Monika Peña and Ellie Smith (Photo by Veronica Slavin)
Reviewed by Socks Whitmore
5-Star Theatricals at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center
Through July 20
It’s the middle of summer in Southern California, but a frosty wind blows across the stage of the Kavli Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center. 5-Star Theatricals presents FROZEN: The Broadway Musical, a stage adaptation of the 2013 Academy Award-winning animated film.
This is the first year that the full-length show has been available for local license, though Thousand Oaks cannot claim the title of regional premiere; their production comes right on the tails of McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s production of Frozen at the La Mirada Theatre, which ran from June 6th to June 29th just last month.
Frozen follows the princess sisters of the mythical kingdom of Arendelle, Anna (Amy Sorenson) and Elsa (Catherine Last). Elsa has a chilling magical secret, but as the queen-to-be, she’s terrified to let it show. When an argument at the coronation ball leads Elsa to accidentally trigger an eternal winter, Anna must set out on a quest to bring her sister home and bring back summer.
Fans of the film will recognize a significant number of changes to the narrative, from lyrical tweaks and revised musical themes to reordered character introductions and contextual substitutions. Characters like Kristoff and Hans are, refreshingly, given more opportunities to sing than they received in the film. Some changes are more successful than others — additional songs like “A Little Bit Of You” and “What Do You Know About Love” add meaningful new layers to the story, while the ensemble number “Hygge” at Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post feels forced at best and “Fixer Upper” feels wildly out of place on stage.
While the narrative restructuring deepens some character relationships it also creates a few new plot holes and loses some of the nuance in Elsa’s battle for control over her ice powers. The Duke of Weselton is no longer a secondary antagonist and Marshmallow the snow monster has been cut altogether, which essentially leaves the show without an identifiable villain until the betrayal reveal in the final hour. Notably, the stage musical directly acknowledges the queen as a child of the Northuldra, a crucial detail with no context for those unfamiliar with the movie FROZEN 2.
The show opens on young Anna and Elsa, who are inseparable royal sisters. The precious pair has a charming chemistry, with Sorensen giving an especially bombastic Disney Channel style performance. After the exposition, the child royals are replaced by their adult counterparts, played by Ellie Smith and Monika Peña respectively. Smith’s boisterous energy as Anna is reminiscent of Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona, a comic foil to Peña’s grounded Elsa. Both deliver immaculate vocal performances, though at times are hamstrung by under-energized instrumentals and odd blocking choices. Landen Starkman as Olaf is also a solid vocalist, though his puppeteer work leaves something to be desired and he is unfortunately no Josh Gad. Sven the reindeer puppet (playfully piloted by Sebastian Guerrero, designer uncredited) is more sparkly and less goofy than its animated twin.
This production boasts a company of more than 30 strong, which at times makes for an overcrowded stage. Scenes like the trading post and the final confrontation at the frozen lake feel starkly overpopulated, though there are some interesting ideas behind using a swarm of ensemble member cloaks to portray stormy sea waves and blizzard winds. Many of the leads’ costumes (designer uncredited) are excellent replicas of outfits from the film. The onstage costume change for Elsa’s ice dress in “Let It Go” is one of the most magical moments in the show, complete with colored lights and a striking ice castle set piece. Elsa’s ice magic is represented primarily through projections (Nicholas Santiago) which are often slightly mistimed, fracturing the suspension of disbelief.
The blocking choices are misguided at times. The choreography (Cheryl Baxter) for the proposal in “Love Is An Open Door” is a little messy and ends with a kiss that comes way too early for Hans and Anna’s development. The entrance of the trolls from the side aisle in the audience stood out as confusing, and Anna and Elsa’s confrontation at the ice castle came across as underwhelming and awkward. Anna’s petrification is also a weak climax that needs more than sound effects to effectively sell. This production does not make use of staggered levels or revolving stages, which presents somewhat of a challenge for creating truly epic drama. The set design (uncredited) is primarily inspired by Nordic architecture and makes a clear effort to connect to the cultural inspirations for the film.
Adult theater-goers, be warned; weekend matinees are in particularly high demand from young children and their parents, and the experience of sharing the auditorium with them feels akin to trying to watch theater at the playground. The most dramatic moments are often undermined by a scattered chorus of cries and the constant crossing of bodies in the aisles. (Kudos to the performers for staying completely focused despite the constant distraction.) This production has the ingredients to be an epic presentation but seems to miss the mark in a few critical ways for both the musical theatre enthusiast and the modern toddler.
5-Star Theatricals, Bank Of America Performing Arts Center, Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 pm, Sat.-Sun., 1 pm; thru July 20. www.5startheatricals.com Runtime: 2 hours with an intermission
