The best way to cool off in Vancouver amid this summer heat is to treat yourself to Broadway Across Canada’s Frozen. Under the direction of Michael Grandage, this stage adaptation of the iconic 2013 Disney animated film is as spectacular an experience as one would expect, with jaw-dropping effects and scenic, lighting, and costume designs. But it’s the show’s inspirational messages about sisterhood and inner strength that make this experience truly impactful and unforgettable.
As in the film, the story follows the journey of two princess sisters in the kingdom of Arendelle – Elsa and Anna. At the start, the pair are children and we learn that Elsa possesses magical powers that allow her to conjure snow and freeze things. An accident resulting from Elsa’s magic when she’s playing with Anna threatens Anna’s life. Their parents call upon the Hidden Folk, a mystical group that lives in the wilderness, to save Anna. When they do, they also erase Anna’s memory of Elsa’s magic.
When the parents set sail to find a solution to help Elsa control her powers, a storm causes them to die at sea. Elsa isolates herself in her room for many years, determined to keep her powers a secret, as well as a preventative measure of harming Anna. But when she is anointed queen, a heated argument causes her to accidentally unleash her powers, sending Arendelle into a deep freeze. Accused of witchcraft, Elsa flees. Anna embarks on a journey to save her sister and Arendelle.
Broadway star Caroline Bowman, who previously played Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, along with fellow Broadway veteran Lauren Nicole Chapman (she was an Anna standby on Broadway), lead this show as Elsa and Anna respectively. Both ladies exude Broadway star power in everything from stage presence to exceptional singing and characterization. Bowman wonderfully captures Elsa’s tormented spirit and conflicted emotions, and her singing, highlighted by the iconic “Let it Go”, is extraordinary. Every note she sings is chill-inducing and emotionally moving. And wait until you see the remarkable costume reveal into her glittery snow queen outfit – it’s magic before your eyes.
Chapman is entertainingly comical and relatable, and exudes a refreshing sincerity in her delivery of such songs as “For the First Time in Forever”. Throughout the ups and downs of their characters’ relationship, Bowman and Chapman maintain a genuine feeling of sisterhood that’s heartwarming and believable. The charming Nicholas Edwards is fun to watch as ice harvester Kristoff, alongside his trusty reindeer Sven.
This show’s conception of Sven is really cool – here we have an exquisite full-body costume designed by Christopher Oram (who also designed the set) with a dancer inside holding stilts in his hands and walking on tiptoe. In this tour, two dancers, Collin Baja and Dan Plehal, alternate playing Sven due to the enormous physical demands. On opening night in Vancouver, Baja was sensational – a true master at this, which no doubt requires immense physical ability. The visual effect was gorgeous and comical, evoking an image of a living reindeer onstage.
A real scene stealer is everyone’s favourite snowman, Olaf. In this show, Olaf is a puppet mastered by Jeremy Davis. Davis shines, truly bringing the snowman to life with his charismatic vocal delivery – and even though it’s the puppet we’re meant to be watching, Davis’ comical facial expressions, which match Olaf’s dialogue and singing, are a joy to watch. Thanks to puppet designer Michael Curry, the Olaf puppet looks like a living, breathing version of the animated iteration, down to his midsection which always seems to be moving.
The two young girls who played the child versions of Elsa and Anna on opening night, Savannah Lumar and Emma Origenes (they alternate with two other young performers), were outstanding, both performing with impressive emotional maturity and singing quality beyond their years. Origenes also does a fabulous job dancing and singing as one of the Hidden Folk in the “Fixer Upper” number.
On opening night, there were also a couple of understudies who stepped in and slayed. Jack Brewer played Hans with appropriate confidence and charm, and Daniel Switzer was wonderfully funny and adorable as the bizarre Oaken, owner of Wandering Oaken's Trading Post & Sauna.
Oram’s work here as scenic and costume designer is incredible, and along with lighting designer Natasha Katz, the pair deliver star performances tenfold. The spectacular effects from the film come to life onstage thanks to genius lighting and the use of projections. Wooden panels outline the proscenium with astonishing detail and texture (this is likely all projections) and later freeze from Elsa’s powers. Elsa’s frozen palace and snow storms appear onstage with incredible realism and beauty. The royal palace is as grand as seen in the film, thanks to gorgeous backdrops and set pieces, and the sisters’ royal-looking canopy beds are cleverly designed with “magical” elements.
Oram’s costume design produces remarkable real-life versions of the film characters. Key to bringing these visions to life, of course, are the cast performances. Every cast member performs with powerful stage presence, characterization, and attention to detail. Disney’s influence is apparent here, and the combination of Disney-refined Broadway talent makes for a sensational viewing experience.
Rob Ashford’s choreography pieces everything together, using sweeping onstage movement to allow the show to soar. For example, the staging of “For the First Time in Forever”, is a stunning number that produces excitement and anticipation as each principal character enters, while the ensemble enacts Ashford’s fairy tale ball-worthy choreography. Standout dancer Nick Silverio performs with tremendous skill and star power throughout the show.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have written many songs to add to the ones they created for the film, to turn Frozen into a full-length musical. All the songs have such a coherent style that it’s hard to distinguish which songs were added. They all sound fantastic performed by the cast and orchestra, under the tour’s musical direction and baton of Faith Seetoo.
Frozen is a magical combination of Disney and Broadway, and it sparkles with artistry and heart. Since the Broadway production has closed, and the West End production is scheduled to close in the fall, there are limited opportunities to see this exciting show. Go see this while you can, because it’s a phenomenal experience.
Broadway Across Canada presents Frozen, onstage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre until July 21, 2024.