When the National Tour of the stage adaptation of the hit 2013 Disney movie
Frozen came to Minneapolis in the fall of 2021, it was a true celebration of the return to theater after a global pandemic closed all theaters for nearly a year and a half. Now three and a half years later it feels like the pandemic truly is in the past, although today's world is not without its own unique and scary challenges. But now we have
Children's Theatre Company's glorious regional premiere of this sisterhood love story to remind us that we can get through hard times if we work together and have an open heart (and door). The movie is beloved by many (expect to see lots of little Elsas, Annas, and Olafs in the crowd), and the thing CTC does best is make the experience the best it possibly can be for the little ones. They present this story with such care, thoughtfulness, passion, and love that it's also a joy for the grown-ups, and will melt even the most frozen of hearts. As the outdoor world continues its slow melt into spring, the world of
Arendelle will continue to freeze and thaw and freeze again on the CTC stage through June 15.
From what I can recall of the movie, the story has been adapted pretty faithfully (with "hidden folk" replacing the trolls the movie), which isn't too surprising considering the original screenwriter Jennifer Lee wrote the book, and original songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the additional songs. In a nutshell, two royal sisters who once were close grow distant due to elder sister Elsa's secret magical powers, which explode upon her coronation, sending her off to live in the frozen wilderness alone. She's rescued by younger sister Anna, and in turn rescues Anna and the town from eternal winter. While the story feels a bit rushed at times and some of the plot points are a bit sticky (parents telling their child to stuff their feelings inside, the Disney trope of parents dying, an out of the blue 180-degree turnaround in the character of Hans), the beautiful thing about Frozen is that it's a princess story in which the princess finds true love in her sister, rather than some guy she just met. A story that highlights unconditional love and support between women, even when they're very different people who may disagree, is something to celebrate.*
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sisters (Julia Ennen and Gillian Jackson Han)
(photo by Glen Stubbe) |
Nationally renowned director Tiffany Nichole Greene (whose work was last seen in #TCTheater in
FLEX at Penumbra Theatre, about a high school girls basketball team) makes her CTC debut here and brings a lot of energy, joy, and movement to the show. There's never a dull moment (important in a show for kids) as we progress quickly through the story, but the heart and connection of the characters still shine through. The huge and hugely talented cast are so much fun to watch as they don multiple costumes and play multiple roles. They're led by a wonderful pair of sisters. While I wish they would have cast a local actor to play Elsa, I cannot otherwise argue with the casting of NYC-based Gillian Jackson Han, a vocally strong Elsa who embodies the ice queen, while revealing the humanity beneath the cold exterior.
Julia Ennen has appeared on stages around town over the last several years but this is her biggest role on the biggest stage, and she absolutely shines as Anna. She's funny and endearing, charming and awkward, with dreamy vocals. She's well matched in her two love interests. Dylan Rugh is so charming as Hans that for a second I thought maybe he wouldn't be a bad guy in this adaptation (spoiler alert: he is), but then he flipped the switch and became a deliciously evil adversary. There's no evil in Matthew Hall's performance as the lovable Kristoff, just good-natured bickering that lets you know these two will eventually fall for each other.
As the non-human characters, UMD graduate Laura Marie is a true find as Olaf; she is not at all doing a Josh Gad impression but making the role of the happy snowperson entirely her own. In Lion King style, she's puppeteering a couple of blocks of snow, some of which are attached to her, manipulating the puppet into gestures and facial expressions while mimicking them with her body (particularly that wide and giddy grin), so you get a double performance. And Sven is a true marvel; with actor/puppeteer Adam Jones (2022 Spotlight Award winner) standing in the front legs of the reindeer, with the faux hind legs following along, as he manipulates the huge reindeer head, giving it expression and personality (puppet design by Eric Van Wyk).
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| photo by Glen Stubbe |
The use of Scandinavian design in the set and costumes is beautiful and effective. The stately Arendelle palace has huge carved wooden beams painted with Scandinavian patterns. The icy snowy transformation is accomplished with white latticework lowered over the wooden beams, snow falling from the ceiling, fog effects coming from multiple directions, and lighting effects that show Elsa's magic moving through the space and illuminating lanterns. The costume design includes traditional Scandinavian elements but with a more modern and colorful look, from ballgowns to travel wear to the hidden folks' nature-inspired costumes (scenic design by Scott Davis, costume design by Ari Fulton, lighting design by Driscoll Otto, sound design by Sten Severson, projection design by Michael Salvatore Commendatore).
The score contains all of the favorites from the movie, along with about a dozen new songs, most of which are really great and fit right into the story. The Anna/Kristoff duet "What Do You Know About Love?" is playful and later poignant, and the Act II opener "Hygge" (led by CTC company member Reed Sigmund, who never fails to crack me up), which is completely unnecessary for the story, is a joyful highlight of the show, especially for Minnesota audiences who are not only more familiar with Scandinavian culture than most, we also know the proper pronunciation of sauna (that's sow-na not sah-na).* The beloved score sounds wonderful performed by this cast and the eight-piece pit orchestra led by Music Director Denise Prosek. The choreography (by Rush Benson, taking a brief hiatus from playing Kenickie in
Grease at the Chan) is endlessly entertaining, so inventive and surprising and interesting. The coronation ball dancing scene is a mix of classic ballroom and modern styles, including some clever hand movements; "Love is an Open Door" (which, hot take, is the best song in the show) is so cute and funny and sweet; and "Hygge" is an earthy explosion.
Frozen is very much a Disney show, for better or worse - fairy tale tropes and shallow treatment of some story elements, but also some fantastic songs, endearing characters, and a heart-warming tale about friendship, community, and the true love of sisters, with good always triumphing over evil. Not a bad model to live by:
I take this warmth within and send it up above
Goodbye to dark and fear
Let's fill this world with light and love
I'm here surrounded by a family at last
We're never going back
The past is in the past
Let it go, let it go
Then we'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
The fear and cold are gone
Here we stand in the light of day
Let our true love go
Let it go
*Some text borrowed from my review of the Broadway tour.
