Review: Christmas Chaos Ensues in ELF, THE MUSICAL at Arvada Center For Arts & Humanities

The holidays always come with baggage. Winter events, gift giving, and family gatherings can quickly devolve into mayhem among the twinkling lights that line every streetlamp and window sill. Though, Arvada Center's current holiday production of Elf provides it's own sense of pandemonium.

Based off of the blockbuster movie, Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human who was raised among Santa's helpers at the North Pole, who goes on a quest to find his biological father in the pursuit of happiness. Directed by Gavin Mayer, Arvada's latest production stays true to the level of quality entertainment their patrons have come to expect with a cast that exudes joy from the stage and into every heart.

Sharon Kay White as the office busybody, Deb, and Rendell A. DeBose as the Macy's Manager are equally memorable and hysterical in their portrayals. I only wish the script provided more stage time for these two, especially DeBose whose role is featured only in the first act for one or two scenes. As the young son, Michael Hobbs, Grayson Allensworth is a budding young performer with a nice, clear tone to his voice and a developed understanding of what it means to "act." As his mother, Emily Hobbs, the iconic Megan Van de Hey gives off a strong energy on stage matched only by a brassy vocal laced with a soft, motherly touch. Larry Cahn as Walter Hobbs is dry in all the right ways as the disassociated father with too much on his corporate work plate. He is quite convincing as the stoic father who could afford to spend more time with his family, especially so close to the holidays. As both Santa and the Scrooge-esque Mr. Greenway, Colin Alexander is a lovely storyteller. I really enjoyed the opportunity to see an actor play multiple roles and uniquely capture the differences between the two.

As the love interest of Buddy, Jovie, Keyonna Knight provides a sense of demure with hints of something more. It turns out the "more" is a strong vocal in Act 2. I'm a sucker for a unique vocal tone and Knight brings an almost raspy, jazz influence that just feels right. As the leading lad, Josh Houghton is delightfully chaotic, never losing steam as the show moves from one scene to the next. Houghton, though clamorous, provides a "thru-line" and consistency to the madness that never feels overwhelming or abrasive.

Directed by Gavin Mayer, the shows creative elements really bring the show to life. Mayer provides a clear concept and a cleverness to the staging, utilizing the same set pieces for multiple settings in a way that captures the differences and not the similarities. Choreography by Arvada Center staple Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck is clean and fun with some notable tap routines ably performed by the ensemble. The true standout is Scenic Design by Brian Mallgrave and Costumes by Savana Leveille. Their creations were visually stunning; really incredible work that gave life to the show and the characters complemented with Hair and Make-Up by Megan O'Connor.

My main area of critique, however, stems from the Music Direction by Christopher Babbage. Although each of the performers is equipped with a vocal prowess, what was missing was a sense of blend between them. When they sang together, it was less a collective, ensemble sound and more a mix of voices seemingly fighting to be heard. It reminds me of the age old adage during my choir days: If you can't hear the person singing next to you, you're too loud.

Ultimately, the production does a nice job with a rather rough around the edges book and score. None of the songs are memorable. Even while writing this review, I can't hum a single tune from the show nor would I be able to identify one if I heard it now. The first act is rather long, especially for a show that moves with a faster pace, only for the second act to move much faster in what feels like someone procrastinated and now at the last minute needs to tie everything up and put a bow on top. Some characters are also shortsighted, including the Macy's Manager as briefly discussed earlier, but more noticeably Jovie. She essentially sings at the top of Act 2 only to disappear until the very end. There is also a moment where she talks about how the last year and a half have been terrible for her, but we never really learn why. I think if we as the audience learn more about her, it would more more sense as to why she is interested in Buddy in the first place, especially considering he is some randomly child-like 30 year old who goes around telling people he is from the North Pole.

Nevertheless, this cast and crew left me with a smile. I also want to take a moment to highlight the little things like the gay couple among the ensemble members, as well as, the brief moment where a male actor mentions that he already has a boyfriend. These small moments matter, especially to me as a gay person who doesn't often see himself on stage in a meaningful way. Usually, these moments are baked into the show and often have to do with something tumultuous like the fear of coming out or being "exposed." It was nice to simply see gay people exist in a way that their queerness was not being objectified, not dissimilar to how people of color also want to exist and see themselves in theater.

Arvada's production of Elf is a splendid way to herald in the Christmas Chaos all December long. And if there is one lesson to take away, it is this: You can never have too many boyfriends.

Elf runs through December 23, 2021. For tickets, visit https://arvadacenter.org/events/elf-the-musical.

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