EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHYMADE
Mary Kate Morrissey, left, and Samantha Williams co-star in “Frozen” at The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn.
The task of turning Disney’s 2013 animated film “Frozen” into a stage musical comes with a unique set of blessings — and challenges.
Because of the movie, which was inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, many people are already familiar with, and have affection for, its two central characters: Elsa the Snow Queen, who regards her great power as a hindrance; and Anna, her younger sister, who doesn’t understand why Elsa has basically shut her out of her life. And even those who don’t know the characters are probably familiar with the movie’s power ballad “Let It Go,” which became an immensely popular single in its own right.
EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHYMADE
Mary Kate Morrissey in “Frozen.”
The big challenge: How do you translate the breathtaking beauty and the awesome power of snow and ice that was depicted in the movie to a theater’s stage?
Disney began developing a stage musical version of “Frozen” — with additional songs written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, the team behind “Let It Go” and the handful of other songs heard onscreen — almost immediately after the movie became a hit. Jennifer Lee, who wrote and co-directed the film, did the book. It premiered in 2017, and ran on Broadway from 2018 to 2020.
And it can now be seen at The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn — with direction by Paige Price, choreography by Shea Sullivan, a cast of 30 and a 13-piece orchestra — through Jan. 11.
Does “Frozen” cast the same magical spell that it did on the big screen? Not quite. Sure, there are lighting tricks and special effects, and Timothy Mackabee’s scenic design is suitably ornate and colorful. But you just can’t conjure snow-covered mountains and a palace made of ice onstage, the way you can in an animated film. And the new songs written for the stage are simply not as memorable as the movie’s signature songs (“Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,” “For the First Time in Forever” and “Love Is an Open Door,” in addition to “Let It Go”).
EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHYMADE
Hazel Vogel, left, and Anjali Roa in “Frozen.”
Still, this show has a lot to offer, and represents a great way to introduce young fans of Elsa and Anna to live theater.
The play starts with a pair of charming child actors — Hazel Vogel and Anjali Roa — as the young Elsa and the young Anna, respectively. But the story quickly moves to about 10 years later, when Elsa and Anna are teenagers, and another pair of actresses, Mary Kate Morrissey (Elsa) and Samantha Williams (Anna), take over.
Both are excellent: Morrissey, with her regal bearing and powerful voice (especially on “Let It Go”), and Williams, with her ability to convey Anna’s raw yearning and occasional wacky streak. (She is basically still a “tornado in pigtails,” as the older Anna describes her younger self.)
It is easy to see why “Frozen,” in its various incarnations, has struck a chord with children — and adults, too. Anna is us as we are — awkward, unsure of ourselves, full of unsatisfied hunger. Elsa is us as society tells us to be — responsible, restrained, concerned for others.
Not that “Frozen,” as a whole, is overly serious is tone. Lots of comic relief is offered, especially by Todd Buonopane as the lovable, childlike, effortlessly funny snowman Olaf (Buonopane can be seen operating the puppet Olaf as he delivers his lines); and Graham Stevens as the friendly shopkeeper Oaken, who leads a production number built around “Hygge” — a cheerful song whose message is similar to “Hakuna Matata” from “The Lion King” — to open the second act.
EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHYMADE
Daniel Yearwood in “Frozen.”
Kristoff (played by Daniel Yearwood), the menschy ice peddler who befriends Anna, is accompanied by Sven the reindeer, played, in a remarkable feat of physical grace, by Thomas Whitcomb in a four-legged reindeer costume. Sam Gravitte plays Hans, the handsome prince who sweeps Anna off her feet and proposes to her almost immediately. Mark Price oozes supercilious obnoxiousness as the villainous but not scarily evil Weselton. (It is pronounced “wes-el-ton,” though everyone says it as “weasel-ton,” much to the character’s dismay.)
Some holiday stage offerings don’t require large casts and a huge production. Look around at what is being offered in New Jersey theaters this year and you will find a lot of opportunities to see “A Christmas Carol” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” — works that, it has been shown over the years, can work very well on a a modest budget.
“Frozen” is something different: big, bold, visually spectacular and almost mythical in its scope. But also filled with goofy jokes, relatable characters, and a good story with some surprising twists.
It is the second Disney show that Paper Mill Playhouse has presented this year, following “The Little Mermaid” in May and June. I liked that one a little better, to be honest. But both represent the kind of lavish family entertainment that you don’t get to see in New Jersey all that often.
The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn will present “Frozen” through Jan. 11. Visit papermill.org.
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