Pride Films and Plays to produce fourth annual production of BARNEY THE ELF

Michael D. Graham’s new production of LGBTQ-focused holiday musical satire opened this past weekend!

( PHOTO-Back row L-R: Joseph Beal, Maggie Ward

Front row L-R: Brooke Emmerich, Thomas Tong, Danika Bone’t, Maggie Cain. Foreground: Roy Samra as Barney.)

Queer holiday cheer filled  with laughs and fun music, this holiday show put’s a smile on your face! It’s a bit  naughty and bawdy – it’s not  for  kids!  This a grown up show, a  contemporary urban fairy tale, loosely based on the 2003 Will Ferrell film “Elf,”   that provides a stocking stuffed with equal parts laughs and earnest “accept yourself” messages.

The musical of an elf who must leave the North Pole to find a new home after Santa Claus retires has itself found a new home for its fourth annual incarnation. BARNEY THE ELF, Bryan Renaud and Emily Schmidt’s LGBTQ-themed musical inspired by the ELF feature film,  will be staged in the Broadway theatre of the Pride Arts Center  through Sunday, January 6. Michael D. Graham will direct the production.

Musical numbers galore in  Renaud and Schmidt’s musical satire. They incorporate parody lyrics to popular songs, The musical parodies are great and the lyric  changes will make you laugh! You will recognize  I Will Survive, Streisand’s  Don’t Rain On My Parade and All By Myself,  among  others. 

Barney the Elf finds he must leave his home at the North Pole after Santa’s retirement causes chaos among the community of elves. He makes his way to a nightclub in Chicago, where he is befriended by drag queen Zooey, and learns to embrace his “inner elf.”  The musical was developed by Renaud and Schmidt for The Other Theatre Company, with whom Renaud is an Artistic Associate, and was produced at the Greenhouse Theater Center for the past three holiday seasons.

This new production will be directed by Michael D. Graham, former Artistic Director of Piccolo Theatre, and will feature BARNEY THE ELF veterans Dixie Lynn Cartwright, who will alternate in the role of Zooey with Danika Bone’t, and Maggie Cain as Mrs. Claus and Roy Samra as Barney. Cartwright will perform on Thursday and Saturday evening s and Sunday matinees, with Bone’t taking the role on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturday matinees. Cartwright and Cain played their roles in all three prior productions of the musical. Samra first donned Barney’s tights for the 2017 production.

Also in the cast for this new production are Jaron Bellar,  reprising his 2017 role as Santa Jr., Alisha Fabbi (Cookie), Christopher Sylvie (Drew, Barney u/s), Joseph Beal (Buttons, Tour Guide), Maggie Ward (Pinecone, Kathy), Thomas Tong (Topper), Larry Trice (Twinkle, Bouncer), Brooke Emmerich (Chorus, Swing), Nico Joshua (Chorus, Swing), Claire Hart (Choreographer), Paul Sottnik (Music Director), Shawn Quinlan (Costumes), Hayley Wallenfeldt (Props), Becs Bartle (Lighting), Michael Starcher (Stage Manager), and Christopher Sylvie (Assistant Director).

BARNEY THE ELF will play weekends throughout the holidays, through Sunday January 6 in the 85-seat Broadway theatre at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago.  Ticket prices are $30 (premium reserved seats), $20 (general admission seats),  $15 (student/senior/military)

and are on sale now at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 1-866-811-4111.