The Livingston Post is profiling cast members of the Community Theatre of Howell’s production of “Elf Jr. – The Musical,” which runs Dec. 10-12 and 17-19 at the Howell High School Freshman Campus.
Based on the widely popular Will Ferrell film, the hilarious musical tells the tale of Buddy the Elf, who leaves Santa Claus and his adopted family at the North Pole to search for his biological dad and search for his true identity in New York City.
The show is directed by Kevin Rogers and produced by Theresia Rogers. The production staff includes Tracey Pasfield (assistant director), Heather Douglas (assistant producer), Anni Ulman (choreographer), Chrissy Griffon (vocal director), Chris Clinton-Cali (costumer) and Brian Bickel (tech director).
In this story, we meet Dylan Chamberlin, a sixth-grader at Parker Middle School in Howell, who plays the lead role of Buddy the Elf. Dylan lives in Howell with parents Justin and Kelly Chamberlain and his twin sister, Kayla.
What previous stage experience have you had?
I have been involved in four shows at CTH along with several summer camps. The four shows I have been in are “Singin’ in the Rain Jr.,” “The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe,” “Santa’s Zombie Apocalypse,” and “Elf Jr.” I had the chance to play some fun characters, but Buddy has been my favorite role.
What do you enjoy about the Community Theatre of Howell?
Everyone there acts like one big family. We work together as a team to put on a great show. It is a really fun experience to meet new friends, catch up with old friends, and be on stage in front of an audience.
What do you like about playing this role in the play?
“Elf” is one of my favorite movies, so I was really excited to get the opportunity to play Buddy. He is full of life and energy, kind of goofy, and makes stuff up as he goes along…kind of just like me. He is such a famous character, that it has been fun to take it and make it my own. It’s also been a lot fun leading this amazing cast. Everyone has done such a great job.
What can the audience expect with “Elf Jr.”?
“Elf Jr.” is a feel-good show for Christmas. The audience will feel all of the emotions with a lot of laughs along the way. The costumes are really cool. They are fun and bring the show to life. Most of all, I think the play is really funny. The audience should expect a lot of laughs.
The Community Theatre of Howell is presenting “Elf Jr. – The Musical” at the Howell High School Freshman Campus, 1400 W. Grand River Ave., Howell. Shows are Dec. 10-12 and 17-19, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available by clicking here.
