SAUGUS — The Theatre Company of Saugus knows that the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
Youth actors with the company will perform Elf The Musical Jr. three times this weekend.
“It’s a little strange, but Christmas in July is something everyone can look forward to,” said Grace Antonelli, 14, who plays Jovi. “It’s a happy time in July.”
Antonelli and the other actors are too young to have watched Elf in theaters, but for many of them, watching the movie has been a lifelong Christmas tradition.
“Buddy is one of my favorite characters,” said Zack Perry, 14, who plays Buddy the elf. “He’s kind of like me. He has an upbeat attitude. For me, it’s not that hard to play him.”
The show includes 18 youth actors in grades 3 through 9 and follows Buddy on his quest to find his true identity. As a young orphan, Buddy crawled into Santa’s bag of gifts and was transported to the North Pole, where he is raised by elves. He lives happily unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth.
Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father but is faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and his brother doesn’t believe in Santa.
The show follows Buddy and his attempts to win over his family and help the New Yorkers remember the true meaning of the holidays, while featuring songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Skylar and Chad Beguelin.
Actors in the Theatre Company of Saugus’ Youth Workshop and are from Saugus, Lynn, Peabody, Revere, Stoneham and Wakefield.
The performances will be Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, July 27 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. All of the performances will be held at the Saugus American Legion Post 210 on Taylor Street. Tickets cost $15.
