Photos and Video: FROZEN Opens in Australia at Sydney's Capitol Theatre

The principal cast features Jemma Rix in the role of Elsa, Courtney Monsma as Anna, Matt Lee as Olaf, Thomas McGuane as Hans, Sean Sinclair as Kristoff, and more.

By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 10, 2020

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Disney's Frozen opened at Sydney's Capitol Theatre Thursday, December 10, 2020. There will soon be five productions of Frozen running worldwide; next year, London, Tokyo and Hamburg will open and the North American tour will resume performances.

Check out photos and video of the production below!

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (The Lion King, Aladdin, Mary Poppins),Frozen features music and lyrics by Academy Award®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with book by Academy Award®-winning writer Jennifer Lee, direction by Tony® Award winner Michael Grandage and choreography by Tony® Award winner Rob Ashford.

The principal cast features Jemma Rix in the role of Elsa, Courtney Monsma as Anna, Matt Lee as Olaf, Thomas McGuane as Hans, Sean Sinclair as Kristoff, Aljin Abella as Weselton and sharing the role of Sven, Jonathan MacMillan and Lochie McIntrye.

Frozen is considered one of the most technically advanced productions ever mounted in Australia with a total cast of 38, an incredible 440 costumes, and 65 tons of scenery and automation in an unforgettable theatrical event that Newsday called a 'serious mega hit!'

The costumes, all handmade in Sydney, saw a 70-person team engaged to bring the opulent setting of Arendelle to life. Elsa's ice dress alone takes one person 60 days to sew on 14,000 beads and crystals, and three months to make the dress from start to finish. The custom embroidery on Anna's gown in the coronation scene takes over 100 hours to create and is done entirely by hand. Costume fabrics and trims have been sourced from fourteen different countries around the world. There is no real fur in the show - the 'fur' on Kristoff's costume is custom knitted for the production. In total, 145 wigs, hair and facial hair pieces, 90 handmade hats and 120 pairs of custom-made shoes make up the wardrobe, overseen by Australian Costume and Wig Design Associate, Janet Hine.

Forty-five tons of flying scenery and twenty tons of automation and staging have been built to recreate the fantasy city of Arendelle including inside the castle, spectacular ice palace, magical forest and icy mountain top. The set conjures snow and ice with everything from sculptural set pieces to video and lighting effects. Even the warm carved woodwork of the proscenium seems to freeze solid in front of our eyes as Elsa lets loose her powers- the crystallization spreading outwards from her touch, timed with music and lights projected onto the surface. The production uses 350 litres of liquid CO2, refilled once a week, to pump out the fog during each show. There are 75 million individual video pixels used throughout the set to 'freeze' over the whole set from floor to ceiling - the tiles are the second smallest used in the world and are the size of a human pupil.

Thomas Schumacher, President & Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions said, "It is wonderful to be back in Australia opening another Disney production in Sydney, at the glorious Capitol Theatre. We are thrilled that our Australian audience is seeing the first production of Frozen anywhere in the world outside the U.S. This production features a hugely talented all-Australian company that represents Australia's broad pool of theatrical talent - onstage and off. As the rest of the world struggles to return to cultural life, Australia and NSW are an inspiration. We feel honored to be here, with the support of Destination NSW, as we return to large-scale theatre."

NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres MP, welcomed the production to Sydney and said it marked an important milestone in the state's road to recovery. "Frozen is one of the world's most highly acclaimed and sought-after musicals, and we are delighted the moment has arrived for Sydney to host its Australian premiere. Frozen has been instrumental in creating and supporting local job opportunities, particularly during what has been an incredibly difficult year, and it will no doubt play an important role in stimulating the visitor economy. Sydney audiences are the first in the world to be returning to theatres, so I encourage everyone to make the most of this unique opportunity by treating themselves to a night at the theatre and securing their ticket to Frozen!"

Book at www.frozenthemusical.com.au

Photo credit: Lisa Tomasetti