This fall, Staples Players is bringing the holiday spirit to life with the captivating production of “Elf the Musical.” From Nov. 14 -17 and Nov. 21-23, the Staples community can enjoy a glimpse of Buddy the elf’s whimsical world through his ventures outside the north pole in search of his biological dad. With cast lists already released, suspense and anticipation have been running high around the school as the Players prepare for a festive adventure.
Will McCrea ’26, playing Buddy (alongside Seamus Brannigan ’26), is nervous for his upcoming lead role. The responsibilities of a lead are very demanding, putting pressure on these players to put on their best performance. However, this feeling also comes with much excitement. As the new school year starts, so does the bustle of the Staples Players environment.
“It’s a fun community, especially when it’s in the heat of rehearsals and tech week and all that,” McCrea said. “It’s a really fun process.”
McCrea believes that the similarities he shares with Buddy is a huge aspect of the connection he feels to the character.
“I consider myself to be a pretty positive person, and I think the world needs more of that,” McCrea said. “It’s a pretty gloomy looking world out there, especially right now, and I think Buddy is this super optimistic, always happy, always trying to keep the light in things person.”
With its comedic and light-hearted approach, “Elf” communicates great messages of positivity and optimism to the audience. It delivers powerful reminders of the impact of kindness and genuinity that create true happiness.
“It’s important to try to find the joy, to find the spirit and the fun in things,” ensemble member Cece Diyoka ’25 said. “That’s what the show is really about, and it’s shown by the journeys the characters go through.”
As a close community, Players has a few traditions that they carry out every year. These include after-show celebrations with awards, and field day, which is a party that welcomes freshmen every year during the first week of school. These traditions are only some of the reasons why Staples Players are very close-knit and supportive of each other.
“There’s a lot of really great things that people do,” production assistant Theo Rowen ’27 said, “to bring the Players community together.”
