Parker Viator, a Hattiesburg native, will take the stage as Buddy in Elf the Musical at the Beau Rivage Theatre in Biloxi, Dec. 12-28. The production is based on the popular film Elf and tells the story of Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole, who embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity.
Viator explained how he made the character of Buddy his own.
“It’s like when you study for a presentation or you’re reading other people’s work, and you’re reading other articles for you to be able to make a presentation on it,” he said. “But then you take your own experiences and make it your own. So, I take the information and all the knowledge from the past movies and stuff, and then I take my knowledge of what Macy’s is today and what Christmas means today, and then I add them together and make my own version, which is different for everybody.”
Reflecting on his experience, Viator said he has discovered new aspects of his comedic abilities while playing the role.
“I never thought of myself as a funny person,” he said. “Really, I’m a goofy person, but I’ve never really played much comedic characters. Sometimes I play comedic side characters, but never a lead comedic role… But here, I can find the more comedic side of myself and just play more.”
Viator expressed his appreciation for working with the cast and crew of Elf the Musical.
“I feel like everyone in the cast gets along really well, which sometimes is not the case for musical theater, but everyone is so kind,” he said. “They’re so talented. I’m in awe of the dancers here, they’re just phenomenal. I’m learning every day from them, from the choreographer, from our director, and from our stage management team.”
When asked what he hopes audiences will take away from the show, Viator emphasized the importance of having an open mind.
“I hope audiences take away just to have an open heart,” he said. “You never know what someone’s going through or different people’s experiences… maybe I want audiences to take away to have an open mind and open conversations with new people that they meet, because you never know, you might learn something from them.”
Viator also encouraged aspiring performers to hold onto their dreams.
“I had a big dream when I was a kid,” he said. “Hold on to your dream because once you stop dreaming, you start to go about life, and then your dream quickly goes away. So just hold on to that dream. Take class. Dream big.”
Tickets for Elf the Musical can be purchased at www.beaurivage.com or by calling (888) 566-7469.
