Interview: Daniel Patrick Smith of ELF! THE MUSICAL at Music Hall At Fair Park

On Monday, I caught up with Daniel Patrick Smith, who plays Buddy in the national tour of ELF! THE MUSICAL. Daniel had just arrived in Atlanta, Georgia for a one-week stop on the show's brief holiday tour. A proud 8-year New York City veteran performer (and graduate of New York University's prestigious Tisch School), Daniel spoke about stepping into Will Ferrell's iconic shoes, being away from home over the holidays, and his joy of improvising every night onstage.

Name: Daniel Patrick Smith

Hometown: "I grew up in Ocean City, New Jersey, which is a small town near Atlantic City."

Current Role: Buddy in the national tour of ELF! THE MUSICAL.

Kyle Christopher West: Growing up, what first inspired you to perform?

Daniel Patrick Smith: I first saw my sister in a show when I was seven years old [at] a summer theatre camp. I really felt the itch to be up there with them, so I begged my mom to sign me up the next year. It was so unbelievably freeing, as a weird kid growing up. [Laughs] It was such an escape to have that much fun and play pretend. I remember the moment when I found out people [performed] professionally, and that you could go to school for it. At a very young age, I decided that I was going to make this my career, and I never really looked back.

Kyle: Before performing professionally, did you play any memorable roles?

Daniel: I worked a lot with friends at a community theatre in New Jersey and got to play some really awesome roles. I played PIPPIN; I played Joseph [in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHINCOLOR DREAMCOAT]; I did NOISES OFF, which was my first play. I played the dentist in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and, this summer, I played that role professionally. It was ten years later, [and] it was really cool to get to come back to the show, now having gone through training, and being slightly closer to age-appropriate for the role. It was a really cool experience!

Kyle: Your bio states that you're excited to be "back on the road with ELF." What can you tell me about your history with the show?

Daniel: Last year, I played Buddy, [as well]. It is one of the most fun roles I can even imagine playing. He is the epitome of Christmas spirit, and he is infectiously joyous. I am so grateful to get to portray him and get to spread this holiday cheer all around the country again this year!

Kyle: It must be a challenge recreating a role that was made famous by a comedian as specific as Will Ferrell. Was that intimidating?

Daniel: It was intimidating! I always looked up to Will Ferrell as an actor and physical comedian. Buddy was a dream role before I even knew anyone else was going to play it after Will. It's become easy to separate myself from the movie because the musical stands alone.

Kyle: How closely does the stage show follow the film's script?

Daniel: It plays homage to the movie, but it's a different piece. There's a lot more layers. I think that the relationships are better explored. I got to really make my own Buddy, and find him on my own. I knew that I was going to be compared to Will Ferrell, but I think after watching [the new stage version], you can forget about him and just see this character with fresh eyes.

Kyle: How do audiences who are familiar with the film seem to react to changes?

Daniel: It's really interesting, because there are some iconic lines from the film that, when I say them, some people might start applauding or even finish it with me, which is exciting. But they are also really responsive to the new jokes, and to the songs that are so catchy and timeless. It's really special that the audience is able to come in knowing the movie and then walk away having a much better experience than they anticipated. ELF has really become one of those classic holiday movies now. So many people say it's their favorite movie; it's really special to see a classic come about in the past decade or so!

Kyle: Having performed the show in previous years, is there a moment in the show that stands out as a highlight for you?

Daniel: Well, there is a moment that I always enjoy because it's a time I get to keep the show fresh. When I first meet my dad at his office, he mistakes me for a singing telegram. They ask me to sing my song, and I don't have anything, so I go off-the-cuff and sing. I've learned to find differences every night in the song. It's really fun to watch the other actors respond, genuinely, because they don't know what's going to come out of my mouth...Sometimes I don't even know what's going to come out of my mouth. I think that's what the magic of live theatre is all about: anything can happen. It's that bit of spontaneity that keeps live theatre so exciting.

Kyle: I imagine that touring only during the holidays must come with a good amount of sacrifices. Does the company of ELF find ways to make Thanksgiving and the December holidays memorable?

Daniel: Coming from different areas of the country, I think we [the ELF company] pull together our own traditions and find new ways to celebrate. Last year, I was a little bummed to be away from home for my first time during Christmas. One of the girls in the cast was from California, and she was saying she hiked on Christmas. I said, "We're in Upstate New York: there's definitely hiking!" So we ended up hiking, and it was a really lovely experience to share her holiday tradition and make it new for us all. I think it's really cool to get to share holidays with people who were basically strangers up until a month ago. We all get homesick; we can all yearn for that family time, but that's when we really find ourselves supporting each other. It's really sweet!

Kyle: Finally, I assume your contract ends around the end of December. Do you have any projects lined up that your looking forward to?

Daniel: Well, I am excited to [go] home to my family and have a belated holiday experience. My sister actually just had a baby, so I'm really exited to meet my niece, and maybe take a couple of days off from "the grind" after being on the road, and then get back to it as soon as I can!

Kyle: Thank you so much for your time, I will let you get back to your busy day. I look forward to seeing you guys next week!

Daniel: Thank you so much!

ELF! THE MUSICAL appears onstage the Music Hall at Fair Park, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals from December 8th-December 20th. Tickets and more information are available at www.dallassummermusicals.org/

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