Changes Frozen should make before Broadway — Page 2

Has Disney ever held anything back from tryout to Broadway? I know shows have had smaller changes but didn't the physical show pretty much remain unchanged? I seem to remember people saying the little mermaid must be keeping a more spectacular ending for Broadway.. .and look how that turned out.

This show does seem to lack a wow element at the moment, something Disney is known for.

I'm not sure adding snow would make that much difference. Aside the blizzard at the end you don't really see it actually snow in the movie anyway. The snow just pretty much appears

What worries me most is the thing that made the movie so refreshing (focusing on sisterly love and not the need for a man) seems to have been lost in this translation.

For me the main issue is putting frozen on stage in the first place. I get the business reason, but unlike say beauty and the beast, I didn't watch frozen and think this would make a great stage musical

I agree with everyone the OP said except for Caissie. It's not Caissie's fault she's working with subpar material. Acting is an interesting thing, it's pretty subjective, unlike what good singing and dancing is. Or at least more subjective than the other two. But not even Meryl herself can get past bad writing. While I've always believed Frozen COULD make a great stage musical if creative thought and real work was put into it, it's still subpar songs and script there dealing with. That's why I had to guffaw when the creatives were interviewed about casting Caissie saying the "role is difficult to act" and and how her and Grandage were dissecting the lyrics of LiG...like what?? It's a cookie cutter pop form tune. It's an nigh unactable song because of either the trite/cliche lyrics or the outright bad ones/one that make no sense. Someone finally said what I've been trying to say, it relies too much on action rather than on character developing thoughts. Even defying gravity is better because at least it has some revealing thoughts along with decision making action. It might be an on teh nose title (so is LiG...) but at least it's a decent balance of sentiments.

As for Disney holding back on the design/tech front...I mean we'll never know until it opens, but I'm also not holding my breath. Certainly out of town tryouts are not for holding back, they're to test what you have, and what works and what doesn't. You can't do any of that if you hold things back. It absolutely lacks wow factor, but as is mentioned it's LiG...audiences will lap it up no matter what, it's a global phenomenon. I'm just hoping they saw reason or listened to rumblings of more than just audiences who lapped up the show because it's Frozen.

grumpyoptimist said: "As for the sauna scene (full disclosure: I too was wondering WTF as it unfurled before us), I wonder if it is because, knowing they're going to have a lot of kids in the audience and therefore it will take extra time to get everyone back in the theater post intermission, they threwin an entr'acte that isn't necessary to the story line but is cute and intended to be entertaining? In which case I can better justify it's existence within the show..."

Sorta like when "Bomshell" added Dig Deep back in the show so they could get Marilyn's plane on in time for Public Relations!

---

I liked Anna's second act song "True Love" because for me it showed us that Anna realizes her fairytale dreams were naive and silly; she grows up a bit in that song kind of like Elsa does in Let It Go. You have the reserved & guarded sister come out of her shell in Let It Go, and the bubbly extroverted sister sort of pull back a bit in True Love.

Anna and Kristoff kiss towards the end of the movie so I personally don't really see how that was any different in the musical. It's not what saves the day, it's still about the sisterly love and sacrifices they've both made.

I agree with the idea that the sauna number was to buy some extra time after intermission. There were several people still making their way back into the theater during that scene, and it's kind of a fun frivolous part that is less irritating to have to get up and down through. It is hard when it's a show heavily attended by kids :/

All in all I really liked it, as did everyone I know that saw it. I plan on seeing it again when I'm in NYC next year.

I love the OP

'In my opinion, they should just change the lead, the set, the narrative, the music, the costumes, the ensemble, the ushers, the seats, the bathrooms and it would work!"

---

James885 said: "Not sure where the notion that they're 'holding back' some kind of more elaborate set piece(s) for Broadway came from when, like others have said, the whole reason for an out-of-town tryout is to get the entire show up on its feet in front of an audience.

"

Didn't Aladdin change/fix the flying carpet between Toronto and Broadway?

James885 said: "Not sure where the notion that they're 'holding back' some kind of more elaborate set piece(s) for Broadway came from when, like others have said, the whole reason for an out-of-town tryout is to get the entire show up on its feet in front of an audience.

"

It wasn't really coming from anywhere. I've never been to NYC so I don't really know what level of change takes place between out of town runs and Broadway, I was just tossing an idea out there. Even if they don't change anything I still really enjoyed the show and was thoroughly entertained. If they do add some additional flash, even better :)

Didn't Aladdin change/fix the flying carpet between Toronto and Broadway?

They cut the ensemble below the carpet that were holding large planets on sticks.

I think what they need to do is take Elsa, make her green, then forget about the sister aspect with Anna. Just make them college roommates. You also make Anna a blonde. It’s wicked. Just make it another production of wicked.

---

In the words of Barbra’s former stylist turned Hollywood mogul Jon Peters: “How about we add a scene where they fight a giant robot spider?”