RIALTO CHATTER: Sebastian Arcelus to Star in ELF as Buddy; Two New Scenes?

By: Sep. 13, 2010
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Although there's been no official announcement yet, while talking to the Rockland Journal News about the upcoming ELF muscial, Thomas Meehan tells the paper that "In casting Sebastian Arcelus ("Good Vibrations") as Buddy, Meehan says director Casey Nicholaw didn't want someone who would deliver a Ferrell impersonation. 'We wanted someone who would make it their own,' he says."

Sebastian's Broadway credits include WICKED, Jersey Boys, Good Vibrations and Rent.

Meehan also tells the paper that "There are also new scenes, including a Chinese restaurant where Santa Clauses gather on Christmas Eve.

'That was a scene we wrote to open the second act, and then they wrote a great song for it,' he says."

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures in association with Unique Features will present the new Broadway musical ELF, starring Tony® Award winner Beth Leavel (Emily), Tony® Award nominee Mark Jacoby (Walter), Matthew Gumley (Michael), Valerie Wright (Deb), Michael McCormick (Mr. Greenway), Michael Mandell (Store Manager) and six-time Emmy® Award winner George Wendt (Santa). Full casting including the lead roles of Buddy and Jovie will be announced shortly.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, ELF will feature songs by Tony Award nomineesMatthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Tony Award winnersThomas Meehan (The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone). ELF will be directed and choreographed by Tony nominee Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone, Monty Python's Spamalot).

The company will also include Timothy J. AlexCallie CarterCara CooperLisa GadjaAsmeret GhebremichaelBlake HammondEmily HsuJenny HillNancy JohnstonMarc KesslerMatt LoehrLee Wilkins, and Kirsten Wyatt.

Scenic design for ELF is by Tony-nominee David Rockwell (Hairspray, Legally Blonde), costume design is by Tony Award winner Gregg Barnes (The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde), lighting design is by two-time Tony Award-winner Natasha Katz (Aida, The Coast of Utopia) and sound design is by Tony nominee Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages, Lend Me a Tenor). ELF will feature orchestrations by three-time Tony Award-winner Doug Besterman (The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie).

ELF will open on Sunday, November 14th at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) and previews will begin on Tuesday, November 2nd. The production will play a limited engagement for the holiday season through Sunday, January 2nd.

ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Buddy is raised 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, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and his step-brother doesn't even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner ELF.



 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.



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