The musical Frozen is a tough show to stage. There is less Disney magic or spectacle than their musicals like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, or Mary Poppins. The focus, instead, is on the two central characters, Anna and Elsa, princesses of the kingdom of Arendelle. Without two dynamic performers, Frozen will not work. Fortunately, the production at A.C.T. of Connecticut (ACT) features a pair of enchanting, vibrant actresses – Leigh Ellen Jones (Anna) and Kyrie Courter (Elsa) - that keep Frozen an entertaining and an enchanting piece of theater, primarily, for younger audiences.
The book by Jennifer Lee is tight and fluid. There are some noticeable changes from the animated film, making the show more manageable to stage, but which will not greatly upset fans of the movie. For example, the trolls are now the “hidden people” and there is no Marshmallow, the giant snow monster.
The plot centers on the Anna and Elsa, from the time they are young girls through the moment Elsa is crowned Queen. Her magical powers, where she can summon cold, snow, and ice, inadvertently overwhelms the kingdom, forcing her to flee to the mountains. Anna, looking to save her sister, is joined by an ice merchant, Hans; his reindeer, Sven; and an adorable snowman, Olaf. Together they seek to rescue Elsa, reverse the eternal winter that has descended upon Arendelle, and save the kingdom from doom.
The songs by the husband-and-wife team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez contain a host of catchy tunes and are well sung, as performers nicely tease out the comedic numbers (“Love Is an Open Door" and “What Do You Know About Love”) and the more lighthearted and dramatic moments ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “For the First Time in Forever”). Kyrie Courter’s rendition of the earworm classic, “Let It Go,” is powerfully delivered and generates theatrical pizazz with the incorporation of Scenic Designer Matthew Imhoff’s emerging ice palace.
Leigh Ellen Jones and Kyrie Courter Ms. Jones are winningly cast as the two female leads. Both actresses bring a strong-willed, independent streak to their performances. As Anna, Ms. Jones also imbues her character with a comedic wit and fortitude she carries throughout the show. Ms. Courter, more guarded with her portrayal of Elsa, nonetheless, conveys an underlying strength that fuels her character’s yearnings. Frankie Lou Lauderdale, as young Anna, and Ellie Lila, as the young Elsa, are impressive as they capably command the stage at the start of the show. Brody Redman is effective in his role as the seemingly altruistic suitor Hans. While the actor Jalon Matthews aptly conveys befuddlement in the role of Kristoff, the chemistry between him and Leigh Ellen Jones is missing. Katelyn Lauria is requisitely nutty as the snowman Olaf but, curiously, is more in the background during the length of the show. The same could be said of Niko Charney as the lumbering reindeer Sven, garbed in a very large costume designed by Travis M. Grant.
Robert W. Schneider, utilizing Scenic Designer Matthew Imhoff’s simple, interchangeable sets and Jack Mehler’s dramatic Lighting Design, keeps the pacing quick and action constantly in motion. A number of his decisions inject humor into the production, such as having members of the cast clothed in towels during the song “Hygge.” Schneider also skillfully manipulates the cast to become interchangeable parts of the show’s set at the climatic finale. His one misstep is having the cast continuously enter and exit the stage into the audience. Individuals seated in the back of the theater have a panoramic view of the arrivals and departures. Those of us that were seated in the front rows, could not see what was happening.
Caitlin Belcik’s choreographer ranges from elegant ballroom dances to inspired, goofy one-steps. As with the undertaking of her director colleague, her compositions are key in moving the action forward.
Frozen, placing at ACT through March 15. Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.
