Elf‘s Leslie Kritzer Shares Her Holiday Playlist
© Joan Marcus
After dragging your gifts to the post office, carrying a tree up four floors to your apartment, and listening to Christmas with the Chipmunks until your ears bleed, it’s time to curl up with some cocoa and this holiday playlist.
Currently starring as Jovie in Elf at the Al Hirschfeld, Drama Desk nominee Leslie Kritzer (Sondheim on Sondheim) shared with TheaterMania some of her favorite holiday tunes, from the classics to the Boss, to help us ring in the holidays.
Song: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey
Reason: I love Mariah Carey!
Song: “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
Reason: It’s a classic that I grew up with.
Song: “The Christmas Song” – Mel Torme
Reason: Another classic Christmas song by one of my favorite singers.
Song: “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” –U2
Reason: One of my favorite bands that I never expected to have an amazing Christmas song.
Song: “Silver Bells” – Dean MartinReason: It is the perfect ‘Christmas in New York’ song.
Song: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – Bruce SpringsteenReason: I’m a Jersey girl and that is THE ultimate Jersey Christmas anthem.
Song: “This Christmas” – Donny HathawayReason: It’s a feel-good Christmas Song and anything with a children’s chorus melts your heart.
Song: “All Alone on Christmas”- Darlene LoveReason: It has the best Christmas sax solo!
Song: “Santa Baby” – Eartha KittReason: The sexiest Christmas song there is.
Song: “Nutcracker Overture” – Duke Ellington OrchestraReason: The best standard instrumental Christmas song and his version of “The Nutcracker” really makes you want to dance.
Song: “Christmas Night in Harlem” – Louis ArmstrongReason: I used to live in a historic part of Harlem and when I was there during Christmas I could imagine this being sung in the blues bar down the street from my house that Louis Armstrong used to actually play in.
To top off Christmas carols and cocoa, Elf: the Musical is the theatrical equivalent of a candy cane.
In addition to Kritzer, Elf stars Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (Emily), Wayne Knight (Santa), Adam Heller (Mr. Greenway), Tony nominee Mark Jacoby (Walter), Michael Mandell (Store Manager), Valerie Wright (Deb) and Mitchell Sink (Michael).
Based on the 2003 film, Elf is the tale of Buddy (currently played by Jordan Gelber), who is raised as an elf, unaware that he is actually human. Eventually, he returns to New York City to find his real family.
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