (Store manager, Mr. Greenway) who absolutely lights up the stage with his presence, chewing up scenery along the way.  

Broadway traveling shows are known for bringing a high level of technical production value and Elf is no different. Layers of curtains and backdrops move the action like the page turns of the story book that Santa is reading, and the musical numbers are tight and polished. In particular both the kid and I agreed that the Nobody Cares about Santa scene was our favorite, with choreography and lighting equal or better to any scene we’ve seen on Broadway.

A grip of department store Santas and bell ringers eat late night dinner at a Chinatown restaurant and bemoan the lack of Christmas spirit in the city that never sleeps, while cabaret lighting  and classic chair dance moves create a vibe that feels very reminiscent of Cell Block Tango. Physical comedy, a few belting voices singing ballads, and costumes as bright and colorful as a dish of ribbon candy really complete the chemis-tree equation for a holiday show that sleighs.  

Elf: The Broadway Musical runs at The Saenger Theatre through December 8th.