Say this for “Frozen” — it doesn’t take long to discover that this show is an event for the fired-up, costumed kids with their cushioned booster chairs, ready for some snowy, Disney magic.
That’s not to say the musical, running through Dec. 30 at the Orpheum Theatre, is solely geared to the young’uns. There are a few too many dark stretches lobbing grenades of dark blues and greens toward the audience, and enough adult humor that may skim over a child’s head and land in the lap of a Disney-loving adult.
There is a tantalizing sheen on this production, a book by Jennifer Lee with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The familiar storyline and indelible tunes, which captured and shook young hearts like mad back in 2013, are enough to remind folks that Elsa and Anna still have the power to rule the roost, no matter the age of the patron.
The hyperactive young Anna and her subdued sister Elsa (played on this night by Aria Kane and Sydney Elise Russell, respectively) share a sweet, sisterly bond, two who enjoy mischief after lights out. One of these fun moments leads to a dangerous spell of Elsa’s magic, nearly destroying Anna, and crushes their bond over time.
Years later, an icy wedge still divides them. After the loss of their parents in the rage of a storm at sea, Elsa (Caroline Bowman) is now approaching her coronation while Anna (Lauren Nicole Chapman) lollygags around, finding love with the handsome Prince Hans (Will Savarese) of the Southern Isles.
The union is thrown into chaos when Elsa unleashes her powers after a fit of rage, unknowingly plunging the kingdom of Arendelle into eternal winter. Elsa flees to the North Mountain and Anna searches for her, but gets lost and meets intriguing ice harvester Kristoff (Dominic Dorset), his reindeer Sven and, later, childhood pretend friend, the snowman Olaf (Jeremy Davis).
Disney princesses have quite an illustrious history in popular culture, and what “Frozen” does splendidly is reinvent the fairy tale paradigm of a man saving the damsel in distress with love’s kiss. The tale’s power is in how it shifts directions, choosing a path towards a more satisfactory endgame and away from archaic, patriarchal nonsense. Elsa’s discovery of her strength culminates in the fantastically unapologetic power ballad anthem “Let it Go.”
That number, which closes Act 1, is loaded with as much spectacle as one can expect from two juggernauts — Disney and Broadway. The entire show is a massive tribute to largesse. The many hits associated with the film, “Love Is an Open Door,” “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman” and “For the First Time in Forever” blend in beautifully with the eye-popping technical aspects. A gargantuan screen loaded with LED enchantment instantly spins the world of frost into a summer of sweat. Ice crackles and explodes throughout the deck, putting the show in a stunning, frigid world that lives in continual peril.
Despite the marvelous tech, it’s the performances that take center stage. Bowman, tasked with drilling the show’s most iconic number, lets it go with implausible skill and powerful precision, making the closing of Act 1 worth the price of admission alone. Chapman is a delight, finding an adorably playful vibe with Savarese’s Hans, (whose personality heel turn later on had many of the costumed children in the audience ready to go full “Beauty and the Beast” townsfolk on the fair prince).
Davis’ Olaf and reindeer Sven, played on this night by Collin Baja, are tributes to the incorporation of puppetry into the Disney canon, not to mention the comic nature of warm, hug-loving snowmen.”
Plenty of other performers took turns stealing scenes. The jovial Oaken (Michael Milkanin), adorns a traditional lusekofte sweater as he and the sauna lovers teach the audience about hygge (Scandinavian for coziness) through Rob Ashford’s buoyant choreography. And there is sparkling tension between Chapman and Dorset, discovered sweetly throughout the narrative. The costume design of Christopher Oram is stunning, and at times, magical.
Delving into “Frozen” and engaging in what it means to let go is a powerful lesson for these times. Our storytelling has evolved past the point where a male’s ego being centered for female liberation is considered satisfying.
And if anyone disagrees with that, there are a whole lot of costumed kids who have some very strong opinions on the subject.
David John Chávez is chair of the American Theatre Critics Association and served as a juror for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Twitter: @davidjchavez.
‘FROZEN’
Book by Jennifer Lee, music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; presented by BroadwaySF
Through: Dec. 30
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St., San Francisco
Running time: Two hours, 15 minutes, one intermission
Tickets: $40.50-$199.50 (subject to change); 888-746-1799; www.broadwaysf.com
Source: www.mercurynews.com