Maria Briggs Brings 'Elf' Back Again to Broadway in the Legacy Robe

"The Robe symbolizes the amazing community we have. It brings the beauty, love, joy, uncertainty and support from show to show. To me, the Robe represents how it takes all of us to make theatre magic happen. It’s important to celebrate and recognize the chorus. This ceremony always makes me cry, especially because it begins with celebrating those making their Broadway debuts. Hearing my name called brought a surging energetic connection to the historic recipients and feeling all the hard work that brought me here. It’s such an honor to be among these other legacies.

"I’m very honored to have received this as a swing. It’s here to represent one of the hardest working groups who don’t always get the recognition and treatment they deserve."

Name: Maria Briggs

Show: Elf

Opening Night: November 17, 2024

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

Broadway Debut: Cats, 2016 (1st Victoria replacement/swing)

Professional Training: AMDA/The New School (BFA Musical Theatre), SPCPA (high school)

Year joined Equity: 2012

How I got my Equity card: The last two weeks of a three-month contract swinging Carousel at Goodspeed

Broadway Chorus credits: Cats; Frozen; Hello, Dolly!; Anastasia; Mean Girls; The Music Man; Spamalot and Elf

Fun Fact: "I once sewed for Ferragamo. I worked in the costume shop at school. Someone called to offer the supervisor a job that evening; they couldn’t do it. I overheard and too proudly said, 'I can do it!'…not knowing what I was really getting into…

"I got the address, saw it was on 5th Ave, joked to myself (and on the phone to my mother who’s the ACTUAL professional seamstress) that I’m sewing on 5th Ave. I walked into the building, took the elevator up and there were models walking around everywhere. I went to the back to check in. They gave me a skirt to hem. It took me THREE HOURS! They gave me the next project to sew. I politely said no, 'It’s 3 a.m.; I have to wake up for school in a few hours,' and left."