Danny Elfman still hasn’t woken up from his ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’

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The creator and performer of “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert” had a slightly frightening experience with Christmas as a child growing up in Los Angeles.

Danny Elfman, who is once again voicing Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, shares that Halloween has always been his favorite holiday. He explains this is because, growing up Jewish, he often felt isolated during Christmastime. He recalls a childhood where he and his brother were the only ones around, often leading to playful, but slightly aggressive, interactions – like his brother threatening to fight him.

Danny Elfman, now 72, has created music for over 100 movies, including iconic themes for shows like “The Simpsons” and films like “Spider-Man.” He also fronted the popular Los Angeles band Oingo Boingo. Looking back, it’s hard to believe he ever envisioned such a successful career.

He admits he was a strange child, recalling a time when he experimented with radioactivity. He says it’s surprising he’s still alive, considering he used to expose insects to radiation, hoping to create mutations. This fascination began when he was fourteen and built his own Geiger counter. Back then, in the 1960s, it was surprisingly easy to obtain radioactive materials – he remembers being able to order things like strontium-90, cobalt-60, and even sand from radioactive test sites.

He readily admitted he was a bit of a science geek and passionate about pursuing it as a career. He didn’t consider music as a possibility when he started high school, feeling he’d missed the boat. He explained that most musicians begin playing when they’re young, and he hadn’t, so he thought it was too late for him to start.

At University High School in West L.A., a classmate who would become famous changed Elfman’s life. He recalls his first girlfriend introduced him to early jazz, specifically Billie Holiday, and he started learning by copying old jazz arrangements. That girlfriend was Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. Elfman remembers being surprised they even connected, describing himself as incredibly awkward while she was effortlessly cool, even at 17.

His boundless energy, dedication, and unusual interests – including radioactivity, jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, and singer Cab Calloway (especially early recordings of songs like ‘St. James Infirmary’ from the 1930s) – naturally led to his long and successful working relationship with director Tim Burton. He specifically favored the sound of music from 1931 to 1933.

Despite his bright red hair and upbeat personality, Danny Elfman has long been fascinated with mortality. He says he’s felt pursued by death since he was young, viewing each birthday as a defiant celebration of life and a refusal to succumb.

Danny Elfman’s expansive studio is a reflection of his fascination with death and the unusual. It’s filled with oddities like jars containing heads, artwork by Mark Ryden, oversized wooden legs, prints by Henry Darger, skulls, vintage magazines, and even an old pommel horse. Currently in a quiet recording studio, preparing for a remote session with someone in Australia, Elfman—who famously impressed audiences with his physique at the 2022 Coachella festival—is relaxed, talkative, and has a playful energy.

For each year’s performance of The Nightmare Before Christmas at the Hollywood Bowl, the actor playing the Pumpkin King changes. Over the years, many famous performers have taken part, including Paul Reubens (best known as Pee-wee Herman), Catherine O’Hara, the late Ken Page, Phoebe Bridgers, and Billie Eilish, who Elfman says was a fantastic Sally. The producers suggest potential cast members each year, and Elfman hopes they’ll be available and excited to join the show.

The 2025 production of the film will star Janelle Monáe as Sally, Keith David as Oogie Boogie, John Stamos as Lock, and Riki Lindhome as Shock. Just like previous performances, Danny Elfman and the actors will be joined by a live orchestra and choir as the movie is shown on big screens.

Danny Elfman first encountered Janelle Monáe at the Coachella festival in 2019. When Monáe was suggested for a project, he enthusiastically agreed, immediately recognizing her immense talent. He compared her to Prince, noting her skills as a guitarist, singer, and dancer, and her overall captivating stage presence.

John Stamos is a talented performer with a wide range, known for roles like “Full House” and even performing with the Beach Boys, though he’s most famous for his work on screen. When Danny Elfman first saw a video of Stamos singing, he wanted to confirm the actor could handle harmonies well. Elfman explained that the characters Lock, Shock, and Barrel from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” require strong harmony singers because the song constantly changes keys and vocal ranges.

John Stamos is following in the footsteps of past hosts like Fred Armisen, who led the event in 2022 and 2023. The organizers enjoyed having Fred for two years, and were also excited to cast his wife, Megan Lindhome, as this year’s host. Having seen Lindhome’s comedy duo ‘Garfunkel and Oates’ previously, they knew she had the right energy for the role.

The Hollywood Bowl shows on October 25th and 26th are quick but demanding, particularly when it comes to matching the live vocals to the movie. There were even doubts about whether the first performance in 2015 would go well.

Danny Elfman notes that unlike typical musicals where songs are interspersed throughout, this production features ten songs packed closely together. He explains that the musicians sometimes have very little downtime, even struggling to find time to turn the page of their music during the performance.

Unlike many other performances, there isn’t much rehearsal time with orchestras. As Danny Elfman explained, they often only have a day, or even less, to prepare. For example, when he and Tim Burton performed at Albert Hall in 2013, the orchestra had just two days to learn two hours of completely new music. Elfman wasn’t even sure his arrangements would work! That’s just how things operate in the world of orchestral music.

Elfman has been pleasantly surprised by how understanding his audiences are. He remembers one particularly rough night at the Hollywood Bowl where they had to stop mid-song. “I just said, ‘Sorry everyone, this is live!'” he recalls. Luckily, conductor John Mauceri suggested they start the song over. Elfman was amazed by the enthusiastic applause they received when they did. It reminded him that the audience is there to support him, not to see him stumble. Even if mistakes happen, they’re willing to help him recover and keep going.

He explained that performing feels like walking a tightrope with nothing to catch you if you fall, and theater is similar. That’s what makes live performances so thrilling. His wife, Bridget Fonda, once described the audience as that safety net, and he believes she’s right – the audience truly is there to support you.

Although the concert version of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is joyful and great for families, even with its spooky themes, Danny Elfman often focuses on the darker, more melancholic parts of the story.

He describes death as something both captivating and frightening, highlighting how fragile life can be. He recalls his time busking in Africa after high school, where he faced real danger and developed a surprisingly nonchalant attitude towards it – whether from illness or close encounters with threats like a black mamba snake, he just accepted whatever happened.

I’ve always felt like my survival is something of a surprise. I like to think of life as an escalator – we can see where we’ve been, but not where we’re going. You don’t know how many steps are ahead until life gives you a sign, like someone telling you, ‘This is your stop.’ So, each year I’ve reached feels like another step forward.

When the time comes, Danny Elfman jokingly imagines being greeted by the spirits of great composers. He playfully imitates how they might sound: perhaps Bernard Herrmann offering a cautious “You did okay,” or a critical but forgiving Stravinsky saying, “You never quite got it, did you? But that’s alright, we can discuss it.” Or, he adds with a smile, it could be Cab Calloway telling him, “Danny, I was better, but you were good. You did alright.”

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2025-10-22 13:39