Frozen is heartwarming. Yes, this is one of many word plays engendered by the stage adaptation of the Disney blockbuster movie. The film, in turn, was loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Snow Queen.” If you know anything about the works of HCA, you know that there’s plenty of Danish gloom combined with the Disney pizzazz. But the most important question at the end of the day is whether or not the musical is entertaining. Yes, it is, thanks to not only the elements from the cinema, but also the newly added songs, dazzling special effects, and most of all, the talent of the players. But here, a brief caveat must be added. A delightful little girl sitting near me in the theater was chatting happily during the intermission. In the middle of the second act, she became frightened, started to cry, and had to be taken out of her seat. I don’t know what exactly terrified her, but it’s worth noting that there are indeed, some pretty scary moments. The story definitely has dark undertones. Two adorable young princesses frolic in the palace; they build a snowman together, sing and dance, and have a wonderful relationship. When the younger girl, Anna, begs her older sister, Elsa, to make it snow, something goes terribly wrong. For Elsa has a terrible ability to freeze things, especially when she’s emotionally charged. When she accidentally injures Anna, it becomes clear that she is dangerous. Elsa must keep her abilities hidden and avoid her sister. Side note here: to revive Anna, the queen calls on some pretty interesting characters. They are the hidden people of the mountains. Led by a strapping hunk of a caveman-like creature, they are rough but compassionate, and they all have prominent tails. They reappear later in their native habitat. When the King and Queen die at sea a short time later, Elsa becomes queen. She orders the massive doors to be locked, and the kingdom is isolated. Elsa (Caissie Levy) and Anna (Patti Murin) grow up in the same building, but apart from one another. At her coronation, Elsa’s normally gloved hand is exposed, and all hell breaks loose (but not before she has an Evita moment). She runs off to avoid the inevitable mob. Anna runs after her, leaving in charge Hans, the handsome young thirteenth son of the King of the Southern Isles (shades of “Game of Thrones”). She has becoming besotted with and engaged to him, all within the space of a few hours. Big mistake. On her journey, Anna encounters the smelly but noble Kristoff, an erstwhile ice merchant. She is helped by him and by his shabby reindeer, Sven (Andrew Pirozzi). Also along for the ride is the snowman Olaf, a puppet whose master, Greg Hildreth, actually pulls off the trick, largely because of maintaining his beatific smile throughout his time onstage. Along the way, they encounter a shop owner (Kevin Del Aguila), and the merry revelers in his sauna. When Anna finally finds Elsa, the mountain folk must once again come to her rescue. But Hans turns out to be a complete jerk, and the message of the show becomes clear: love is ultimately our salvation, and it does conquer all. But it’s the love of the two sisters coming together, not the usual fairytale ending of the prince rescuing the damsel. You go, girls! Not surprisingly, there has been as much criticism as acceptance of this avatar of “Frozen.” Not everyone was fond of the interracial casting, for example, and the diverse elements of the story and staging don’t always mesh well. But no one has quibbled with the brilliance of the cast, especially the two leading ladies. Caissie Levy is nothing short of brilliant, and her “Let It Go” moment outshines even the sparking Swarovski crystals which represent ice. Only a true heart of ice wouldn’t be charmed by Patti Murin, who is spunky and funny, and whose smile alone could thaw Denmark (or Buffalo) in January. All the performers are wonderful; these two woman are simply perfect.
