BWW Previews: FLORIDA DRAMA KIDS BRINGS FROZEN JR to HCC Brandon Campus Theatre

Under the production of owner Faith Clark and co-direction of Jake Indano and Dulcie Mishkin, on January 25 & 26, Florida Drama Kids will bring to stage 56 students, ages 6-17 in Disney's Frozen Jr. at Hillsborough Community College, Brandon campus.

"Frozen is a story that is now familiar to countless families around the world. Our production takes the best parts of the film, including the inescapable songs and universally impactful themes, and also includes some newer content. There are new musical numbers from the recent Broadway production of Frozen that allow the audience to dive deeper into the emotional element of this journey," said Jake. Since we are putting on a Disney blockbuster, of course, there is some spectacle to be had. From practical effects to quick on-stage changes, and even sequences that utilize projection mapping technology, we've busted out all the stops to bring the magic of this show to life. This is all ultimately to help immerse our audiences in our characters' journey to find strength, family, and love."

Florida Drama Kids showcases the talents of young actors and behind the scenes, it forms lifelong bonds of friendships.

A conversation with the two Elsas: Taylor Holt (16) & Nicole Brower (15), Annas: Jocelyn Piwowar (10) & McKenna Slater (14), Kristoffs: Bradley Clark (11) & Wyatt Roster (13), Svens: Dylan Chastain (11), Bailey Bradford (13), and Olafs: Gabriella Leon (10) & Michael Slater (11) of Frozen Jr. revealed just how vital theatre arts and Florida Drama Kids has been to these young actors.

All the actors agreed that performing helped in all aspects of their life - from school to better communication.

"It's good to start at an early age to level up your confidence and get some social interaction. Learn new things, meet new people," said Wyatt.

McKenna said, "Theatre helps young people meet new friends and find what they're good at. It helps me find people who share my same interests."

Michael agreed that it prepared them for the future.

"I saw a flyer at my school, and decided to jump in! First I was just in a play, then I tried a musical, Seussical and loved it," said Gabby.

Bradley hopes that after seeing the show, the audience will realize how much hard work went into producing it.

"I want them to see the characters, and see how complicated this show is, and how the characters all fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. If you lose even one piece, you lose the whole show," he said. "The work you have to put into making a musical is hard, but if you all work together, that's what makes a musical a musical."

Like the movie, family relationships are an important message in the Frozen Jr musical production.

McKenna said, "I want people to think about their relationships with your siblings. You're going to be their best friends until the end, and you'll be closer to them than anyone."

Nicole stressed that the feeling of a family is not found not only on stage but within Florida Drama Kids.

"I want them (the audience) to think, wow, the cast has such a strong bond. Like, not just actors, but a family."

Faith remembered when the movie debuted and the craze that ensued shortly after that.

"When it finally opened on Broadway, I couldn't wait for them to release a JR version. I love the lessons that are learned through the story of Frozen. It teaches us the importance of family, that love can change the world, that's it's not healthy to bottle up your emotions, and most importantly...to be unapologetically yourself! These lessons can also be found through theatre. With each show, our students and production team work together so closely that we become family," said Faith. "We are there to love each other and encourage each other through our triumphs and struggles. Theatre gives each of us a place to freely express our emotions by pretending to be someone else. I firmly believe that through this "pretending" that we learn more about ourselves and feel more comfortable in our own skin. I am thankful every day for the opportunity to share this with our students because through this beautiful world of theatre, children feel safe to discover who they are deep within and be unapologetically themselves."

Dulcie added, "I As an audience, you will see an entire cast work together to bring this scene to life. Every single person on our production team had a hand in creating this scene. It was a true collaborative teaching effort, each of us worked with a different group of students. I would love for families to walk away as amazed as we are by how hard our students work to put together a production. At Drama Kids, we focus on teamwork, and that is on full display with both of our casts."

Frozen Jr, presented by Florida Drama Kids, has performances at the Hillsborough Community College Brandon Campus on January 25 at 2 PM & 7 PM and January 26 at 3 PM & 7 PM. Tickets are on sale now for $10.00. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketsource.us/drama-kids.

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