ELF THE MUSICAL Comes to Walnut Street Theatre

Walnut Street Theatre will continue their 216th Season with the charming story of Buddy the elf. Travel with Buddy from the North Pole all the way to New York City in ELF The Broadway Musical. The show begins previews on November 19, opens November 27, and runs through December 29.

Based on one of the most beloved holiday films and top streamed films of all time, ELF The Broadway Musical is the story of Buddy, who mistakenly crawled into Santa’s bag as a baby and was raised as an elf! Buddy is unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, he embarks on a journey to New York City with dreams to find his birth father and discover his true identity. What’s an adopted elf to do when he realizes his father is on Santa’s ‘naughty’ list and his half-brother doesn’t believe that there is a Santa Claus? It’s up to Buddy to save Christmas in this hilarious and charming Broadway musical!

Based on the New Line Cinema film by David Berenbaum and with a book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Chad Beguelin. The show premiered on Broadway in 2010, where it was embraced as a hilarious, charming adaptation of a holiday classic. The show features a selection of original songs infused with holiday cheer, including “Happy All The Time,” “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” and “Nobody Cares About Santa.” This holiday season, it’s up to one very tall elf to save Christmas.

Glenn Casale, who previously directed the Walnut’s Mainstage productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, returns to direct. Casale directed the 2012 Dutch production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the national tour, and several regional productions in the States. His work also includes the 1999 Broadway revival of Peter Pan, which received a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical, as well as the National Tour of Peter Pan and the A&E television production. He directed The Property Known as Garland and Dragapella! at Studio 54, which was nominated for a Drama Desk and two Lucille Lortel Awards.

CHRIS BURCHERI returns as Music Director, having just completed Jersey Boys at the Walnut. Burcheri, currently in his fifth season providing music and vocal direction at the Walnut, first took the podium in the 2019-20 season and has led productions such as Rocky the Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical.

Robbie Roby also returns as Choreographer. Roby previously choreographed for the Walnut’s production of Shrek The Musical and his work as a choreographer has also been seen in Broadway Backwards (New Amsterdam Theatre), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (La Mirada and Pittsburgh CLO), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Hairspray (Sugar Loaf PAC), and Little Shop of Horrors (Sacramento Music Circus). As a performer, Robbie was the dance captain for the Broadway/Touring productions Hairspray, Billy Elliot, and Monty Python’s Spamalot.

Making his Walnut debut is Broadway and West End star Nic Rouleau as Buddy the Elf, a human who’s been raised at the North Pole since infancy. Rouleau is best known for his record-breaking 2600 performances as Elder Price in the Tony Award-winning musical The Book of Mormon. Walnut veteran Kathryn Brunner (Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella) portrays Jovie, a practical Macy’s elf. The jolly Bill Van Horn (Sherlock Homes: The Adventure of the Speckled Band) appears as the big man himself, Santa Claus. Walnut favorite Fran Prisco (Jersey Boys) returns to the stage as Walter Hobbs, along withKRISTINE FRAELICH (Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella) as Emily Hobbs, BONNIE KELLY (Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella) as Deb, Paul L. Nolan (A Woman of No Importance) as Mr. Greenway, and TIARA J. GREENE (Elvis – A Musical Revolution) as Macy’s Manager. JOEY CAROTO (Elvis – A Musical Revolution) plays Michael Hobbs, shared with FINN VAJAPEY making his Walnut debut. Boy on Santa’s Lap will be shared by NORA SHUTE in her Walnut debut and FAYE STOCKMAL (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof).

Also returning to the Walnut stage as New York locals and North Pole residents are Dance Captain AUDREY BIEHL SIMMONS (Jersey Boys), GIOVANNI DIGABRIELLE (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Kimberly Maxson (Jersey Boys), SIERRA WILSON (Beautiful – The Carole King Musical), Sara Brophy (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), EDDIE OLMO II (Jersey Boys), Alexandra Frohlinger (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Brett-Marco Glauser (Mamma Mia!), JESSE JONES (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), and ZUMMY MOHAMMED (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast).

Making their WST Mainstage acting debuts and rounding out the adult cast are Madeline Kendall and DOMINICK SANNELLI.

The Walnut production will feature an extended ensemble of children from the Delaware Valley, all students from its Theatre School. The children’s ensemble includes RAPHAEL SOMMER of Merian, PA, as well as Walnut debuts CLARA BISHOP of Ambler, PA; MIA ERNENWIEN of Voorhees, NJ; SHANE GOODMAN of Wilmington, DE; JULIA MERCEDES HEUMAN of Egg Harbor Township, NJ; TYLER JAI KNOWLES of Red Hill, PA; SAAJAN LAKHANI of Media, PA; CHASE RYAN MAILHOT of Moorestown, NJ; and RILEY MCLAUGHLIN of Swedesboro, NJ.

The production’s set has been designed specifically for the Walnut by returning designers. Scenic Designer Robert Andrew Kovach (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) is joined by Lighting Designer MATT DEMASCOLO (Jersey Boys), Assistant Lighting Designer JEN DONSKY (Jersey Boys), Costume Designer Kate Bergh (Shrek the Musical), and Sound Designer Ed Chapman (Disney's Beauty and the Beast). With cheerful colors and glistening snow, these favorites have brought the North Pole and New York City to the Walnut’s stage, complete with the beautiful Empire State Building.

Don’t walk 3,408 miles from the North Pole to New York when Walnut Street Theatre brings the holidays to you!

The 2024-25 Season continues with ELF The Broadway Musical. Previews begin November 19 and the show runs through December 29, 2024 which includes holiday performances. Open captioning will be available for the Sunday, December 1, 7pm performance. ASL Translation will be available for the Thursday, December 26, 7pm performance. Kids Night At The Walnut will be the Friday, December 20, 8pm performance. With each full price ticket purchased by an adult, a child can attend for free. For more information on Kids Night at The Walnut, please visit our website.

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