Disney Theatrical Productions has tweaked its musical Frozen which premieres tonight with a new principal cast and some major changes to the show’s songs and staging.
Via Broadway News (Photo: Deen van Meer)
What’s happening:
- Disney’s Frozen on Broadway opens tonight with a new cast in the roles of Elsa, Anna, and Hans but that’s not all that’s changing.
- According to Broadway News the production has adopted some major changes including the editing of one and removal of another of the show’s songs.
- These updates to the fan favorite Frozen will also be implemented in the national touring version as well as the upcoming productions in London, Japan, Australia and Germany.
- Often times shows will make all major adjustments following previews, however it isn’t unheard of for a full-fledged Broadway production to tweak it’s performances in the middle of its run based on audience attitudes, reception, and other unexpected variables.
- According to Broadway News, Disney Theatrical president Thomas Schumacher and the creative team have been working on updates for the Broadway production since fall 2019 when they started preparing for the show’s first national tour.
- At this time, Schumacher does not have plans to re-record the cast album with the song changes.
What’s changing?:
- First up, as previously announced, new principal leads playing Elsa, Anna, and Hans will be making their Frozen debut on February 18th.
Photo by dirty sugar
- Ciara Renée will take on the role of the queen while McKenzie Kurtz plays her spunky and optimistic younger sister.
- Ryan McCartan also joins the cast as the charming Hans whose plans and interests are only self-serving.
- Next, the updated musical will feature a new duet “I Can’t Lose You,” sung by Anna and Elsa in the second act of the show replacing “For the First Time in Forever (Reprise).”
- Additionally, Disney Theatrical Productions has decided to trim the song “Hygge” that plays after intermission, leading into the second act. Other musical changes include:
- Kristoff will sing a reprise of his duet with Anna, “What Do I Know About Love?”
- Anna’s solo “True Love” performed towards the end of Act 2 has been removed from the production.
- Broadway News also notes that audiences “appeared to express confusion over the fates of the King and Queen of Arendelle.” Disney Theatrical decided on a restaging ‘’of the scene with added choreography and a new visual to more clearly depict their deaths at sea.”
What they’re saying:
- Director Michael Grandage: “It was always our intention, in terms of working in the shadow of the animated movie, to take much further and much deeper the relationship between these two sisters and make that the absolute focus of the stage show in a way that you never, ever veered away from that.”
- Disney Theatrical president Thomas Schumacher on changes to Frozen and other Disney Productions: “We’ve tailored things to certain performers. It makes sense to me — keep it alive, keep it fresh. And because we had the great advantage doing shows where the authors are living, everyone’s participating in it.”
- Michael Grandage on removing Anna’s song, “True Love”: “It was a very, very beautiful song, but we were very, very aware that it came at exactly the point in the evening where audiences were ready to start heading toward the conclusion of the story.”
- Noah Ricketts, who plays Kristoff on the new changes: “Thankfully for us, it gives us a chance to explore our characters again. I’ve discovered so many new elements of Kristoff — just by simply going back to basics and re-reading my script.”
Tickets for Frozen on Broadway are on sale now. The musical plays at the St. James Theater New York City.