Get Into Something Cool, ‘Frozen’ at DCPA Thru July 3, 2024, LLD Review

By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media. Supplemental information provided by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts & Applause Magazine. (See video trailer below)

With all the creative talent and work invested into the Tony Award winning Broadway production of Frozen it is easy to see why this musical has received so many accolades. It is so breathtaking to experience that this spectacular production will leave you and yours blown away. I can’t imagine a better way to introduce children and adults into the wonderful world of live theatre. There is even a special “Kids’ Night on Broadway” coming up Thursday June 27th where families can buy one ticket and get one FREE! (see below for details)

My two granddaughters 7 & 8 were visiting from out of town and had never been to a live theatrical production. So, when I told them we were going to the theatre to see the opening night of the Disney production ‘Frozen’ live at the Denver Center For the Performing Arts, they were excited and a bit nonchalant saying, we have been to theater lots of times, “We saw the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Toy Story,” and named several other Disney films including the 2013 animated Oscar winning Frozen.

***Company of Frozen North American Tour photo by Deen van Meer***

They were talking about movies they had seen in theaters and did not grasp the idea of people performing live on a stage or an orchestra playing the music. I am sure this must have been the experience for many other kids who were there, some as young as three years old. Many of the little and big girls were dressed as princesses.

The story of Frozen focuses on the lives of two sisters, Elsa and Anna, and their journey of growing up separately due to a series of misunderstanding but coming together when they are in need and shows us the genuine love and strength a sibling relationship can have. Caroline Bowman as Elsa and Lauren Nicole Chapman as Anna and Company. Frozen North American Tour. Photo Matthew Murphy. Disney.

I tried explaining it to them, but they just didn’t seem to get it, so I decided to just let them experience it and let it unfold in front of them. To say they were thrilled and overjoyed would be putting mildly. They knew all the words to many of the songs and often burst out singing aloud. The production features twelve new songs written especially for the show, alongside all the classics such as ‘For the First Time in Forever’ and ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Frozen stars Caroline Bowman as “Elsa” and Lauren Nicole Chapman as “Anna,” the sisters at the heart of the joy-filled musical. Joining them are principal cast members Jeremy Davis as “Olaf,” Nicholas Edwards as “Kristoff,” Preston Perez as “Hans,” Evan Duff as “Weselton,” Collin Baja and Dan Plehal alternating as “Sven,” as well as Norah Nunes and Emma Origenes alternating as “Young Anna,” and Avelyn Lena Choi and Savannah Lumar alternating as “Young Elsa.” photo by Deenvan Meer.

The fur on Kristoff’s costume is custom knitted. The production uses nearly 30 different kinds of faux fur. There are 154 costumes on stage during the course of the show.
Collin Baja as Sven and Jeremy Davis as Olaf. Frozen North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy. Disney

With the production lasting two hours with a 20 minute intermission I thought they might get tired as the evening wore on. But, nope, they stayed on the edge of their seats glued to everything that was going on the entire time.

As I had never seen the play or the film before, I was sure glad they were there, as I really didn’t know what it was about. But they sure did, keeping me abreast of the story line as it went along. Turns out, Frozen is the timeless tale of two sisters, pulled apart by a mysterious secret. As one young woman struggles to find her voice and harness her powers within, the other embarks on an epic adventure to bring her family together once and for all. Both are searching for love. They just don’t know where to find it. “Elsa is not evil, she just has special powers she doesn’t know how to control” would whisper one granddaughter. The other would chime in telling me, “That handsome guy she is in love with is evil, don’t believe him,” and so the evening went.

Elsa has magical powers to freeze objects and people, which she does not know how to control. After inheriting the throne, Elsa flees, inadvertently causing the kingdom to become frozen in an eternal winter, and nearly kills her sister. She must sacrifice and show true love to save the day. At the end of the production my granddaughter asked me, “Grandpa can you put us into acting classes please.” The younger stated, “I’m going to grow up to be a princess”.

It is a great story but an even more beautiful production. Frozen’s costumes, fabrics and trims are sourced from 17 countries, Elsa’s Ice dress takes one person 42 days to bead, with over 10,000 stones. There’s no real fur in the show.

The show incorporates many elements of hand crafting, which would have been common at the time, including hand beading, knitting, crochet, and needlepoint. The production uses the latest developments in theatrical technology, such as digital printing, carbon fiber 3D printing,and thermoplastics. Frozen tour Lauren Chapman for the first time. ***Frozen North American Tour. Photo Matthew Murphy. Disney.***

Elsa’s clothes are designed to follow her character’s journey. She begins in stiff clothes, fully
covered, and always with gloves. This reflects her fear of her own power and the way in which
she closes herself off from everyone around her, including her sister. As she becomes more
confident in her magic, she sheds these constricting garments and we see her in a dress made
of ice that appears to be growing organically from her skin. The curling motifs of ice in this
dress reflect her newfound joy. When the story takes a darker turn, Elsa’s ice motifs become
sharper and jagged, while she gains independence and moves further from society’s
expectations, even putting on pants! Caroline Bowman Elsa Frozen North American Tour photo by Deenvan Meer.

**The icicles are constructed out of vacu-formed clear acrylic and then given a natural icy finish**. The icy effects don’t stop there. A set piece called the “crystal curtains” features more than 20,000 crystals. And Elsa’s ice palace is adorned with 53,000 Swarovski crystals. Caroline Bowmanas Elsa in Frozen North American Tour-photo by Deenvan Meer.

And then there is the set design. When Disney Theatrical Group decided to adapt the animated film Frozen for the Broadway stage, they enlisted a team with more than just stellar theatrical bona fides. Not only do they have a collective 16 Tony Awards, but they also have art and design in their bones.

There are 48 different kinds of flowers and grasses, and 71 different types of ribbons in the
opening garlands.
Will Savarese as Hans and Lauren Nicole Chapman as Anna .Frozen North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy. Disney

When it came time to design the sets and costumes, Christopher Oram had an artistic game plan. He filled, as he put it, “sketchbook after sketchbook of scribbles and ideas and shapes” inspired by everything from Nordic architecture to royal costuming.

As these hot summer days wear on, why not take in something super cool. Frozen will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed.

Frozen plays the Buell Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts through July 3, 2024

TICKETS

Kids’ Night on Broadway – Disney’s Frozen

Thursday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. performance
Give your kids the star treatment at our Thursday, June 27th, 7:30p performance! With the code “KNOB” at checkout, families can buy one ticket and get one FREE!* Enjoy a full night of theatre with:

Family activities begin at 6:30pm in the Buell lobby
Complimentary kids-size cheese or pepperoni pizza with any purchase at Eat’Ya Pizza |1530 16th St Mall #101 Denver, CO 80202
Free kids’ dessert at The Corner Office | 1404 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202

For information, visit FrozenTheMusical.com/Tour, Facebook and Instagram.