As we reported last week, Disney was nearing a new helmer for their stage adaptation of the massive hit film Frozen. Now it’s official: Tony and Olivier Award-winning director Michael Grandage and Tony and Olivier Award-winning scenic and costume designer Christopher Oram are confirmed for the creative team of Frozen, a new musical based on Disney’s Academy Award-winning musical film, slated to open at Broadway’s St. James Theatre in spring 2018.
Frozen will play its out-of-town tryout at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in August 2017 before joining the Disney hits Aladdin and The Lion King on Broadway. For information on the Denver engagement visit DenverCenter.org.
Michael Grandage is the recipient of Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Evening Standard, British Critics’ Circle and South Bank Awards. His Olivier Award-winning musicals include Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel and Guys & Dolls. Grandage is confirmed to direct 20th Century Fox’s film remake of Guys & Dolls (John Goldwyn and Working Title producers). Grandage received a Tony Award for Best Direction for Red and two Tony nominations for Best Direction for Frost/Nixon with Michael Sheen & Frank Langella and The Cripple of Inishmaan with Daniel Radcliffe. Grandage served as Artistic Director of London’s Donmar Warehouse for 10 acclaimed seasons prior to establishing the Michael Grandage Company (MGC) in 2012. As Artistic Director of MGC, he directed Photograph 51 with Nicole Kidman, Henry V with Jude Law, The Cripple of Inishmaan with Daniel Radcliffe, Peter and Alice with Judi Dench & Ben Whishaw, and the feature film Genius.
Christopher Oram is the recipient of Tony, Olivier, Evening Standard, British Critics’ Circle, Garland, Ovation and Falstaff Awards for his work both here in the U.S. and in the U.K. Recent work on Broadway includes the scenic and costume designs for Wolf Hall Parts 1 & 2, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Evita, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (scenic design) and the Donmar Warehouse productions of Red, Hamlet with Jude Law and Frost/Nixon. Also, Photograph 51 (West End) with Nicole Kidman, Macbeth with Kenneth Branagh (Park Avenue Armory), King Lear with Derek Jacobi (BAM), and the Glyndebourne production of Billy Budd (BAM).