Danny Elfman Brings the Nightmare Before Christmas Back to the Hollywood Bowl for 30th Anniversary Concert to Film Experience

 

Danny Elfman one of the most known composers of our time. Besides being a composer, but a musician in a band Oingo Boingo in the 1980s, to later doing acting work, aside from music being his main focus. He would compose countless films, teaming up with Tim Burton in a majority of them. One in fact, being highly popular over the year's, since releasing back in 1993, this being "The Nightmare Before Christmas". He sang for character Jack Skellington, whilst Chris Saradon did the voice work for the same character. As such, Danny Elfman would later take this character, and costars on an array of shows some taking place at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, CA. After these shows were such a success, he would back away and say countless times that they would not occur ever again.

But demand was demeaned and more shows would span over the next few years. The 30th anniversary of the film would commence in 2023, and so would not one but three shows at the Hollywood Bowl, all three being completely sold out! Having attended the Saturday night performance, to a packed house, it was all smiles from ear to ear, with those big, small, old and young dressed up in the various characters, if not dressed up altogether it being a Halloween weekend after all.

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The doors would open at 6PM with the show starting off after 8PM, fans drove and or rode to the venue, filed inside, grabbing food, drinks, merchandise, snapping photos, to settling down in their seats. Once the show began a little after 8PM, lights dimmed and the orchestration began, playing to a short cartoon film and then performing into the “Overture”, with the film being played soon after. Once the title began and the opening number “This Is Halloween”, begun, some actors walked onto the stage to sing their parts of said number, the movie playing out, as each different song was played by said actor in question. Danny Elfman did his parts in the various Jack Skellington songs, “Jack’s Lament”, “Whats This?”, “Poor Jack”, to name off a few. With the character Sally having her song be sung by a different actress than the one normally voicing her. This stand in did do a good job at taking over for this one night performance though, sounding just like Sally in minor voice work and singing of course. “Oogie Boogie’s Song” sung by Ken Page the man behind Oogie Boogie himself would come out in all green attire, singing his part, which all enjoyed! “Kidnap the Sandy Claws” featured Danny Elfman, and a replacement for Paul Reubens character Lock, whom RIP had his stand in do a good job regardless. While the rest of the film had finished off, having this night be quite mellow yet scary good.

All in all though, Danny Elfman and company, whose had some originals, some in passing, and some new comers as well, they brought their worth to the stage, and within this performance of concert to film, it being a staple to the Hollywood Bowl for sometime now, and perhaps many more years to follow perhaps.