(NEW YORK, NY) -- The Madison Square Garden Company presents Elf, The Musical from December 13th through December 29th.  It tells the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. George Wendt (of Cheers fame) stars as Santa with Eric Gratton as Buddy.  Veronica Kuehn from Spotswood, NJ, plays Jovie.

Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember their inner ELF.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, Elf, The Musical features songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer) and Chad Beguelin (Disney’s Aladdin, The Wedding Singer) with a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone). The production will feature direction by Sam Scalamoni and choreography by Connor Gallagher. Casting by Stewart/Whitley. 

“Elf has become a holiday staple since the movie was released in 2003 and having been part of the original Broadway cast, I witnessed firsthand the joy this hilarious musical interpretation brought to fans,” says George Wendt. “Having the opportunity to bring this ‘real life’ Santa to the stage once again is exciting and I can’t wait to share the laughter with audiences of all ages.”

Wendt is best known for his role in the successful television sitcom Cheers, where he played Norm Peterson throughout the eleven-year run of the series. He has appeared on television programs including Taxi, Soap, M*A*S*H, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Becker, among many others. Additionally, Wendt has made numerous appearances on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Recently, Wendt has been seen on Broadway where he originated the role of Santa in the Broadway production of Elf, The Musical and played the role of Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. 

The rest of the cast includes Bernard Dotson (Store Manager), Cynthia Ferrer (Emily),  Trey Middleton (Michael), Ruth Pferdehirt (Deb), Christopher M. Russo (Walter), Danny Rutigliano (Mr. Greenway), and Ken Clement (Santa Standby).The cast also includes DarrenBiggart, Allyson Carr, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Paul Ianniello, Eric Anthony Johnson, Chandon Jones, Drew King, Andrew Kruep, Emily Larger, Eric Jon Mahlum, Frankie Paparone, Emily Jeanne Phillips, Shaun Repetto, Wyatt Rogers, Morgan Roseand Emily Grace Tucker.

"We are thrilled to welcome George back to the production as Santa,” says Mark Kaufman, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures. “He originated the role on Broadway and brought such fun and laughter to the role.  We look forward to having him return to this beloved character once again.”

The New York Times says that Elf, The Musical is “A SPLASHY, PEPPY, SUGAR-SPRINKLED HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT!” USA Today calls ELF The Musical “ENDEARINGLY GOOFY!” Variety proclaims, “ELF is happy enough for families, savvy enough for city kids and plenty smart for adults!” 

For more information about Elf, The Musical at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, visit theateratmsg.com/elf or call 866-858-0008. Groups of nine or more please call 212-465-6080; discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. Tickets starting at $39.

PHOTOS BY JOAN MARCUS