Eubie is a cheerful elf who works in Santa's workshop at the North Pole. While reviewing the Naughty and Nice Lists, Eubie discovers that every child in the town of Bluesville is naughty and decides to investigate. Bluesville is a gloomy town surrounded by cliffs, where sunlight is scarce and the people are generally unhappy. Eubie converses with the mayor, who shares that Bluesville produces non-flammable coal and agrees to put up a Christmas tree in the town square if Eubie can find a new purpose for the coal.
Eubie meets a girl named Molly, who takes him to a Smile League Of Bluesville (SLOB) meeting. Molly dismisses Eubie's ideas, leading him to think of a new plan, but he suddenly finds himself transported back to the North Pole. As punishment for breaking the rules, Santa takes away Eubie's hat, leaving him without his magic. With encouragement from his friend Gilda, Eubie returns to Bluesville wearing her hat and polishes the cliffs surrounding the town. Unfortunately, their efforts are discovered when their mutual friend Derek becomes suspicious and notifies Norbert, one of the higher-ups.
After finishing their punishment of cleaning the workshop, Eubie and Gilda receive a sincere apology from Derek. To make amends, Derek helps Eubie fulfill his goal of making Bluesville a happier place. When the sun next shines on the town, the polish makes the cliffs sparkle, and joy abounds. Molly presents a shining piece of coal to the mayor, leading to a celebration and the establishment of a tree in the town square. In recognition of their good deeds, Santa chooses Eubie, Gilda, and Derek to be his sleigh crew, and Bluesville is renamed Joyville.
The official reference recording for the live theatrical show was recorded in Scranton, PA in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple in 2013.
Stage adaptation
The holiday special has been adapted into a full-length stage musical. Andrew Fishman has reworked the book, with music and lyrics by Connick who has added five new songs for the musical, for example "That Magic Hat". The show premiered at Coterie Theatre at Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri on November 13, 2007 to generally positive reviews.[2][3] It received a fully produced workshop at the Adventure Theatre, at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland, from November 12–28, 2010, with a cast that features Michael Rupert.[4] In 2012 The Happy Elf was reworked by Connick and on December 1 premiered in a version prepared for publication in Bethlehem, PA at the Charles Brown Ice House under the direction of Michael Melcher, Executive Director.
^Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 127. ISBN9781476672939.
