Elf - The Musical TYA
November 11 - December 31, 2025
A Coterie World Premiere
Elf
The Musical TYA
The beloved holiday classic comes to life on stage!
Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his 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 and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. Based on the cherished New Line Cinema hit, Elf – The Musical TYA, features songs by Tony Award-nominees, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, with a book by Tony Award-winners, Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin.
Approx. Length: 60 Minutes
Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum
Directed by Derek Trautwein
Music Direction by Ty Tuttle
Choreography by Khalia Davis Philp
Featuring Spencer Greenwood, TJ Lancaster, Lauren Taylor, Bradley Thomas, Franci Talamantez-Witte,
Samuel Eddy, Leo J. Covitz, Catera Combs, Loren Wendleburg, Terrace Wyatt Jr., Shawn Patrick Murphy, and Emma Price
Find classroom resources and curriculum extensions at coterie.edublogs.org.
Go Behind the Curtain!
Join us for special “Behind the Curtain” experiences at select performances of ELF – The Musical TYA featuring exciting additional opportunities to enhance your Coterie visit!
If you have already purchased tickets to a show that has a “Behind-the-Curtain” offering and would like to add that event to your visit, please call call the Box Office (816-474-6552 M-F 10am-4pm),
CAST PHOTOS & POSTER:
For an additional $10 per person, your family or group can join the cast on stage after the show to take a festive holiday photo on the ELF set. You’ll also receive an 11×17 copy of the show poster, signed by the cast! Advance reservations required; availability limited. Add-on tickets are non-refundable.
Available performances:
Sunday performances at 4:00pm on Nov. 30, Dec 7, Dec 14, Dec 21, and Dec 28.
NATIONAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DAY – COOKIE DECORATING PARTY:
For an additional $10 per person, your family or group will be guided by our festive elves in a holiday cookie decorating party! You’ll arrive early, and from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, you’ll be able to spread all the icing and holiday cheer you can muster before the show! Advance reservations required; availability limited. Add-on tickets are non-refundable.
Available performances:
Friday, December 12th at 7:00pm
BUBBLES WITH BUDDY:
For an additional $10 per person, your family or group can ring in the New Year with Buddy the Elf and family-friendly bubbly beverages! Join us in the theatre at 11:30am to countdown 12:00PM, then celebrate 2026 with a Bubble Dance Party until 12:30pm. Enjoy your break in Crown Center grabbing a bite to eat, visiting the Mayor’s Christmas tree, and festive shopping. At 1:30PM come back to The Coterie and skip the line to get advanced seating before your 2:00PM show! Advance reservations required; availability limited. Add-on tickets are non-refundable.
Available performances:
Wednesday, December 31st at 2:00pm
All Behind the Curtain add-on experiences are non-refundable. Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance. Availability is limited.
Throughout the run of the show, there are several special performances:
- Opening Night: November 14 at 7 pm
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted Performance: November 22 at 2 pm
- Sensory Friendly Performances for neurodiverse audiences featuring technical adjustments, sensory supports, house lights on and flexible audience expectations: December 5 at 10 am and December 6 at 2 pm
- Audio Described Performances with verbal commentary to assist patrons who are visually impaired: December 11 at 10 am, December 13 at 2 pm, and December 19 at 7pm.
“… Michelle’s play … mixes the historical retelling with a present-day fictional element that helps us reflect on the relationship between past and present …”
“… We loved learning about Tom Bass through this production and his importance, not only to Kansas City, but to the horse world …”
– KCParent
Elf – The Musical TYA is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
Original production designs and illustrations by the Kansas City Art Institute Illustration Department’s student staffed agency, MICRO. Elf the Musical TYA design by Cory Williamson.
