Frozen Broadway Updated- Page 2

[hicaesar]

Posted: 2/19/20 at 11:04pm

"I did however question the turntable, unless I remembered wrong, I can only recall it being used twice the whole night, once in Monster and again in the finale where the 2 get raised up slightly. Seems like a waste of turntable to me."

I've yet to see Frozen on Broadway, but the "Broadway style musical" playing at Disney's California Adventure uses the turntable several times in some clever way. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 12:17am

Disneyland is better! That “Let it Go” is an event.

[Justin D]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 7:49am

hmm, well not here at all, only well in monster with the ice spikes.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 7:58am

I thought the coronation ball also briefly used the turntable but I could be wrong. 

Not sure why all the comparisons to Disney California Adventure. That is a direct 1 hour adaptation of the movie whereas this is a Broadway production that's enhanced from the original story. I love both shows.

[Tuna2]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 8:02am

hicaesar said: ""I did however question the turntable, unless I remembered wrong, I can only recall it being used twice the whole night, once in Monster and again in the finale where the 2 get raised up slightly. Seems like a waste of turntable to me."

I've yet to see Frozen on Broadway, but the "Broadway style musical" playing at Disney's California Adventure uses the turntable several times in some clever way."

My wife and I saw this as well at Disneyland on the 2nd of January this year (we've also seen the show on Broadway with the OBC) and we both thought the 'Let It Go' segment at Disneyland was way better than on Broadway.  We had 2nd row center orchestra and to have the ice bridge/staircase swing over our heads was very cool!!  We loved both shows, but it was nice to see it at Disneyland with a little twist in how it was performed versus Broadway.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 8:58am

Very interesting. I can't comment on the quality of the changes, as I haven't seen them, but one thing I will say is that I've always hated "For The First Time in Forever (Reprise)" and I was disappointed when I saw the musical and realized they hadn't altered it (the "deep deep deep deep snow" lyric has always been particularly grating for me). 

I wish they had cut "Hygge" entirely, but I guess shortening it is a compromise of sorts. 

In general, I'm glad that the creatives are willing to give the show another look. This seems like a similar situation to the changes made to Lion King back in 2010, except not as much time has passed. 

I thought the show was pretty "meh" (with some great parts), but I'm almost temped to go back and see it with these changes. Does anyone know when they will be implemented, or if they already have been? 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 9:02am

JBroadway said: "I thought the show was pretty "meh" (with some great parts), but I'm almost temped to go back and see it with these changes. Does anyone know when they will be implemented, or if they already have been?"

The new changes were instated in the show this past Tuesday when the new cast started!

[windowwaving]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 10:30am

hicaesar said: ""I did however question the turntable, unless I remembered wrong, I can only recall it being used twice the whole night, once in Monster and again in the finale where the 2 get raised up slightly. Seems like a waste of turntable to me."

I've yet to see Frozen on Broadway, but the "Broadway style musical" playing at Disney's California Adventure uses the turntable several times in some clever way."

I always did wonder why they bothered with the turntable in the Broadway version as it was rarely used. I think the way the tour did the Monster icicles was just as effective without the turntable. 

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 11:38am

I’d say the one issue the Broadway production has and will likely always have is its missing a signature epic set piece that creates that magical moment Disney on Broadway is known for. Beauty and the Beast has both the transformation and the fireworks for Be Out Guest, Lion King has pride rock, Mary Poppins has 17 Cherry Tree Lane and Mary’s flight over the audience, Tarzan had the vines, Little Mermaid had well umm a pearl finish on everything and heelys, Newsies has the giant erector sets, Aladdin has the magic carpet ride and Friend like me, but Frozen doesn’t really have that moment that makes an audience sit back and say “Wow”. There is the dress transformation, but that’s become relatively common especially after Cinderella. It should have been the stairs in Let It Go, but for some strange reason Michael Grandage decided to treat the show like a Shakespearian drama, so the most epic should be “wow” moment is done with bare stage and projections. The fact that the theme park version figured out how to have the epic Ice staircase, and Broadway doesn’t is just weird to me. I know the tour has a smaller staircase in lui of the projections, so does anyone know if that set piece has been added?

The show as written has alway been fine, not bad, but it works for the piece. I concur that Hyugge comes out of left field and feels like its in a completely different, Carbaret-esq musical, but its the Act II opener so I’ve always given it a pass.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 11:49am

Was anyone there on Tuesday or yesterday for the new cast members first performances? I haven't seen reviews or comments anywhere! 

[Justin D]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 3:08pm

While i get what you are saying about the lack of staircase, when you think about it, Elsa's castle is like only used what, twice in the whole show as a setting (end of act 1 and once in act 2).

Plus I think the freezing of the theatre was a good wow moment.

[Tag]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 3:12pm

^The Mascarade staircase is only used at the top of Act 2 of Phantom...so...

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 3:24pm

Tag said: "^The Mascaradestaircase isonlyused at the top of Act 2 of Phantom...so..."

Staircase or none... Frozen messed up by not having her create an ice castle in front of the audience. They could have done what 9 to 5 did and had pillars of ice rise from the stage... have Elsa herself rise up during the climax of the song on a pillar of ice or stairs that come from within the stage.

Something physical, real, and unexpected.. 

 

The entire transformation happens behind curtains. BORING. 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 3:37pm

Adding stairs was desired and discussed at length, but there is no space left to store them offstage. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 3:45pm

They need projections during let it go that happens all around the mezzanine and balcony of snow and ice; not just the sides of the stage. that would of been great. 

[Tag]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 4:00pm

Adding stairs was desired and discussed at length, but there is no space left to store them offstage. 

And if stairs were in the original plan, there wouldn't have been a problem :)

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 4:04pm

Alex Timbers would’ve had a castle

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 4:21pm

In general, I'm encouraged that they feel like something isn't working so they're trying to make reasonable changes vs. just saying the show is frozen and leaving it at that. Obviously everyone doesn't see the same issues in shows but imagine if the creatives would swallow their pride and your favorite shows could get those tweaks to bad lyrics or weird staging or whatever else that would improve the experience. 

Also, yeah, the new Playbill is totally stunning. That art is mesmerizingly gorgeous. Add some sparkles/glitter and I will buy that merch on T-shirts, cups, etc.

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 4:22pm

GreasedLightning said: "Alex Timbers would’ve had a castle "

No, Mr Timbers wouldn't of had a castle....he would of turned the theater into a castle....get your directorial ascetics right! 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 4:37pm

VintageSnarker said: "just saying the show is frozen"

I LOL'd at this. I know it wasn't intentional, but my pun-loving self could not resist.

 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 5:06pm

Tag said: "Adding stairs was desired and discussed at length, but there is no space left to store them offstage.

And if stairs were in the original plan, there wouldn't have been a problem :)"

There wasn’t room for them two years ago, and there still isn’t room now. 

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 5:08pm

bdn223 said: "GreasedLightning said: "Alex Timbers would’ve had a castle "

No, Mr Timbers wouldn't of had a castle....he would of turned the theater into a castle....get your directorial ascetics right!"

Ha ha ha! Touché! 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 2/20/20 at 7:30pm

FYI, they're having a performance on Kelly and Ryan tomorrow.

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 2/21/20 at 2:42pm

They performed the new duet "I Can't Lose You" on Live with Kelly and Ryan today.

 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/VIDEO-See-FROZENs-McKenzie-Kurtz-and-Ciara-Renee-Perform-the-Television-Debut-of-I-Cant-Lose-You-20200221

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/21/20 at 4:07pm

Just take the original cast back into the studio and re-record the three songs. It’s just three songs! Then repackage the CD with that beautiful new artwork.