FROZEN to Arrive on Broadway in Spring 2018- Page 40

[JennH]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 8:10pm

DrewJoseph said: "brian1973 said: "What is this DCA you all go on about? Disney cruise or something?

 

"

 

Disney California Adventure park in the Disneyland resort. They have a Broadway-style theatre and a version of Frozen is playing there. This show looks and sounds very much like that one and everyone thought they would be complete opposites or at least, I thought they would be..

 

 

"

Yes, and DCL is the cruise line doing their own production on the Wonder. Three productions...and they all are underwhelming. 

And I thought and hope they wold be too. Now I just wonder what Timbers had in mind

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 8:22pm

10086Sundays said: "disney..fan22 - Yes, they added a couple verses. There's enough time for the parents and young Anna & Else to come out for one verse and then younger versions join the older ones for a quick dance and then we get the moment on the revolve. "

Ok, thanks. I will reverse judgement for the finale then. I was worried that it was a direct copy (well, it is, but lol)

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:10pm

I don't remember the last time a single clip got so much attention on the boards... We certainly have a lot of other directorial and design ideas floating around on here. I, personally, love what I have seen and heard.

Updated On: 8/19/17 at 09:10 PM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:16pm

JennH said: "Itonlytakesajourney said: "An ice palace would be good. It would be cool. It would be a spectacle, for sure. But in this case, honestly simplicity works best. Just seeing Cassie belting those lyrics out with that beautiful icy background is enough. I don't see why everyone is complaining, it works fine and an extravagant set would be too distracting from the performer. 

 

"

In SOME cases, I'd agree, but this is not one of them. To take the cheap route with Frozen would be like taking the cheap route with B and the B. Need I remind us of the existence of the low budget Beast tumblr? You can tell when certain shows are done on the cheap and this is one of them. Some shows you just can't do cheap because it shows like a sore thumb. No we don't want to be distracted too much from Caissie, but this is literally nothing on that stage. We all saw the video of LiG and frankly I see her hands moving...and doing what exactly? NOTHING is happening, unless I'm missing something. I have to say I'm with Princeton1, if they don't do this right, this could backfire. But the vast majority of the audience are there to see "Frozen on stage" and will love it anyway because "OMG FROZEN!". The easy route already being taken here, and it's bothersome. 

"Really wish it was something like this

https://wait4it.tumblr.com/post/164377418453/coryjensenart-soi-am-pretty-excited-about"

 

There's NO reason why this couldn't happen. None. And as for the concern for it interfering with her sing, there are ways to have an awesome set and still have her use it and sing well. What we got thus far is almost nothing but "park and bark". Not Caissie's fault obviously. 

 

"

Well that's the difference, isn't it? It's a theatrical production, not a theme park ride. It's supposed to be about what works for the emotion of the moment. It's also the first preview of a show that won't be on Broadway for six months, a lot can change between now and then.  But I think it's fine. They probably don't want to copy Wicked by sticking her on a cherry picker either. 

[ForB4]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:20pm

Well that's the difference, isn't it? It's a theatrical production, not a theme park ride. It's supposed to be about what works for the emotion of the moment. It's also the first preview of a show that won't be on Broadway for six months, a lot can change between now and then. 

"

Seriously. Obviously they have a few kinks to workout but thats what tryouts are for. Y'all are acting like its the final product. Be patient lol

And underwhelming? I thought it looked really cool (and obviously the audience did too.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:26pm

Responding to the photo shoot/promo video... I do miss Hans' red hair. Patti and to a lesser extent Caissie do look a bit old for their parts. With Caissie I think the current wig ages her. I'm curious how she looks with the braid. There's less to hide behind with Anna. Patti just looks too old for the part. 

[JennH]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:32pm

^^ Even our leading ladies have said that what's in Denver will largely be the same thing next year. Tryouts are good things, but as I mentioned unless something super drastic is needed, most shows don't make that many changes., so I'm not entirely sold or optimistic. And no it's not a theme park ride, but the emotion of the moment calls for a lot more than screens and curtains. Some shows deserve a spectacular type of treatment and this is one of them. Treating it with simplicity Ala Once just won't cut it. However, once that costume change is tightened and times perfectly, it can be pretty awesome. 

[coolboi952]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:36pm

How is seating at this theater from pictures it looks pretty big. Have a chance to fly to Denver to see the show at the end of sept and am curious how the balcony is. Will i seem like miles away from the stage? Most of the orchestra is sold out except  some Partial Views. Just trying to get an idea of the space and where i should sit. 

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:40pm

I have to say these clips and stills look really underwhelming...borderline not quality. Not that I'm surprised. Disney Theatricals are hit and miss at best. In my opinion the main reason is that the cartoons aren't really stage musicals.  They have a handful of songs at the most and the situations don't lend themselves to be designed or choreographed on stage. Plus the iconic nature of the drawings/storylines don't easily lend themselves to be reimagined/rewritten. The structure of them is usually very similar as well and now feels boring and very dated when it comes to modern musical storytelling. Even the gold standard, which most would consider the lion king, is mainly due to the design by Julie Taymor and not the overall musical itself.

But once I heard Michael Grandage was taking over as director it raised red flags. The brits have never been the leaders in developing new musicals and Grandage, although he has done some opera, is known for theatrical realism...Frost/Nixon and Red being EXPERT examples of that no doubt. I thought his production of The Cripple of Inishmaan was brilliant.  But his Evita....eeeek. Not that Alex Timbers would have been much better (He may have been better at developing the humor though).

But for a song as big in popular culture as Let It Go was/is and as grandiose as the animation is from the film...this looks like a cheap imitation. it's missing all of the magic of her creating the ice palace. There are no specifics. The costume change is cheap old school vegas.  And her taking the barrette out of her hair and throwing it behind her is just a baffling choice from a broadway director. Plus the Olaf being a puppet that the actor controls is just not working. There is no reason for it design wise. The reindeer Sven is even more realistic. Taymor used african masks and puppetry as concept. The rest of the set from frozen is taken right from the movie. It makes no sense here. and is not designed cleverly.  The way it moves does nothing to further the story or bring wit to the character. If anything it distracts you from the actor in a negative way. It looks cheap.

They've clearly chosen to go the route of faithful and recognizable to the film which is fine and will attract and audience but it seems like it will need to be handled with more creative theatricality if its going to be well received by any critics (not that it needs to be). 

 

 

 

[wish i were here2]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 9:59pm

After watching the Let It Go video, I have to agree, WHERE IS THE ICE PALACE or at least a projection in the back of her creating the ice palace. Honestly, this makes it look like she could be making an igloo with ice stalactites on the side. I do like the costume change, however, but back to the set it would've been nice if after the costume change flash the backdrop fell revealed the stairs and balcony. Honestly, she wouldn't even have to climb it, legit it could just be there and it would be better. 

But on a better note, Caissie sounds fantastic. <3 

Updated On: 8/19/17 at 09:59 PM

[swanjewel]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 10:06pm

I'm a little disappointed with that clip. I was hoping to see her run up the stairs to her ICE PALACE and then change on the balcony or something. And the costume change could be better. Am I wrong to think that Cinderella had a better change from her rags to her gown? 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 11:03pm

Ugh. I'm so disappointed. I mean she's left alone on this vast stage. At least get her up in the air. It looks so dinky. I didn't think Grandage was the one to put this show over. Now Matthew Warchus is who they needed. We would have gotten a SHOW! 

[finebydesign]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 11:29pm

Scratching my head as to what else you would have wanted, the snowman puppet is literal. Is this Mermaid or Tarzan.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/19/17 at 11:32pm

More of a design concept? Some magic? I mean it's a show about a woman with magical powers, and yet the set for "Let It Go" looks likes an awards show. There's no dimension, nothing. It's just hanging diamonds. 

[shrekster224]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:17am

I'll admit though I've read a lot, I haven't read every post so sorry if someone already mentioned this.  Can anyone speak to the choreography?  There are some serious dancers in that ensemble and we all know Rob Ashford is as full out as it get's.  Would love to know how it is implemented.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:25am

When they premiered the theme park stage show, I was very hopeful and impressed with what they did with 'Let It Go.' Between Elsa riding the spinning ice stairs to the rigged up dress transformation, I thought.... "Wow! If this is what they were able to do on a theme park show budget, I can't WAIT to see what they actually are able to pull off for their big Broadway production. It will be glorious to see this AND SOME." And now, here I am watching that little video going..... really Disney? The theme park version impresses me more. You are better then some light projections and a tear away dress. Perhaps if they had actually gotten the light cue right, it might have been better? But wow that cue was BAD!

My ONE bit of hope however is this.... I have seen footage of Aladdin's out of town tryout and I have been to the show in New York. If you have seen that show, there is this series of quick changes with Jafar towards the end of the show that is actually pretty impressive as it's a series of quick changes in close sucession. He changes from Normal, to Sultan, to Genie in the span of only a few minutes. The change out of town was sloppy, the costumes looked clunky, and they had poor effects covering the change. On Broadway however it was crisp, clean, and really impressive with three fully designed, developed looks and effects that covered the change well. 

So not ALL might be lost on the quick change. The set however? That might be. Both the Mermaid and Aladdin sets from their final pre-Broadway tryouts were pretty much set in stone so I will assume this one is as well.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:27am

Honestly, if they just recreated the DCA "Let it Go" with the costume transformation, they'd have a winner. The one they have now is just too static. She literally parks and barks and does nothing. No story is being told. Why not have her creating an ice palace? Use projections. Use smoke. Use something.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:29am

My theory is that b/c they fired the creative team like a dozen of times and they spent so much on money with the labs and time was racing, they pretty much had to go low budget and even use some things in the Disneyland show 

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:39am

coolboi952 said: "How is seating at this theater from pictures it looks pretty big. Have a chance to fly to Denver to see the show at the end of sept and am curious how the balcony is. Will i seem like miles away from the stage? Most of the orchestra is sold out except  some Partial Views. Just trying to get an idea of the space and where i should sit. "

Yes, it's massive theatre. If you've ever been to the Broadway Palace, the balcony is as far away as that one, maybe more. Whatever you do, try to get as center as possible. Major siteline issues in Denver. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:39am

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "My theory is that b/c they fired the creative team like a dozen of times and they spent so much on money with the labs and time was racing, they pretty much had to go low budget and even use some things in the Disneyland show 

 

But they're not. If they had staged Let it Go that way no one would be complaining. 

Also, its not like Disney is short on funds. If they wanted to sink more money in this project they could have. 

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:39am

Re: set design... For shows that have major technical elements/special effects, are they always part of the show in the out of town tryout? Is it possible that they're planning something more high tech with "Let It Go" in New York that for whatever reason they can't do in Denver?

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:48am

shrekster224 said: "I'll admit though I've read a lot, I haven't read every post so sorry if someone already mentioned this.  Can anyone speak to the choreography?  There are some serious dancers in that ensemble and we all know Rob Ashford is as full out as it get's.  Would love to know how it is implemented."

Choreography is basically a non-entity in this. There are some dance numbers: The Coronation Ball, Fixer-Upper, Hygge(UGH).  It's not good or bad, there aren't any showstoppers or anything really original. The show isn't one told through dance, so it doesn't really detract from the experience. 

ETA - I realize that sounds negative. But it's not. I appreciate that they didn't try to force in dancing where it wasn't needed.

Updated On: 8/20/17 at 12:48 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:49am

No. The theater in Denver is actually better/newer than the St. James. The St. James has no wingspace, etc. It's old. They'd be able to do MORE in Denver. Why did they blow out the back wall? What is this giant set piece that requires them to need more depth? It looks like a touring production to me. 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 12:55am

JudyDenmark said: "Re: set design... For shows that have major technical elements/special effects, are they always part of the show in the out of town tryout? Is it possible that they're planning something more high tech with "Let It Go" in New York that for whatever reason they can't do in Denver?"

The Buell stagehouse is large, and possibly even deeper upstage than the St James is going to be. But if there were a scenic element that required a deep trap space (i.e. Pride Rock or Billy Elliot's room), they'd likely be able to drill down into the St James whereas that's not so much of an option in Denver. 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 8/20/17 at 1:10am

trpguyy said: "But if there were a scenic element that required a deep trap space (i.e. Pride Rock or Billy Elliot's room), they'd likely be able to drill down into the St James whereas that's not so much of an option in Denver. "

Something kinda like Pride Rock was more what I was expecting to see in this so here is hoping that is something that might be built into the James stage still? Something that comes up and grows from the ground as Elsa is climbing upward on it. Now THAT would be impressive.