“Elf” is one of those Christmas movies that Casey Johnson can watch over and over, and he has.
“I’ve got it on DVD,” said Johnson, who brings years of watching the film to his portrayal of Walter Hobbs in the upcoming production of the stage musical by The Augusta Players, Dec. 10-12 at the Imperial Theatre.
In the 2003 film, the role is played by James Caan, who Johnson said is a tough act to follow.
Johnson wants to stay true to the character people know, but he also wants to put his own spin on Walter.
The film came first with the play released in 2010.
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One of Johnson’s favorite parts in the show isn’t the humor; rather, it’s the moment when the characters of Buddy and Jovie begin to connect with one another, he said.
While he admits not being the biggest fan of the movie, Scott Seidl has a different opinion of the stage version of “Elf.”
“I love this show,” said Seidl, who is directing the show.
For “Elf” fans, they will find all of the elements they love about the movie contained in the musical, which came after the film’s release. Seidl said the two are about 99% the same. The humorous moments are all there including the spaghetti and syrup.
“Elf” is part of the Augusta Players’ 77 season, which has been dubbed the “LOL” or laugh out loud season.
The past two years have been hard for most people, said Seidl, and the Augusta Players and its supporters have not been immune, having received heart-wrenching blows with the loss of longtime actor and director Richard Justice who died in August 2020, for whom the season is dedicated, and Debi Ballas, the Augusta Players’ artistic director emerita who died in October.
All of the shows this season, with the exception of the season ender “Cinderella” which is a carryover from the 2019-2020 season are designed to provoke laughter. None of the shows have hard hitting messages or require deep thought, he said.
Tickets are selling quickly for “Elf,” and Seidl hopes for a sell-out.
Shows are at 8 p.m. Dec. 10 and 11 and at 3 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets start at $30 and are available at the Imperial Theatre website, imperialtheatre.com or at augustaplayers.org.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
