Disney Theatrical’s new Broadway musical "Frozen", inspired of course by the Frozen animated movie is currently playing in Denver, and will open in Broadway next February. Disney Theatrical is giving fans a first look at the production with these just-released photos of the cast on stage!
Frozen’s pre-Broadway engagement at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts opens tonight and continues through October 1. Performances begin at Broadway’s St. James Theatre on Februrary 22, 2018, and the show opens on March 22, 2018. Tickets (for shows through August 12, 2018) are on sale now—visit FrozenTheMusical.com for all of the details.
Below, an official video of FROZEN Pre-Broadway Opening Night in Denver, yesterday night September 14.
Pictures and video: copyright Disney
I flew from Orange County, California, to Denver, Colorado, and saw the 2pm matinee this past Saturday, September 16. After having been in New York on vacation the previous week for the US Open, I saw Miss Saigon and Anastasia as well. I can honestly say the Frozen Musical was my favorite of the three. (To be fair, Miss Saigon is NOT for children and families, and has not aged well because of its focus on the final days of the Vietnam War. It is a classic and should be seen at least once, but I fear it may never return again because of it's production costs relative to how many tickets need to be sold).
ReplyDeleteThe St. James Theatre is already promoting Frozen on Broadway across the street from Anastasia, and it was a wonderful to see the incredible value in the pre-Broadway production in Denver. (Anastasia has wonderful music, but the set was rather simple compared to what Disney has been able to create with its Broadway musicals.)
Two of my friends had never seen the movie (yes, they've heard the music, but had never watched the movie from beginning to end), and they both wanted to buy tickets to watch the musical again. I love Frozen the movie, but the musical was even better! There was time to deepen characters through additional songs, overall I felt the musical was more "adult" than the movie, and the closing of Act 1 "Let It Go" and the opening of Act 2 - a new song about "Hugga" meaning comfort - are worth the price of admission alone. (Robert Lopez channels his adult humor from Avenue Q and Book of Mormon into the new song.)
Apart from Hugga, some of the new songs are not as memorable as the ones in the movie, and perhaps they'll be able to refine the songs and production before Broadway. I especially wished they had done more with "Love is an Open Door." While it's a great song for Anna and Hans, I wish there were more "doors" on set or more props during the song.
The one aspect of the Frozen musical at Disney California Adventure which I preferred is Elsa's transformation on the castle staircase. In the Denver production, she transforms on stage, and it would be great to incorporate the iconic staircase and the sense of height like Aladdin and Jasmine flying on the carpet, or the Witch Elphaba flying up with her broomstick in Wicked.
Overall, incredibly beautiful production and cast, and the final Broadway production in a much smaller theater (1600 vs 2500+ in Denver) will be a delight. I hope Disney can work more crystal, snow and ice magic in a permanent home. Can't wait to see it again!
NY Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/theater/replicate-or-reinvent-disneys-frozen-moves-to-the-stage.html