Review: FROZEN at Providence Performing Arts Center

Providence Performing Arts Center presents ‘Frozen,’ the 2018 Broadway musical based on Disney’s top-grossing 2013 animated film, featuring the beloved Grammy and Academy-Award winning anthem, “Let It Go.”

Based on the Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Snow Queen,” and with songs by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, ‘Frozen’ tells the story of princesses Elsa and Anna, daughters of the king and queen of Arendelle. Elsa has the magical power of creating snow and ice with her hands, which keeps her younger sister endlessly entertained, until she seriously injures Anna by accident. From then on, as a precaution, the parents keep the sisters separated.

During a venture abroad, the king and queen are tragically lost at sea, leaving the sisters estranged until years later when Elsa is crowned Queen. The kingdom is reopened for the coronation, where Anna meets Hans of the Seven Isles and Cupid’s arrow strikes. When Anna tells her sister she wants to marry him after having known him only a few hours, Elsa becomes enraged, and the danger of her magical power rears its ugly head again—much to the horror of the townspeople.

Elsa abruptly abandons the castle to seek solitude, where she creates a palace of ice on a remote mountain in the forest. Despite the inherent risks, a determined Anna sets off to find Elsa, where she meets a mountaineer iceman, Kristoff, and his horse, Sven, who help guide her along the way. They are also joined by Olaf, a live snowman a young Elsa invented with her magic.

Having never seen the movie, I didn’t know what to expect, other than the usual Disney fanfare. I left the theater impressed well beyond my expectations, and I was particularly captivated—and ultimately touched--by the adventure and the obstacles these sisters overcome to be together. As expected, there is also plenty of laughter and lightheartedness throughout for all ages to appreciate.

The colorful, kaleidoscopic sets are stunning and psychedelic, and the speed and ease of the transformations (from a castle ballroom to an ice palace on a mountain, for example) is remarkable. The costumes, as well, are as eye-catching as the set design, and Elsa’s seemingly instantaneous change from a dark purple to sparking white gown is a quintessential wow moment.

As Elsa, Caroline Bowman is a tour de force, and after having toured since 2019, she has very much made this role her own. She brings down the house with “Let It Go,” and another highlight is her moving duet with Anna, “I Can’t Lose You.” Speaking of which, Lauren Nicole Chapman is resplendent and adorably amusing as Anna, the feisty younger sister who loves Elsa unconditionally. Chapman and Bowman have palpable chemistry that carries the entire production and earns the audience’s admiration.

Dominic Dorset is criminally charming as Kristoff, who saves Anna in more ways than one, and Collin Baja’s physical prowess as Sven is nothing short of extraordinary. Jeremy Davis is irresistibly endearing as Olaf, and worthy of mention is Jack Barker as Oaken, the shop and sauna owner, whose rendition of the (however silly and superfluous) song “Hygge” brings a smile to everyone at the beginning of the second act.

‘Frozen’ magnificently and masterfully continues the crowd-pleasing tradition of cherished animated Disney films brought to life on the stage.

‘Frozen’ runs through Sunday, March 17th, at Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset Street in Providence. For tickets and information, call 401-421-2787 or visit https://www.ppacri.org/events/detail/frozen

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