Based on the beloved holiday film, Elf, this hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity.
Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf 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 that his half-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.
I hope that you enjoy this evening's performance of this modern-day holiday classic.
The forty-eight students preparing to take the stage have worked nearly fifty hours over the past several months: practicing songs, learning choreography, and memorizing lines. Every show brings it's own experiences. I remember that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang had a lot of tough choreography and Into the Woods had very challenging music. This year's show was is the LONGEST show with the MOST SET PIECES to move during the MOST SCENE CHANGES. This amazing CAST of kids who are about to perform for you have risen to the task of becoming an amazing STAGE CREW.
This production would not have been possible without the help and support of many people. I would like to thank...
The parents of the Cast Members for giving up your kids so that they could attend rehearsals. And for being patient when 4:30 dismissals happened closer to 4:35.
Dr. Garcia, Mrs. Dyer, Mr. Wiemann, and the rest of the OTE faculty and staff for their support of our school's music and theater activities.
Mrs. Chavez for organizing the reserved seating for the evening performances, ordering costumes, and just being helpful all the time.
Mrs. Matos for checking the translations of the permission forms and information letters. Every. Single. Year.
Mrs. Fries for giving up an afternoon and some of the coolest set pieces and design ideas we have used on our OTE stage. I hope these kids find their way to you at Trinity.
Mrs. Lopez for painting the beautiful signs for the North Pole and the Tavern on the Green.
Mrs. Loerwald for coming out of retirement and spending a week painting the stunning backdrops. I'm thankful that I had you working at my side all the hours over Thanksgiving Break.
Coach Hinojoza for volunteering to take my first grade classes on the days leading up to and following Thanksgiving Break. When the kids asked why they were going to PE, it was a huge relief to be able to say, "So I can build a bench (and get a million other things done)."
Mrs. Reeves and Miss Leichnam for being there in rehearsals when I didn't know which direction to go next. I appreciate your input and time. Thank you for the work you do to bring the magic of musical theatre to our OTE kids.
My wife, Angela, and my children, Joy and Isaac, for their patience and support on all those days when I was late getting home from work or working on my computer during family time. When I sacrifice my time to do this thing I love, I recognize that you are the ones making the real sacrifice. I love you!
Mrs. Malone, I am so grateful that I get to work at the same school as you again. You are the best teacher and wife ever!
