Review: DISNEY'S FROZEN at Bill Hanney's North Shore Music Theatre Will Melt Hearts

The Academy Award-winning 2013 animated Disney feature film “Frozen” – which was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1844 fairy tale “The Snow Queen” – and the Tony-nominated “Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical” have expanded the story’s already large and loyal following.

After a 2017 pre-Broadway tryout in Denver, “Frozen” – which features an expanded score by the songwriting team of Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez – opened at New York’s St. James Theatre on March 22, 2018, going on to earn three Tony Award nominations. A North American tour played Boston’s Citizens Opera House last fall.

That audience will likely grow once again thanks to the splendidly staged, beautifully sung New England regional-theater premiere of the show at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, now through July 28.

The all-new production, directed and choreographed with imagination and flair by NSMT’s producing artistic director Kevin P. Hill, centers on two sisters, Princesses Elsa and Anna of Arendelle. Elsa is bedeviled by her inability to control her magical powers to freeze objects and people. After inheriting the throne, Elsa flees, unintentionally freezing the kingdom in an endless winter, and nearly killing her sister.

Playing the role of Elsa is Alyssa Fox, an original Broadway cast member who previously understudied the part in New York and who will join the North American tour on August 2 to close it out as the final Elsa on the road. For the next couple of weeks, however, NSMT audiences get to enjoy Fox as she brings her character’s every dimension to vivid life.

Elsa is very complex. Much more than just an evil Ice Queen, Jennifer Lee’s book for the musical makes her likeable, even sympathetic. Elsa hides what makes her special and unique and, in Fox’s hands, is a very relatable character. She’s a scene-stealer, too, as evidenced in her magnificent rendering of the musical’s act-one closer and signature song, “Let It Go.” Aided by Dan Efros’ lighting design and Travis M. Grant’s gorgeous costuming, this number is pure magic.

Fox is well paired with Celeste Rose as the less flashy but very appealing-in-her-own-way Anna. Fox and Rose’s vocal blend is shown off in the new songs Anderson-Lopez and Lopez composed for the stage productions, including “I Can’t Lose You,” an act-two duet between Elsa and Anna that was added to the show on the North American tour in 2019.

Strong supporting work is also provided by Harris Milgrim as Hans, whose leading-man looks never fully conceal his questionable character, and Julio Rey as the sincere Kristoff. Rey is delightful on his act-one solo “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People,” and pairs beautifully with Rose on the moving duet “What Do You Know About Love?” Considerable charm was provided on the July 10 opening night by Helen M. Brady, as young Anna, and Penelope Rhoads, as young Elsa. (At select other performances, these roles will be played by Livia Quist and Lola Rhoads.)

And since an iced-over kingdom needs at least one snowman, the abdomen-swiveling Olaf, played by actor and puppeteer Elliot Mattix, is on hand to provide warmth, humor, and plenty of clever wordplay. Also doing fine work maneuvering the much larger reindeer, Sven, is puppet designer Christopher Palmieri.

This immersive production features Kyle Dixon’s enveloping scenic design, enhanced by Pamela Hersch’s projections. Moving the action from the sometimes distance-creating proscenium stage to the more intimate theater-in-the-round allows every song – perfectly executed by music director Milton Granger – to be fully appreciated and every lyric to be heard clarion-clear under James Cannon’s expert sound design.

Even if you’ve already seen the film and its subsequent stage adaptations, you won’t want to miss this one. Disney sets a high bar for productions carrying its name and NSMT more than clears it here.

Photo caption: Alyssa Fox (Elsa) and Celeste Rose (Anna) in North Shore Music Theatre’s production of “Disney’s Frozen.” Photo by David Costa Photography.

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