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"Elf The Musical" Kicks Off The Smith Center's Holiday Season

"Elf the Musical" based on the popular 2003 film "Elf" is playing this weekend at the Smith Center.
The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

"Elf the Musical" based on the popular 2003 film "Elf" is playing this weekend at the Smith Center.

It’s a story that’s not quite so old as those of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Little Drummer Boy, but the tale of Buddy the Elf is beloved and increasingly popular. 

We, of course, are talking about the 2003 Christmas film, “Elf”, which has become a holiday tradition in many households.

In 2010, the movie was adapted into a musical, and now it’s in Las Vegas, running through Sunday at the Smith Center.

The story of "Elf" begins with a baby at an orphanage crawling into Santa's bag of gifts and being accidentally taken to the North Pole.  

Buddy is raised by elves, but never quite fits in. When he finds out he's human, he sets out to New York to find his father and his place in the world. 

Actor Ken Clement portrays Santa Claus in the show. In a departure from the movie, narrated by Bob Newhart's Papa Elf, Santa is the narrator of the play.  

Clement told KNPR's State of Nevada there are a few other additions to the show, such as additional character development for Buddy's love interest, Jovie, and Buddy's younger half-brother, Michael.

"All of your favorite stuff from the movie is in it," Clement said, including all the fun, quotable one-liners.  "They (the audience) speak them along. It's like '[The] Rocky Horror [Picture Show]' at times."

Even if you've never seen "Elf" before, you can still enjoy the show, Clement said. It's played all over the country to audiences of all ages.

"It's like an old Bugs Bunny cartoon," he said, "There's something for everyone."

 

Ken Clement, actor

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Nikole Robinson Carroll is KNPR's Morning Edition host. You can hear her every morning from 5am until 10am on News 889. She also produces segments for KNPR's State of Nevada.