Review: DISNEY'S FROZEN Fills Wharton Center with Light and Love

For the first time ever, Disney's Frozen has arrived in East Lansing for a 2-week engagement at Wharton Center. Until February 6th, you can watch this stunning production as they sing and dance their way through the story that captured the hearts of millions when it premiered as an animated film back in 2013. Upon making its Broadway debut in 2018, Frozen was nominated for 3 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

For anyone who happened to miss out on the Frozen craze of 2013-2014, it's a story loosely based on the tale entitled "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen. Frozen centers on two sisters who are also princesses, Elsa and Anna. Elsa has ice powers, and in an accident when they were children, she accidentally injures Anna. Anna's mind is wiped of all memories of Elsa's magic. The majority of the Frozen musical centers on the lives of the two sisters after that incident, and the blowback from adult Elsa creating an eternal winter in a fit of panic.

The Frozen musical takes everything wonderful about the movie and magnifies it tenfold. Though understated in the film, the musical delves deeper into Elsa's psyche, which is darker and even more riveting than what you see on the surface. The musical also takes the two sidekicks of the film, a magical snowman Olaf and a quirky reindeer, Sven, and makes them come alive through puppetry and full-body costuming. Making the world of Arendelle feel more grown-up, Frozen show also adds onto the songs that were from the movie. These new songs include, but are not limited to, "Dangerous to Dream," "What Do You Know About Love?," "I Can't Lose You," and "Monster."

Though the scenic design is just about standard fare with some intimidating giant icicles thrown in when necessary, particular highlights of Frozen include the elaborate costuming, lighting design, and special effects. The costumes are quite similar to what was in the movie. That said, whether you're looking at one of the vintage looking dresses or Elsa's sparkly ice dress, they move and sparkle spectacularly on stage under the alternating warm and cool hues.

Furthermore, the cast of the first national tour of Frozen is nothing short of exceptional.

Caroline Bowman, who plays Elsa and is no stranger to Broadway and national tour productions, brings a vulnerable strength to the character and is everything you would want in an Elsa. This is particularly evident in Bowman's solos "Dangerous to Dream" and "Let It Go," two songs that allow Bowman to display her wide range of singing and acting talent.

Caroline Innerbichler, Anna's actress, wonderfully charms the audience with her comedic timing and goofy tendencies. Innerbichler carries much of the show with an admirable sense of grace and gratitude, and you can't help but smile during her lead songs such as "For the First Time in Forever" and "What Do You Know About Love?," the latter of which she shares with University of Michigan grad Mason Reeves. Also a star-in-the-making, Reeves as Kristoff is the perfect complement to Innerbichler's Anna. Throughout the show, you can really see how Reeve's Kristoff sheds his hardened exterior and begins to fall for Anna. By the end of act two, you know exactly why these characters were meant for each other.

As previously mentioned, the puppetry and reindeer costuming are worth praising as well, but more specifically, the actors who bring those characters to life.

F. Michael Haynie operates the Olaf puppet and through his line delivery and mannerisms manages to make the character more lovable than the original snowman in the movie.

Two actors share the role of Sven, the reindeer - Evan Strand and Collin Baja. It is an enormous feat to operate that costume - the actor essentially has to put all their weight on the top half of their body and be on their tiptoes in a sort of "push-up" position for the entire show. It seems like an incredibly demanding role, but it's well worth it to have a puppet that looks like a real animal on the stage.

Frozen is a special type of show that appeals to the little kid inside everyone. The world Disney presents allows you to escape to a magical realm of wonder and light, and this show just about guarantees for your afternoon or evening at the theatre to be an awe-inspiring one.

Now that the Broadway production has closed due to the pandemic, this national tour is your only chance to catch the equivalent production here in the U.S. Don't miss the opportunity to see Frozen for the short time that it's in Michigan.

Tickets are on sale now at Wharton Center's official ticketing outlets: online at whartoncenter.com, at the Auto-Owners Insurance Ticket Office at Wharton Center, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.

Connect with Disney's Frozen on Twitter at @FrozenBroadway, on Instagram at @FrozenBroadway, on Facebook at @FrozenBroadway, and at frozenthemusical.com. You can also check out the Disney Broadway TikTok account at @disneyonbroadway.