It has been near on four years since Walt Disney unleashed the power of their animated film “frozen” upon the unsuspecting world in 2013, and frankly the spirit has never once faded away. One animated short has been added before the live-action adaptation of “Cinderella” in 2015, and another will be showing before the Pixar film “Coco” this November. A full-on feature-length sequel has been slated for release in 2019. But right now the only other big “Frozen” related thing would have to be the musical that is testing the waters in Denver before heading on to Broadway next year.
All told, its tryout period was quite good to its young-skewing audience.
Wonder for children
Coming into September, the last full month of off-Broadway previews, the “Frozen” musical seems to have one constant in its viewing audience: lots of little girls dressed up as the story’s main characters, and a few grownup women too. It is a testament to the hard work that Disney Theatrical Productions put in towards adapting the whimsically magical animation into a stage performance. They managed to expand upon the original narrative of the film but still kept it all age-appropriate for the Children that are sure to watch with their parents.
Children were certainly the prime target audience of Disney’s “Frozen” musical.
It can be seen in the colorful costumes, the incredible set designs (their take on the ice bridge from the film was sensational), and the non-human performers. Some clever puppet work sure went into Sven the reindeer and Olaf the snowman (Greg Hildreth). But the main stars were the real draw, with Cassie Levy as Elsa taking Idina Menzel’s “Let it Go” and making it her own.
Patti Murin was just as charming as Kristen Bell playing Anna. Jelani Alladin was endearing as Kristoff and John Riddle mastered the complicated character of Hans.
From movie to musical
The absolute accuracy of “Frozen” in musical form can be credited to the fact that it is the same people who worked on the Disney film’s production behind the curtain.
Director Jennifer Lee wrote the book whole composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez provided the songs – and even added a few more. This can easily explain why the kids were so taken by the live performance the way they would the “Frozen on Ice” spectacle. One of the viewers, a girl aged 11, remarked of it, “I love the movie, but the musical’s a lot better. It has much more feeling.”
Following its initial engagement at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Buell Theatre from September 14, “Frozen” the musical will make its Broadway debut at the St. James Theatre in the spring of 2018.
