St. James Theatre, located in the heart of Times Square, is the new home of “Frozen.” Now a Broadway musical, the story takes audiences into the story of Anna and Elsa in Arendelle.
The show stayed true to the movie in nearly every aspect excluding some of the songs. It opens with younger versions of Anna and Elsa playing together and having fun.
Young Anna, portrayed by Audrey Bennett, was hysterical and had the audience falling out of their seats with laughter over innocent jokes.
The two siblings seem to have fun together until Young Elsa, portrayed by Brooklyn Nelson, strikes her sister with her ice powers. Young Anna and Young Elsa are swapped out by their older versions portrayed by Caissie Levy and Patti Murin, who stunned the crowd with their exquisite vocals and exceptional performances.
In the film, Elsa has a sassy attitude toward her sister, which was not as present in the play.
Although they had disagreements and a falling out, the sense of tension between the two sisters did not feel as realistic.
In addition to the acting, the audience was taken back by the musical numbers that the talented cast engaged in throughout the course of the play.
The play introduces nearly a dozen new songs written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez that are not present in the film, providing the audience with even more of a treat.
“What Do You Know About Love,” sung by Patti Murin and Jelani Alladin, is debuted to the audience during the scene where Anna and Kristoff are climbing up the North Mountain with hopes of finding Elsa. The set of the North Mountain looked extremely realistic due to its angle and size, which made the scene even more phenomenal.
“Monster,” performed by Caissie Levy, is full of passion and emotion, which allows the audience to understand how Elsa is feeling about her situation.
The appearance of Kristoff’s reindeer, Sven, shocked the curious audience with its realism. The same goes for Olaf, despite the fact that he was controlled by puppeteer Greg Hildreth.
Hildreth brought Olaf to life in such a way that one could easily forget that the snowman’s hands, arms and feet were controlled by strings. The special effects used throughout the play brought the theater to life with snow and ice.
One could have even forgotten they were still in New York City by the time the play was over. The cast truly brought the film to life with their exceptional portrayal of the characters that people have come to know and love.
The show was not only entertaining, but a true showcase of the talent that Broadway has to offer.
