Photo Coverage: The Cast of ELF THE MUSICAL Celebrates Opening Night

The John W. Engeman Theater presents ELF. Performances began on Thursday, November 15 and run through Sunday, December 30, 2018.

Based on the beloved film, ELF THE MUSICAL tells the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy's enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa's permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner Elf.

ELF THE MUSICAL is produced by RICHARD DOLCE the Engeman Theater's Producing Artistic Director.

ELF is Directed by MATT KUNKEL (Regional: A Celebration of Muny 100 and An Evening with the Stars - St. Louis Muny; associate credits include Candide - Carnegie Hall, Elf the Musical - Madison Square Garden, and Thoroughly Modern Millie - Actors Fund Reunion Concert).

The Choreographer is Mara Newberry Greer (Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Fulton Theatre, Music Theatre Wichita, Sacramento Music Circus, Pittsburgh CLO, Lexington Theatre Company, North Shore Music Theatre, Gateway Playhouse, Chautaqua Opera, Front Porch Theatricals, 2015 Lucille Lortel Awards).

The Musical Director is CHARLIE REUTER (Regional: The Prince of Egypt - Tuacahn; Cinderella - National Tour; A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - The Old Globe).

The Associate Choreographer is TIGER BROWN.

The Creative Team includes: Nate Bertone (Scenic Design), Leon Dobkowski (Costume Design), SHELBY LOERA (Lighting Design), Laura Shubert (Sound Design), Kurt Alger(Wig and Hair Design), GAYLE SEAY, SCOTT WOJCIK and Holly Buczek of WOJCIK/SEAY CASTING (Casting Directors), Kristie Moschetta (Props Design), Leila Scandar(Production Stage Manager) and EMILY VAETH (Assistant Stage Manager).

The cast of ELF features Erik Gratton as Buddy the Elf (NY Theater: Elf at Madison Square Garden (Buddy); Regional Theater: The Foreigner - Village Theatre, Mr Burns - ACT Theatre; TV: "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "GRIMM," "All My Children"); Caitlin Gallogly as Jovie (Off-Broadway: On a Clear Day - Irish Rep; TV: "South Park," (Princess Kenny), "Silicon Valley" (Kim), "I'm Dying Up Here," "Future Man," "The Mindy Project," "Masters of Sex"); Joe Gately as Walter Hobbs (NYC Theater: Babes in Arms - Musicals Tonight, Triangle - 59E59, The Disappeared - Prospect Theater; Select Regional Theater: Mamma Mia! - Finger Lakes, Guys and Dolls - Maine State, Women in Jeopardy - Pioneer Theatre, Elf the Musical - Fulton Theatre, Saturday Night Fever - Gateway/Ogunquit); and Christianne Tisdale as Emily Hobbs (Engeman Theater: 42nd Street, Lend Me a Tenor; Broadway/First Nat'l/West End/Toronto: Beauty and the Beast, Triumph of Love, On a Clear Day (Revival), Les Miserables (25th Anniversary), Titanic, One Touch of Venus, Sousatska; TV: "30 Rock," "David Letterman," "Law & Order," "Wallflowers").

The cast also features: Gordon Gray as Santa, Zachary Podair as Michael Hobbs and Randy Donaldson as The Store Manager.

The cast includes: Andrew Aaron Berlin, Kieran Brown, TIGER BROWN, Sophia Deery, Lauren Gobes, Nicole Hale, AJ Lockhart, Halle Mastroberardino, JACOB MELSSEN, Danielle Nigro, Trevor Michael Schmidt, MATTHEW VARVAR and Richard B. Watson.

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy