#1
Posted: 12/23/17 at 11:29pm
I was lucky enough to get to see the pre Broadway production of Disney’s FROZEN earlier this year at the Denver Center and considering it was technically considered a preview, sans writing an audience review, I wanted to write a “changes I think they should make before opening night on Broadway” piece.
I’m definitely not in the Disney cartoon to stage musical fan club, so I want preface that, but I have to say FROZEN the Broadway musical is A) not bad and B) in pretty good shape as far as mega musicals go for an out of town tryout.
But to me, there a few things that SCREAM “Cut that!” Or “change this!” that are in the way of making the show one of the better Disney Stage adaptations.
1. The Grand Pabbie Troll as narrator storytelling device. This immediately cheapens the show. It feels cliche and dated as far as modern musical theater structure goes. And the dialogue is well, corny for lack of a better word...it doesn’t need a narrator. Just let the story unfold dramatically and the audience will be with you if it’s engaging.
2. The costumes for the trolls....not saying this is easy to create, and for the record the other costumes are spot on recognizable to the film with good touches of theatricality, but the trolls unfortunately look cheap and cliche...like not much thought was put into reimagining them. Non equity could do better.
3. Olaf as a visible actor controlling a puppet version of the snowman. For one, there are no other theatrical devices like it used in the show so it’s jarring and confusing stylistically. Timone from lion king worked because of Julie Taymors African mask/art vision. To top it off, Sven is a fully realized reindeer which makes it even more strange that the only other non human is a puppet. It doesn’t work and it isn’t cutting edge at all. I’m sure it’s more complicated than it looks...but it looks Really cheap. With the money and theatrical minds on this production more realistic stage magical approaches should be thought up.
4. The choreography. It doesn’t create any identity or autonomy that is specific to the frozen world. It fees more like generic circus acrobatics at times. I couldn’t find much if any movement storytelling throughout....not that the show is a dancers showcase though.
5. Let it go....wow! This was a big miss for me. I’ve seen theme park reviews that were more creatively thought out than this at half the budget. I mean, with this song being such a phenomenon and he fact that it is the first act closer I was shocked that this was literally a beaded curtain in the shape of snowflakes and Elsa basically just walking out and singing the song in front of it. Now, in its defense I’m thinking the thought process was....let’s just let Cassie Levy sing the bajesus out of it....which she does. But she doesn’t even create the ice palace at all. She has a a quick change on stage that gets applause but the story of her creating this cold place where no one can reach her is lost completely. I would go back the drawing board on this starting with watching the film and charting out how the animation did it. This should be the theatrical highlight of the show. Right now it is limping to the end of act one.
6. Cassie Levy as Elsa. You’d think this would be a slam dunk. I mean the range and tone of aggressive bway belt is tailor made for it and she’s been memorable in shows like Hair, but she really lacks the acting chops that should bring this character alive on stage. I get it, in musicals singers before actors, but this is a very bland interpretation. I would replace her. she should study what Patti Murin is doing, it’s fantastic.
But for people wanting to see a decent Disney adaptation this will hit the mark. There’s a lot of quality and heart here. I hope they make some changes however.
I’m definitely not in the Disney cartoon to stage musical fan club, so I want preface that, but I have to say FROZEN the Broadway musical is A) not bad and B) in pretty good shape as far as mega musicals go for an out of town tryout.
But to me, there a few things that SCREAM “Cut that!” Or “change this!” that are in the way of making the show one of the better Disney Stage adaptations.
1. The Grand Pabbie Troll as narrator storytelling device. This immediately cheapens the show. It feels cliche and dated as far as modern musical theater structure goes. And the dialogue is well, corny for lack of a better word...it doesn’t need a narrator. Just let the story unfold dramatically and the audience will be with you if it’s engaging.
2. The costumes for the trolls....not saying this is easy to create, and for the record the other costumes are spot on recognizable to the film with good touches of theatricality, but the trolls unfortunately look cheap and cliche...like not much thought was put into reimagining them. Non equity could do better.
3. Olaf as a visible actor controlling a puppet version of the snowman. For one, there are no other theatrical devices like it used in the show so it’s jarring and confusing stylistically. Timone from lion king worked because of Julie Taymors African mask/art vision. To top it off, Sven is a fully realized reindeer which makes it even more strange that the only other non human is a puppet. It doesn’t work and it isn’t cutting edge at all. I’m sure it’s more complicated than it looks...but it looks Really cheap. With the money and theatrical minds on this production more realistic stage magical approaches should be thought up.
4. The choreography. It doesn’t create any identity or autonomy that is specific to the frozen world. It fees more like generic circus acrobatics at times. I couldn’t find much if any movement storytelling throughout....not that the show is a dancers showcase though.
5. Let it go....wow! This was a big miss for me. I’ve seen theme park reviews that were more creatively thought out than this at half the budget. I mean, with this song being such a phenomenon and he fact that it is the first act closer I was shocked that this was literally a beaded curtain in the shape of snowflakes and Elsa basically just walking out and singing the song in front of it. Now, in its defense I’m thinking the thought process was....let’s just let Cassie Levy sing the bajesus out of it....which she does. But she doesn’t even create the ice palace at all. She has a a quick change on stage that gets applause but the story of her creating this cold place where no one can reach her is lost completely. I would go back the drawing board on this starting with watching the film and charting out how the animation did it. This should be the theatrical highlight of the show. Right now it is limping to the end of act one.
6. Cassie Levy as Elsa. You’d think this would be a slam dunk. I mean the range and tone of aggressive bway belt is tailor made for it and she’s been memorable in shows like Hair, but she really lacks the acting chops that should bring this character alive on stage. I get it, in musicals singers before actors, but this is a very bland interpretation. I would replace her. she should study what Patti Murin is doing, it’s fantastic.
But for people wanting to see a decent Disney adaptation this will hit the mark. There’s a lot of quality and heart here. I hope they make some changes however.
