This image released by Madison Square Garden Company shows a performance of “Elf The Musical,” playing at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York until Dec. 27.
NEW YORK:
The Christmas musical based on Will Ferrell’s movie “Elf” has returned to New York for the holidays, led by a stage and TV veteran whose oldest child’s first Broadway show was — that’s right — “Elf.”
Eric Petersen’s 5-year-old daughter, Sophia, caught the show a few winters ago and adored it. Years later, she sat mesmerized for several hours watching her dad at a rehearsal of the show.
“My daughter loves theater so much and so she’s been going to shows well before most kids go,” Petersen said.
I’m in trouble. She’s totally a show kid. It’s very apparent.
Petersen plays Buddy in the touring musical that plays The Theater at Madison Square Garden until Dec. 27. He’s joined by a cast that includes J.B. Adams as Santa and Veronica J. Kuehn as Buddy’s love interest.
“I really love playing the character,” said Petersen. “I feel like I get to do so much fun stuff — physical comedy, which is my bag, and I get to do a little bit of a love story. It’s the whole package.”
The musical opens in the North Pole, where Buddy learns he’s not an elf but a human. It then charts his journey in search of his father in Manhattan, perking up everyone he meets.
Petersen looks nothing like Ferrell but director Sam Scalamoni said that was never a goal. “It has to be somebody who understands the comedy and the heart of the piece,” he said. “Funny is great, but if there’s not heart, then I don’t care. Eric is such a balance of both.”
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