'Elf' Brings Sharp Energy and Big Laughs to the Alhambra

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is writing loud for all to hear, so let’s talk about Elf, which debuted at the Alhambra Theatre and Dining on Friday night. The Alhambra has a long, outstanding reputation for putting on the finest holiday shows year after year, and this year’s presentation of Elf is no exception.

In fact, my very first visit to the Alhambra was back in the 1980s when I was a kid, seeing A Christmas Carol for the first time. I still remember sitting there wide-eyed as Scrooge zoomed across the stage in his bed, being whisked from ghost to ghost. It was the moment I realized live theatre could feel like magic. That memory, along with the unforgettable chocolate mousse they served for dessert, made a deep impression on my life. Insider tip: If you’re not feeling any of the desserts on the current menu, you can always ask for the chocolate mousse!

The anticipation begins the moment you walk into the sparkly, tinsel-covered venue, decked out to the hilt for the holiday season. The stage, white and vast, gives the illusion of the wide expanse of the North Pole tundra. The decision to project backdrops onto this glowing canvas was genius. With so many rapid location changes, it became the most effective way to guide the audience through the show’s numerous scene transitions.

The story revolves around a horizontally blessed man named Buddy, who was raised to believe he was a Christmas Elf. Mason Ebert brings him to life with a wide-eyed earnestness. While I adore the film’s counterpart, Will Ferrell, his version can be a bit intense and occasionally grating on the nerves. Ebert, however, is energetic and exuberant while also being irresistibly charming.

The show opens in Santa’s workshop, where the Elves are busily building toys in costumes as colorful as a bag of Skittles. Unfortunately, Buddy once again falls behind on his Christmas toy-building quota, and in their effort to comfort him, the Elves accidentally let slip that he is actually a human. After confronting Santa and learning the truth about his heritage, Buddy sets off on a journey to New York City to reunite with his father.

The rest of the show follows Buddy as he tries to fit into the human world and ingratiate himself with his Scrooge-like father, who works at a children’s book publishing company. When he’s not attempting to build a long-lost family bond, Buddy also takes a job as a Macy’s Elf, and it leads to one of my favorite scenes of the entire production. Buddy expertly convinces the store manager that he works for “the big guy up North,” which quickly transforms into a high-energy, tin-foil twinkling dance number. A whirlwind of red and green flashes across the stage as the Macy’s Elves break into the Charleston, creating one of the most joyful and visually dazzling moments of the night.

Jereme Raickett appears as the store manager, and I was bowled over by how charismatic he was. He held his own in a scene with Buddy and was never overshadowed. Fortunately for the audience, Jereme appears several times throughout the show, and he is a standout every single time. Alhambra, take note: please give this man a leading role!

As Buddy begins influencing the world around him with his infectious “Christmas cheer,” the musical numbers grow more magical as well. They build into even more intricate, high-energy choreography. The standout song of the night, “Never Fall in Love (With an Elf),” belongs to Buddy’s love interest, Jovie, embodied by Kaylee Hendry.

Jovie’s deep disappointment is strikingly juxtaposed by her glittering emerald green frock. Heartbroken after Buddy breaks his Christmas promise to her, she delivers a lament worthy of the bombshells of Hollywood’s golden age. Her clear, beautiful voice tugs at the heartstrings as she warns that one should never fall in love with an emotionally unavailable Elf.

While you may not find yourself humming the tunes on the way out, the music infuses the show with joyful energy and illuminates the motivations of the characters on stage. I would be remiss not to give kudos to Lisa Valdini Booth, who shines as the playfully cheeky Deb at the father’s office. I’d watch a whole miniseries of her in a heartbeat. Additional compliments go to the backstage crew for their lightning-quick set changes. Everything was absolutely seamless, especially impressive for an opening night. The audio by GoldenStage Productions was also much improved over the last production, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Every vocal was crystal clear, even if the father’s lines were occasionally a bit muddled.

And if I may make one last recommendation: order the Chef’s Famous Crème Brûlée French Toast with whipped cream. The top is light and fluffy with the texture of a beignet, beautifully complemented by the caramelized chewiness underneath. Pure heaven.

You’ll be glad you’re not a cotton-headed ninny-muggins if you already snagged tickets, because Elf is completely sold out. And if you aren’t in the Christmas spirit yet, this show will hit you like a candy-cane sugar rush, sending you home with a heart two sizes bigger.

Elf runs Thursday, November 20 through Wednesday, December 24 at the Alhambra Theatre.

For more information, full cast and crew credits and links to tickets, visit the Elf page here on JaxPlays.