Corbin High School Redhound Theatre presents, ‘The Happy Elf’

Corbin High School’s Redhound Theatre will be opening its season beginning Thursday with its rendition of Harry Connick Jr.’s, “The Happy Elf.”

“He wrote and produce the play when it was on Broadway. Miss (Candy) Jones and I are both fans,” said Redhound Theatre Director Rebecca Liford-Hibbard.

The play, which started as a book and then became an animated short film, centers on Eubie the Elf, who works at Santa’s workshop at the North Pole.

“Eubie is the happiest elf at the North Pole,” Hibbard explained. “He learns about the town of Bluesville, where every person is on Santa’s naughty list. He travels there to convert it to a nice town, so the people can be on the nice list and get presents from Santa.”

Hibbard said like every other school sport and activity, the theatre program goes through highs and lows based on the available talent.

“We had 16 seniors graduate last year, so we were looking at this year as a rebuilding year,” Hibbard said.

However, Jones, who directs the high school choir, was able to augment the available acting talent with a host of accomplished singers, allowing the theatre group to take on the musical.

In addition, Zach Felts, who will pay Eubie, was accepted to the Governor’s School for the Arts.

“We have such remarkable students,” Hibbard said.

The cast and crew of 35 students include elementary, middle and high school students.

Performances of, “The Happy Elf,” will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Betty Hamilton Center for the Performing Arts at Corbin High School.

Additional performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 12 through 14.

“The music is very jazzy and harkens back to the crooners,” Hibbard said. “It is a really fun musical show.”