Little Elves
Book & Lyrics by Kodie Rollan
Music & Lyrics by Alixandra Cowman
3F, 1M
2 Acts
Runtime: 100 minutes
Set around the warmth of a campfire yet steeped in gothic folklore, Little Elves reinterprets the
original miracle of St. Nicholas by centering three young Asian women whose act of self-defence is
rewritten as legend. Rather than a simple tale of good and evil, the musical examines who gets to
tell history, whose lives are deemed worthy of saving, and how myth can be used to justify injustice.
Through its richly textured score—drawing from folk, country, and contemporary pop influences—
and its evocative visual world of eerie puppets and folklore-inspired design, Little Elves explores
themes of justice, vengeance, systemic racism, abolition, faith, and the enduring legacy of anti-Asian
discrimination in Turtle Island (North America). Both thrilling and deeply moving, it invites
audiences to question the myths we inherit and the truths we choose to believe.
Little Elves was first developed as part of Handsome Alice’s Creation Duration program in 2021. It was then part of Alberta Theatre Projects’ 21/22 Playwrights Projects unit. It was also part of Boca Del Lupo’s SLaM residency. It received multiple development grants from Calgary Arts Development before getting workshopped and co-produced by Chromatic Theatre & Handsome Alice Theatre in the fall of 2026.
“...a theatrical world that resembles a frightening story told around a campfire, where the distance of fantasy makes difficult contemporary questions more accessible.”
“This score would fit seamlessly among Broadway contemporaries, particularly with standout tracks like “Tightest Wire” that showcased brilliant crisp three-part harmonies and a rock edge. ”