To celebrate the holiday season, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (RMTC) will present the musical Elf. On its website, RMTC describes the show as “the gift we all need this Christmas.” 

A musical adaptation of the hit 2003 comedy movie of the same name, Elf follows larger-than-life Buddy the elf from the North Pole, who happens to be quite large for an elf. Buddy soon learns that he is actually human and decides to look for his father in New York City. While he has envisioned his father as the “World’s Greatest Dad,” he soon meets his father and discovers he is not so great. However, throughout all his misadventures, Buddy is undeterred, spreading holiday spirit to his newfound family and friends. 

“I think that this story is a love letter to your inner child,” said Jade Repeta, one of the actors in the production. “I think that some characters […] at the beginning of the story, they’ve forgotten their inner child, and I think Buddy brings that out in them in the most beautiful way.”

Repeta, who is from Winnipeg, was enrolled in a dance class at the age of three on a healthcare professional’s recommendation in hopes of fixing her turned-in feet. This eventually led her to singing and acting, and she found that she loved performing and telling stories through performance. Her career has taken her across Canada to perform in various cities. 

In Elf, Repeta plays the role of Jovie, the love interest of Buddy, originally played by Zooey Deschanel in the film. She described Jovie as a “bitter, jaded” person who has moved to New York City from Los Angeles. 

“She’s gone through things that have made her put up layer after layer of walls […] It’s caused her to be isolated and lonely, and I think she’s forgotten the Christmas spirit of it all,” she explained. “And then she meets Buddy, and Buddy does not give up in trying to tear down those walls […] When she meets Buddy, she’s sitting low and he’s riding high and I think they meet somewhere in the middle. She brings a little realism into his life, and he brings sparkle and whimsy into hers.” 

Repeta, who feels that she is quite different from Jovie, described her approach to the role. 

“I really wanted to ground myself in why Jovie is the way she is […] Thinking about what Jovie might have gone through, why she’s from LA and has moved to New York and what kind of hardships she’s gone through,” she stated. “Why doesn’t she sing anymore?” 

Repeta and Julie Tomaino, one of the choreographers for the production, developed Jovie’s backstory, believing that Jovie was a singer who came to New York and experienced rejection, leading her to stop singing and develop her hardened exterior. “As hard of an exterior that Jovie has, she has such a soft and sensitive inside, so I wanted to tap into that,” she said. 

Repeta has enjoyed the atmosphere of rehearsals, saying that it has already felt like Christmas. In Winnipeg, she has also been able to spend time with her family while working on the production. 

She also shared a bonus for audiences — at intermission, audience members will be able to get cookies and other sweets, including a nod to what Buddy says are the elves’ four food groups — candy, candy canes, candy corn and maple syrup. 

When asked what audiences will love about the show and what is special about performing a show over Christmas, Repeta highlighted the joy that the show can bring during a season that is often stressful for many. 

“It’s the best time of the year to do a show, in my opinion,” she raved. “As stressful as Christmas can be for people, it feels really cool to be part of something that might be relieving some of that pressure for people, that they get to come and see the show and have a break from the chaos.” 

Ultimately, Repeta hopes that people of all ages will enjoy the show and be moved in some way.

“It’s really a show for everybody […] With any story that we tell, the goal, I think, is not to get anyone to feel a certain way, it’s just to feel something […] I hope that people get to spend two and a half hours seeing this show with their family. It’s a lovely thing to share,” she said. 

RMTC’s production of Elf will open Nov. 25 and run through Dec. 28 at the John Hirsch Mainstage, including a relaxed performance on Dec. 7 and an ASL-interpreted performance on Dec. 17. For tickets and further information, visit royalmtc.ca. For more on Jade Repeta, follow her on Instagram @jaderepeta.