Oliver Kadar steps into Buddy’s pointed shoes this holiday season as the Arts Club Theatre Company brings Elf: The Musical back to South Granville. Performances run November 12 to December 27 at the Stanley BFL CANADA Stage, where Arts Club audiences last saw Buddy in 2023.
Raised by elves at the North Pole, Buddy discovers he’s human and heads to New York City to meet his birth family. He arrives with a taste for syrup on spaghetti and more Christmas spirit than the Hobbs household knows what to do with. His father, Walter, is on the naughty list, and his little sister, Michelle, doesn’t believe in Santa.
Stephen Drover directs, with Andrew Wheeler as Walter and Nora Cowan and Leanne Uy sharing the role of Michelle. Paige Fraser plays Jovie, and Tom Pickett dons the red suit as Santa. The production features 20 cast members, including understudies, plus a 10-member children’s chorus and seven musicians.
For Arts Club artistic director Ashlie Corcoran, part of the show’s appeal is its “message of belonging, kindness, and the courage to embrace who you are.”
Families can catch a matinee on Wednesdays at 1 p.m., Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. or Sundays at 2 p.m. Special dates include a Talkback Tuesday on December 1 at 7 p.m., a VocalEye audio-described performance on December 6 at 2 p.m. and a Christmas Eve matinee at 1 p.m. An extra evening performance closes the run on December 27 at 8 p.m.
The Stanley is at 2750 Granville Street, at West 12th Avenue. Tickets and the full performance schedule are available from the Arts Club.
