George Wendt plays Santa on Broadway

[August 12, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- George Wendt returns to Broadway as Santa Claus in the holiday comedy "Elf."

The six-time Emmy nominee, who played Norm on "Cheers," is joined in the musical by Beth Leavel, who won a best actress Tony for "The Drowsy Chaperone," Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures announced Wednesday.

The show is based on the 2003 Will Ferrell movie about Buddy, a man who is raised at the North Pole as an elf. "Elf" features a book by Tony Award-winner Tom Meehan and Bob Martin, who starred in and wrote the book for the "The Drowsy Chaperone," and songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin ("The Wedding Singer").

The role of Buddy has not yet been cast.

"Elf" opens Nov. 14 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre for a holiday run through Jan. 2.

[Associated Press; By JOHN CARUCCI]

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