The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all [UNI] to hear. To get that message across to students, Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center turned on its Christmas spirit for a special Broadway production. 

GBPAC decked the halls for a Broadway production of Elf the Musical for the University of Northern Iowa students and community members Sunday during a matinee and evening show. 

Though any cotton-headed ninnymuggins stayed on stage, GBPAC was also decorated for a similar event, Festival of Trees, which helped create a Christmas ambiance.

Some audience members enjoyed the musical adaptation from the New Line Cinema production as it stuck to the original plot of the movie, starring Will Ferrell. 

“I loved ‘Elf.’ I’m a big fan of Christmas and the original movie,” said Katie Schickel, junior social work major. “It has the same wit and warmth as the original movie and the added music and dancing added sparkle.”

One aspect of the musical that transferred over from the movie was the way Walter Hobbes, Buddy’s biological father, treated his family, with a cold heart and even colder attitude. Staying true to the movie, Walter changed his ways to love Buddy and become a better father and husband.

Most jokes told throughout the movie were kept in the musical production, Schickel said, as well as some added jokes. 

What made this production different than the movie was the musical numbers and dancing. Some songs included “Christmastown,” “World’s Greatest Dad,” and “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” which was sung by, you guessed it, Buddy and company. 

A song that seemed to contradict the whole point of the production was “Nobody Cares About Santa,” sung by fake Santas, a store manager and Buddy.

Although some aspects from the movie were kept, the Broadway production updated technology use in the show. For example, Santa’s naughty and nice list was stored on an iPad instead of using an over-sized book as Buddy runs around a crowd to tell characters whether or not they made the nice or naughty list.

“It gave the feeling that maybe Santa does exist,” Schnickle said.