Elf The Musical will make its Melbourne premiere at the new CROWN LIVE theatre from 27 November 2026, following the production’s Australian debut in Sydney two years earlier. Tickets will go on sale to the general public through Ticketmaster at 9.00am this Friday, 24 July 2026.
Inspired by the Christmas film starring Will Ferrell, the musical follows Buddy, an orphan who accidentally crawls into Santa’s sack of toys on Christmas Eve and is subsequently raised as an elf at the North Pole. After discovering that he is human, Buddy travels to New York City in search of his birth father. His journey sees him confront a father on Santa’s naughty list, attempt to connect with a sceptical half-brother and work to restore the magic of Christmas.
Gareth Isaac will reprise the role of Buddy after previously leading the musical’s Australian premiere season at the Sydney Opera House in 2024. Additional cast members will be announced in the coming months. The Australian production is directed by Eric Giancola, with choreography by Mitchell Woodcock and music direction by Vicky Jacobs.
Elf The Musical features songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, whose credits include Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway and The Wedding Singer. Its book was written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, known for Annie, The Producers and Hairspray, and Bob Martin, co-writer of The Drowsy Chaperone.
Australian producer John Frost said the production would mark the opening of CROWN LIVE and offer Melbourne audiences a large-scale Broadway musical during the Christmas season.
I’m thrilled to be bringing Elf The Musical back to Australia and to open the brand-new theatre, CROWN LIVE, with such a spectacular production. This new production is bigger, brighter and more magical than ever, with spectacular staging, larger-than-life production numbers and plenty of Christmas surprises! It’s a joyful, feel-good show filled with holiday magic – the perfect way to celebrate the Christmas season and experience a large-scale Broadway show.
