This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Jeff Malone: Welcome to Half Hour with Jeff and Richie, the podcast where we explore the latest shows we see, sharing our insights and opinions on the performances, storylines, and everything in between.

[0:09] Richie Grasso: In today's episode, we're discussing the 2024 Broadway revival of ELF, currently playing at the Marquee Theater in New York City.

[0:16] Jeff Malone: Whether you cannot catch the show in person or you want to expand your thoughts after seeing it, this episode is for you.

[0:21] Richie Grasso: And as always, we want to inform you that this episode will contain spoilers.

[0:25] Jeff Malone: So if you're ready to dive into this production, stick around with us.

[0:28] Jeff Malone: I'm Jeff.

[0:29] Richie Grasso: And I'm Richie.

[0:30] Jeff Malone: We're thrilled to be your hosts for this episode.

[0:31] Richie Grasso: But before we start the conversation about ELF, here are a few words from our advertisers.

[0:52] Jeff Malone: ELF the musical is a hilarious and heartwarming tale of Buddy, a young orphan whose life is changed forever when he mistakenly crawls into Santa's sack of toys one Christmas Eve.

[1:01] Richie Grasso: Raised by Elves of the North Pole, Buddy's enormous size and limited toymaking abilities make him realize he may not quite fit in. When he discovers he's actually human, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, and in turn, helps the Big Apple and the people he meets rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

[1:18] Jeff Malone: So in today's episode, we're discussing the 2024 Broadway revival of ELF.

[1:22] Richie Grasso: And as always, we're going to hit you with our hot take.

[1:27] Jeff Malone: You first.

[1:29] Richie Grasso: So listen, I think ELF the musical on Broadway hits all the marks. You're getting splashy fun choreo, you're getting a comedy book, you're getting big, big jazzy production numbers, great vocal talent. I think it's doing everything it needs to do.

[1:43] Richie Grasso: There's wonderful technological advancements in the flight of the sled, the projections, the snow. You're getting a spectacle Broadway show out of it. It's definitely cheesy and corny at times, but when you see Grey Henson's carrying the show with all of his comedic skills and this supportive cast really working really, really hard, I think this is the perfect time for something like this on Broadway. So yes to ELF on Broadway, 100%.

[2:07] Jeff Malone: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I feel like my hot take on ELF is that this is a revival that is a festive treat, but it's also kind of a blueprint for holiday shows being on Broadway. Casting Gray Henson as Buddy is also an absolute joy. So I really think producers should take note of what's happening with ELF on Broadway right now.

[2:31] Richie Grasso: And let's dive into that.

[2:33] Jeff Malone: Let's do it. So when you talk about this, you know, this is a revival. This was on Broadway back in the early 2000s. I saw the original cast of this, Sebastian Roselli and Beth Leavel and some wonderful people in that. And it was fun then. It was very like, oh, it was a movie to stage adaptation, but the score is so jazzy and fun. It's not pop tunes, it's not folk music, it's not modern pop writing. It's that jazzy, like when you listen to it, I see, I would think the writers took this like, you know what? Most people listen to jazzy music at the holidays because old recordings of Christmas songs are set in that jazz style, right? So why wouldn't we make a modern jazz score? And I think it totally makes sense for this, to have that big band. It totally does.

[3:19] Richie Grasso: Totally works. See, because I feel like it's also music that you feel like you can plug into your holiday playlist and you wouldn't know that it was from a Broadway musical.

[3:29] Jeff Malone: Yeah. You know, and when you look, Jeff, you're such a music history buff. When you look at, we've actually had conversations where we've talked about the history of Christmas music and why do we root ourselves in that like 1940s, 1950s, 1960s time period of holiday music? Yes, of course, things have been re-recorded and reinvented. New songs have been, we keep going back to Bing Crosby. We keep going back to those old sounds of Christmas as a sense of memory, but jazz, Christmas was so big for pop music of the 40s and it was such a big thing, right?

[4:02] Richie Grasso: Yeah, I mean, I feel like people like modern pop music. We definitely get a few hits here or there, like with Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," or like Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree." But they even feel like they have that influence still from the jazz standards of the Christmas time. But there's something I think warming about having those Christmas hits kind of resurface each year, which is where I think plugging them into a musical like ELF works. Because also with that soundtrack, you had that throughout the film, the original film. But I will say that there's an original score here with ELF, which is also making it work so much better that we're not listening to the re-records of Christmas songs here. We're getting an actual original score.

[4:44] Jeff Malone: Right. And bringing that into the concept of this piece, I think it works that way. By Matthew Sklar, Chad Beguelin, and the book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. I mean, they're pros of the industry, those four names right there. They've done a lot. So really cool stuff.

[4:58] Richie Grasso: And then this is a pretty simple adaptation of the film, right? Nothing really out of works. They take funny moments from the film and put it on stage. In this revival, we're seeing compared to when I saw the original to this, nothing's really changed. A few jokes have changed, some funny moments here and there, but the overall thought, the character development, the songs, it's all basically just a standard revival of ELF.

[5:20] Jeff Malone: Yeah, and they just have minor things. You know, I feel like ELF already has this huge big fan base of people that love the film. So I think what they needed to stay pretty standard in what they were gonna do from film to stage. And I think that, and this is my first time seeing ELF. So I'm kind of going in with this by saying, like, this is the first time I was seeing this. And do I feel like they held to the film and those ideas? Yes, I think they stay pretty standard to it. I mean, there probably were just a few minor things that they changed, but they kept a lot of those classic lines from Buddy that needed to be in there because that's what people really want when you go see a piece like this.

[6:01] Richie Grasso: Totally. Not to mention you have a standard character development arc going on here. There's this warm, joyous Christmas feel, but there's also commentary on, you know, falling in love in New York City and finding family and what that means, and it's heartwarming and it's family friendly. This definitely has this cheesy element to it, of course. It's Christmas Broadway. It's clearly selling like it's gonna be a fun thing to see in the month of December and to early January.

[6:30] Jeff Malone: But I've been saying for such a long time, Jeff, where have these Christmas or holiday shows been in New York other than the Radio City Rockettes that we get every year? We used to have "A Christmas Carol" at Madison Square Garden Theater every year. That hasn't been back in a while. And we've had some Christmas carols on Broadway back and forth, but we haven't had "The Grinch," we haven't had "ELF," we haven't had "White Christmas," we haven't had those standards here on Broadway in a while. And so it's actually funny that some people consider "Annie" to be a Christmas story of sorts. So we have "Annie" at the theater at MSG. We have "White Christmas" over at Paper Mill, we have "ELF" on Broadway and the Rockettes. We're like slammed with holiday shows now in this one year. Clearly, I feel like producers last year were like, let's get something on Broadway in 2024, 2025.

[7:16] Richie Grasso: So, well, it is interesting to see because it's like sometimes I wonder, like, why do they not think that fully out, especially with like, okay, one year you could do really well because no one else is putting anything out. Or now this year everyone has something out that's holiday related. Unless people are really thinking, like, okay, people are coming back to the city now at the holidays. Let's pump out some holiday content for them to go view.

[7:42] Jeff Malone: Mm-hmm.

[7:44] Richie Grasso: And you'll always have people that see the Rockettes no matter what, but this is just another option. I also love that this is in the Marquee Theater, and we'll get a little bit into the end about our experience of the show, but it's a good location. And overall, I love this concept. Yes, I understand it's an exact replication of basically taking the movie, which was popular and putting it onto stage, but it works, it just works. The magic of it and the music and the comedy works for a live stage.

[8:07] Jeff Malone: I guess one of my questions to you about something like a holiday show like ELF or even like "White Christmas" or "Holiday Inn," they're so season specific. How do you keep something like this on stage longer versus like it just having this small window on in New York City?

[8:25] Richie Grasso: Unfortunately, there's not much you can do other than society pushing the holiday season longer, because I feel like society with like the day after Halloween, people start getting ready for holidays. So you really can only run a solid November and a solid December and one week in January. That's basically what you can do with this, which is why we had "A Christmas Story" on Broadway. The way I look at it is producers can just keep bringing it back, but it's expensive. You know, it's very expensive to run a show for two months and hope that you're gonna make some money back. That's very, very difficult when you don't get longevity.

[9:02] Jeff Malone: Right.

[9:02] Richie Grasso: So, as creatives, I think that are looking into concepts like this and plot that is focused around the holidays, it's like, why would we want to, though?

[9:16] Jeff Malone: Right, exactly. I mean, I'm going on the seesaw here right now because I'm like in one breath, I'm saying, oh yeah, it's perfect because the show is making over a million dollars on Broadway right now. You know, I'm sure a ton of people do this show around the year, and but it only is going to have such a short life on the stage that it's like, is that all its purpose? Well, not necessarily because so many regionals and schools and community theaters will do holiday pieces at this time of year. So I do know, I think I actually think MTI licenses out an ELF junior version for elementary and middle schools to do. So I think they definitely, you know, how many schools want are looking for new pieces around the holidays and put a holiday show on, right? So yes, I think there's money in that for the producers and the writers as well.

[10:00] Jeff Malone: Right for sure. Just longevity on Broadway probably doesn't really exist for a show like this, which you know makes us kind of move into the production now here. But before we get into the direction, actor performances and design, here are a few messages from our sponsors.

[10:19] Richie Grasso: All right, so let's get into this production now because actually a fun fact this revival is actually based on the 2015 London production, not the previous Broadway runs. Another fun fact there, there was technically a revival already in 2012, which was the same production as the 2010 opening. So there's a little summary there. What do you feel like? Because you did see the original production. How do you feel like this production kind of is standing out now in 2024?

[10:51] Jeff Malone: I think this production stands out a little bit in a few ways. Casting choices and design choices. I remember seeing it on Broadway originally and thinking, you know, there was little to no projection use at that time. In some shows, yeah, but I don't believe in this show. So it seemed a little clunky and the costumes seemed a little stiff and cartoony, but it worked for the first production. This seemed more natural, like we're putting them in clothes that are a little bit more comfortable. And I think that there is this brilliant thing happening on Broadway right now, which I hope is trending in the right direction, which is a hybrid mix of projection and actual scenery pieces. We don't want a bare stage with just projections the whole time.

We also don't necessarily always need clunky, clunky, heavy scenery loading in and down. Highlight your locale by putting a projection in the back with a few pieces. Don't leave us bare stage, give us a few pieces. And I think the way that those office scenes moved in and out, the holiday ice skating rink scenes, the Santa's factory scenes, it worked so well to have pieces fly in and out in a really well designed and well lit way, so that the productions didn't seem like, oh my gosh, I'm watching a TV movie here.

[11:18] Richie Grasso: Yeah.

[11:18] Jeff Malone: And I think that was smart.

[12:04] Richie Grasso: Yeah, I agree. Like from a design perspective here, you've shown me some of the clips from the previous productions, and I look at this and I say, there's feels like there's a breath of fresh air when it comes to color and cartoon. You know, Buddy the Elf and that whole storyline there was always about it kind of being cartoony. I think there was even like a spin-off cartoon around Buddy the Elf. And I feel like what we're spam a lot last year didn't really capture the cartooness that they were going for in the design, and they just had those productions from like the Kennedy Center. This one looked at that and said, we're gonna kind of give it that cartoon look. We're gonna bring in color, we're gonna bring in projections, and we're gonna match it to the set that we're building for this piece. It also looks like from a design sense that this could tour so easily.

[12:54] Jeff Malone: Totally.

[12:55] Richie Grasso: It's very easy to do. But then there sometimes shows like that can look cheap. And this didn't look cheap to me. This felt really full. I was getting a full spectacle show out of it. You know, we said that actually, because the last thing that we were in there for was "The Wiz," and "The Wiz" was the tour that came in through there. It had the projection design, but it also had set pieces, and that one didn't even compare to what we were actually seeing on ELF. Because like the design actually worked versus where "The Wiz" you kind of just felt like, oh, this feels cheap.

[13:24] Jeff Malone: Yeah, exactly. And you do have a nice hybrid of costume, lighting, scenic designers, direction, and choreography working together really well here. I thought the whole thing moved very nice.

[13:36] Richie Grasso: To some casting here.

[13:38] Jeff Malone: Yeah, let's talk about some of these roles. Grey Henson's is truly a comedic gem of our time. He's a Tony nominee from Mean Girls. He knows exactly how to work an audience and work a line.

[13:49] Richie Grasso: Yeah, and he does these physical movements that go along with the lines that just lock in so well. He is so good in this role. He's not trying to be Will Ferrell, he's not trying to be Sebastian Roselli, he's trying to be his own person and make it his own, but also just lands this comedy better than I. I mean, I would truly hope he could be Tony nominated.

[14:08] Jeff Malone: I would hope they wouldn't overlook him. I think he does have a good chance. You know, I look at how he's portraying this role, you know. You know, it's very different than Will Ferrell in a way because he brings a more youthful side to the role than Will was able to based on I think Will's age at the time.

[14:24] Jeff Malone: And seeing this, I'm like, okay, this role was made for Grey Henson's. Like it really was. And you're watching him, and the comedic timing is great. The innuendos that could go over a kid's head, but like a parent gets it. It's like that's the thing that always was there for us when it came to comedy, especially family comedy. Um, that I just think they also really worked, you know. And uh and Gray brings so many different elements from the ice skating scene to the dancing that he always brings, you know. One of my standout things that I always remember from Gray is um his number in Mean Girls that you know, we're always like, okay, and and now we get the tap dance number. And it and like when you get that in this as well, it's like it's perfect. Totally.

[15:12] Jeff Malone: I also will say that um who seems to be somewhat of a breakout star here is Kayla Davion. Really, really really talented vocalist. I was very impressed with her take on this role. I know this role can come across as like the moody, edgy girl who played it in the film that was on Zoe De Chanel, right? So this just worked. She just brought a different light. There was actually a little bit of a uh uh a sympathy for you. Sometimes I find that character to be like, okay, she she doesn't know what to do in New York City, and then she falls in love. But I felt for her, I felt like she was really kind of lost in this city, and she needed someone like a buddy to kind of save her a little bit.

[15:48] Richie Grasso: Yeah, which was definitely needed. I feel like there's a lot of people in the city that go through this a lot. And to see this, I think it probably hits home for a lot of people.

[15:58] Jeff Malone: Yeah. We also had Sean Astin as Santa. That was great. I thought he was really, really funny in that. A few great one-liners. And it's cool to see him up there after doing all the film work that he's done.

[16:09] Richie Grasso: Yeah. We gotta talk about the standout number and the stars that are in this two roles because we have Miss Ashley Brown back on stage here from oh my gosh, original Mary Poppins and the original run of Mary Poppins on Broadway and Abelle on Broadway and um oh my gosh, countless other things. But yeah, she's the original Mary Poppins. And we haven't seen her on Broadway in maybe 10 or 15 years.

[16:36] Jeff Malone: Yes. And we also have Kai Egger in here who's playing the son, Michael Hobbs. Yep. And okay, their number probably was like the standout moment of the night where they're belting their faces off at each other, mom and son, which I think was hysterical. It was perfect. I it's like you think Ashley Brown, you're like, Ashley, what are you doing in Elf right now? But like it worked. It worked. And I just thought she was belting with him, and I was I remember Beth Leavel doing that, and it's so it's Beth was so great in the original. But to see Ashley just do that with him, I would that's a big applause from the audience. We were like, yeah.

[17:11] Richie Grasso: I just, you know, I thought I really thought they were gonna get a standing ovation. Because I said this kid was a ham. Okay. He loved every moment of being up on that stage, uh uh laughing, having a good time, bringing all of the energy uh from the cast center, you know. You didn't feel like they were separated in any way, and you could really pick up on the audience, really enjoying that.

[17:36] Jeff Malone: Yeah. Oh, also I was gonna say some standouts for sure. Also, we had uh Michael Hayden as the dad. He had some great vocal moments, I thought. Kellen Allen as the store manager was great and fun take on that role. I just thought he and he was the hot dog uh vendor as well. I thought that was so silly, too. So funny. Um, but also Jennifer Sanchez really stood out to me as the I guess the um head of the office manager.

[18:01] Richie Grasso: Yeah.

[18:02] Jeff Malone: Um, just she looked great, she sounded great, she was she had great one-liners. I was like, who is this? Like, yes, I was very into it. That's when you take a role and you say, I'm gonna give it my all.

[18:14] Richie Grasso: Yeah, totally. So, I mean, really great casting, great design choices, great directory choices. One other thing, speaking of design, I wanted to say was similar technology used from Back to the Future car flying over the audience. This the sled flying over the audience, very, very cool. I don't know why how they're doing it, but they're changing the lighting, they're making it snow, and they're really making this like wow, this sled is like over our heads right now into the house. Like it's very impressive technology, also very expensive technology for a show that's only running two months to put all the money into that. Very impressive.

[18:45] Jeff Malone: I found they really got the lighting better with that than they did with Back to the Future because I felt like I could see things with Back to the Future. You and I were sitting center orchestra um for ELF here and watching that sleigh come out over us. I literally was like, Where, where how is that getting held up? It's like a crane, I think, from the back because the whole stage is bare and it's dark, so it's very interesting. And also the snow. I love a good snow moment in the audience. There's all the soap bubbles everywhere. Very fun, very, very, very, very fun.

[19:12] Richie Grasso: So um, well, let's transition over into a little bit of some talks about our experiences, the show and some Tony Award talk potential as well. Uh with Elf. But first, here are a few messages from our sponsor.

[19:26] Jeff Malone: Okay, and we're back. So earlier I had said the Marquis Theatre, kind of a perfect location for this. You're central Times Square, you're in a hotel, so there's this like cozy, like you take the elevator up to a big, big lobby, uh, that feels just large. It doesn't feel like you're squished into a theater quick for a show and squished right out into the street. Um, so it feels homey, it feels warm. I just really love the Marquis Theatre. It's huge, it's big for those spectacle shows. I know Stranger Things is going in there next. Another spectacle piece. So, what do you think of just your experience being there at this theater?

[19:59] Richie Grasso: Yeah, I find the Marquis probably be to one of the hardest theaters to kind of sell. You know, it's kind of hidden. You don't really know that it's there. You gotta walk underneath the pass, unless there's a major show in there, which there hasn't really been a major show in that theater in a while. Um, that has the perfect like visual.

[20:19] Jeff Malone: Yeah.

[20:19] Richie Grasso: It's hard, but it is a tourist trap theater because if you're staying in the Marriott Marquis, you see it. Um it you can easily go go see the show when you're staying there. You know, I think it needs to be a blockbuster show. And I'll say something right now with Elf, this is the right show to be in there because it was packed. I don't think there was an empty seat in the house. And you know it I thought they could have done a little bit more with a lobby display because you know, that's where I think people get things like when we were there for Once Upon a One More Time. There was so much happening in the lobby that made it more of an experience for you to go to the show.

[20:57] Jeff Malone: Um yeah, I uh you know, I had a good time going there. I don't mind going there, and I actually think Stranger Things is going to be the perfect play to go there.

[21:06] Richie Grasso: Totally.

[21:07] Jeff Malone: And it's and it's a venue that also allows for this just immersion into the space. Sometimes you're at these Broadway theaters where you literally get off the sidewalk and you're about seven steps into the lobby and there's the back row of the orchestra, right? So it's like this feels like even with the James Earl Jones renovation, you just feel like I love these like and the Palace Theatre, like these bigger lobbies. You just feel like you're getting more of an experience. These older theaters were built right on the edge of the street, and it's hard to kind of, especially when it's freezing cold and it's tourist season, there's a million people and you're in and out. This just works for this show.

[21:38] Richie Grasso: Yeah.

[21:39] Jeff Malone: Um, in terms of Tony Awards, let's put it this way. I remember a Christmas story coming on Broadway a few years back, and that I believe got a best musical nomination that year, and they got to perform the You'll Shoot Your Eye Out song. And I remember saying, wow, what a big deal that was for a holiday piece to be remembered all those months later by the Tony voters, which kind of set a new precedent for Broadway that it just because you are a holiday piece doesn't mean you can't be eligible. Now the Rockettes aren't necessarily eligible. When Christmas Carol ran down an MSG, not really eligible. Technically, I don't know if this Annie coming up is really eligible because it's not really playing at a Broadway house.

It's playing like at a concert venue, right? So it's a little different. Um, but when you see this at a proper Broadway stage, everything with this production is eligible. Um, whether the Tony voters vote this in as best revival or best actor for Grey Henson's or Best Design, I would love to see a few nominations for this because I think this is hitting the mark better than some other things I've seen like.

[22:38] Richie Grasso: It's gonna be very interesting in the spring because right now we've had most of our fall openings, especially for new musicals and revivals. Um we have a ton coming up in the spring.

[22:48] Jeff Malone: So I don't know. I think it's hard, which is why I was I'm gonna go back to what we were talking about earlier is like, is this just meant to come for the holiday season? They don't care about awards, you know, what's the incentive of someone doing this? Maybe it's just because they want to do it. You know, this is another credit now for Gray to be seen, to be heard. And you know what is Gray cast in next um because of it. You know, I think right now he still could potentially get nominated. I would probably wouldn't see really much else getting nominated from this only because it's gonna be closed. You know, I don't think it's really going to have that like remember it's gonna get remembered um by the Tony voters. Especially since it is tourist trappy at times. I do I do also know that it got some mixed reviews. Not everyone really loved it as much. I don't know how the Tony voters look at something like this.

[23:41] Richie Grasso: Yeah maybe they'll throw Gray a bone here in some way. Maybe it'll get something a design nomination something I don't know.

[23:48] Jeff Malone: Yeah we have some high level design pieces coming later in the season so it'll be interesting.

[23:52] Richie Grasso: Yeah, you know it is interesting because like you said the mixed reviews from critics you know they are praising Gray though but they are still saying that there's some flaws with the overall show it drags a little bit which I can get that um is this meant to be more of a you know 90 minutes you're in and out um tied the long it's a full book show. I don't mind that because I'm kind of when you have great big musical numbers and and big plot you do need the sometimes two hours to two and a half hours. It wasn't meant to be a quick 90 minute or in and out because the Rockettes are a 90 minute or in you know uh and you have plenty of shows like that for younger kids and this kind of teaches kids to sit and you know enjoy a piece that's a full show. I think they're probably relying on intermission uh concession sales or merch sales. I mean, this is all part of it, right?

[24:45] Jeff Malone: Yeah, I mean uh as a final question for this. Do you think this that this revival though could pave the way for more holiday themed shows during this Broadway season, like during the Broadway festive season? Meaning like November, December, January, and then they're out.

[25:00] Richie Grasso: I think so. If you have the right funding, if you have the right producers behind it, I think um we've seen the adaptations of the classics Christmas Story, Elf. I do hear a rumor, I keep hearing that they're working on a musical stage adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life. I know that's been lurk. I actually think Paul McCartney was attached to that. You know what I think for a while. And he was writing the music to that. I I'm actually quite shocked. We've never seen there is a play version that gets licensed out that you can do like a play. I've never seen a big splashy musical version of It's a Wonderful Life. I'm wondering where that is in in our mainstream here, such a popular holiday film.

[25:36] Jeff Malone: Um, we've seen Christmas Story, we have Elf. I do think, you know, there's others that we've had Grinch, you know, we've had those.

[25:42] Richie Grasso: I yeah. And I think every year, it which I mean, let's work this way. I'm kind of tired of oh, the year where there's nothing but the Rockettes, and then the next year there's four shows.

[25:51] Jeff Malone: Yeah.

[25:52] Richie Grasso: And then what's next year? No shows again? Like maybe we could just kind of like space this out a little bit. Every year the Rockettes end something else versus the Rockettes and nothing or the Rockettes and four or three things, you know?

[26:03] Jeff Malone: Yeah.

[26:04] Richie Grasso: And I also wonder if there's any other intellectual property that really hasn't been made into a stage production yet.

[26:12] Jeff Malone: Sure.

[26:12] Richie Grasso: I mean, there could be uh, I mean, you have those Frosties and Rudolph and all those classic tales. I don't know who owns licensing rights to things like that. There's also National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I know they're working on National Lampoon's Broadway vacation right now. It's a little different.

[26:26] Jeff Malone: Um, yeah, I mean, there's so many different potentials. Also, it comes down to like if you're gonna be soldiers or you know, yeah, and if there's a theater available, I actually there might not be a there might be a stage adaptation of that or I feel like I've heard of that. It's like history. What like Babes of Toyland or maybe something like that? I'm thinking.

[26:44] Richie Grasso: Um and then we've had White Christmas, and now it's at Paper Mill, and that's the Irving Berlin score with um I was on Broadway way back, tons of tap dancing and it's at paper mill right now. So, you know, you get them.

[26:54] Jeff Malone: Um and also there was a rumor that Christmas Carol, the Alan Menken scored Christmas Carol might come back one year. I mean, that's a gorgeous score. I would love to see that in a big lavish production again on Broadway.

[27:06] Richie Grasso: So yeah, time will tell.

[27:08] Jeff Malone: But all good things. We love a holiday treat on Broadway. I'll take it any day.

[27:12] Richie Grasso: Yes, we do.

[27:13] Jeff Malone: So oh my gosh, wrapping up. What are your final thoughts on Elf on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre, Jeff?

[27:19] Jeff Malone: Again, I think like this is one of those perfect things to have um on Broadway right now during this season. If you're looking for something holiday, this is probably my top pick right now to go check out, especially if you've seen some of the staples already of like the Rockettes or the Nutcracker. Like, go and check this out because you know it's only gonna be here for a short time and doesn't come back every year.

[27:41] Richie Grasso: Totally.

[27:42] Jeff Malone: It's fun. I if you can get a cheap ticket last minute or you can buy tickets if you have family coming into town. I think if someone said, Oh, I think a family member's coming in town, do you recommend it? I was like, Yeah, like if they're looking for something fun and Broadway and nothing too heavy. There's plenty of heavy dark stuff on Broadway right now. So if you look, you know, I know Once Upon a Mattress was the light thing that's now closed. So now if you want something light and splashy and fun, go to Elf. Wind them.

[28:05] Richie Grasso: Totally. Uh it's a great, great time. It's playing until early January. So you got about a month or so to go.

[28:10] Jeff Malone: Mm-hmm. So uh it's it is a lot of fun. It's give kissing. So that does wrap up our discussion for this episode. We hope you enjoyed our deep dive into Elf. We will share the link with ticket and just uh ticket information in our description here. And remember we want to hear from you. Continue the conversation with us on Instagram at Half Hour Podcast and let us know your thoughts on Elf. If you enjoyed our show please leave us a review. Your feedback helps us bring more theater to you and remember you can listen to past episodes and stay tuned for upcoming ones as well. Until next time I'm Jeff and I'm Richie saying Tatafrina.

[28:40] Richie Grasso: Bye.