Frozen Headed to Broadway!

[disneybroadwayfan22]

" You only need two years to engage the plural form of the word."

Don't be a wise guy, man. I have a speech disability, that also affects my grammar

[jbroadway4]

Just thought of another dream Anna: Emma Stone.

As another point of reference, were there legitimate, confirmed by Disney, talks of and ALADDIN or LITTLE MERMAID musical just after the success of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST? They always seemed like they began development later on since they premiered so long after their film releases.

[Showghost]

Gregg Barnes could do some pretty fabulous things with the costumes.

Anna Louzios could do a cool set.

[Colle]

For those who have the deluxe CD, what songs that were cut do you think could or should be added for the show? The deluxe CD does have demos of the songs that didn't make the cut, into the movie.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Definitely at least We Know Better! WKB is sung by I THINK young Elsa and Anna and how they are not like other princesses and how they are best friends. It starts with Anna's born

They can do "Frozen Heart" with Kristoff as 4 years old (He's Elsa's age) and then, have Anna be born. You see them grow up to the age they are at the beginning. And then Elsa almost kills Anna by accident. If they add the prophecy which was removed from the movie at the last second, they can do "Spring Pageant" which is a play about the prophecy.

[Buddy Plummer2]

The only deleted songs I could even possibly see getting restored are "It's You" and an extended "Reindeers Are Better Than People", though probably not in it's current arrangement.

[brldisteach2]

I think "You're You" could work if they adjusted the lyrics a little bit and gave it to Kristoff instead of Hans. "We Know Better" could also work to introduce the princesses and give young Elsa more to do in the stage version. The reprise of "Life's too Short" could be adjusted to be its own number as the original placement of the first time you were supposed to hear the song conflicts with the reprise of "For the First Time in Forever."

[E.Davis]

I really like the reprise of "Life's too Short". It would have been great to have it in the movie, and I think like others have said retool it for the stage.

[ucjrdude902]

Personally I don't see it coming to Broadway for YEARS....IF it even makes it.

But if you've seen the Penatonix video, their lone female singer could do it. She sounded great.

[DigificWriter]

If this does come to the stage, you really need to use pretty much every musical number that the Lopezes wrote for the film. After getting to see the movie on Saturday, I sat down and came up with the following breakdown in terms of what would need to go where in order to make the story work on stage (I've broken it down into 3 sections):
- Prologue -
Eatnemen Vuelie (Overture)
"Frozen Heart"
"We Know Better"

- Act One -
"Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?"
"More Than Just the Spare" (serves as the perfect introduction to Anna and ties into her sense of isolation, especially since she doesn't know the real reason why she's been shut out by Elsa and kept isolated)
"Spring Pageant" (done in conjunction with the Coronation, sets up the whole Prophecy thing)
"For the First Time in Forever"
"Love is an Open Door"
"Let It Go"
"Reindeer[s] are Better Than People"
"In Summer"
"For the First Time in Forever, Reprise"
"Life's Too Short" (have Anna and Elsa spend a day or two together before the song happens)
"You're You" (although it was written for Hans, it makes perfect sense to use as a song for Kristoff as he realizes he's in love with Anna, and would underscore the decision he later makes to take her back to Hans)
"Fixer Upper"
"Life's Too Short, Reprise"
"Viule Reprise" (Use as the denouement/'curtain call' number where everybody comes out and bows)

The show also needs a Reprise of Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? (which Kristen Anderson-Lopez herself has said in response to the 'fan version' that came out a while back), and some story expansion with regards to Hans' role (we as an audience need to know he's got sinister intentions a lot sooner), and you could also probably add in a few more songs as well, but there's already a lot there in terms of getting the show on stage (much moreso than there was for either The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast).

[disneybroadwayfan22]

^^To me, I think it'll be something like:

SPOILER ALERT

- Prologue -
Eatnemen Vuelie (Overture)
"Frozen Heart"
"We Know Better"
"Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" (4 parts: When Anna wakes up Elsa and the ones that we see/hear)

Act 1:
"For the First Time in Forever"
"More than Just the Spare" (Maybe after the Coronation, the Duke says something rude to Anna about being the spare?)
"Love is an Open Door"
"Let It Go"
"Reindeer[s] are Better Than People"/A new song for Kristoff if they cut Sven out
"In Summer"
A song from Hans and the Duke about rescuing Anna
"For the First Time in Forever-Reprise" (Maybe a Quartet with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf?)
Alternate Closer: A "If I Can't Love Her" type song for Elsa

Act 2:
Entr'acte
"Fixer Upper"
The deleted love song with Kristoff
"Love is an Open Door" Reprise with Hans
Something like "Life's Too Short, Reprise"
The deleted love song with Kristoff (Reprise)
A song for Olaf about love
"Do You Want to Build a Snowman" Reprise (When Anna is frozen)
"Let It Go" (Reprise) when Elsa unfreezes Arendelle/Vuelie (Reprise)
"For the First Time in Forever" (Finale)-Company

I can picture them squeezing Spring Pageant if they add the prophecy. It'll be hard to add Life's Too Short since FTFTIF Reprise is there

[Brian07663NJ]

Saw Frozen last night…

I don't see how this could happen. Would take a crazy amount of special effects to make the ice happen the way it did.

Additionally - was cute story but I didn't think it was great.

[jbroadway4]

Here are my suggestions on how they could make it work:

Elsa's Magic: Projections, and for her ice castle, they could have it rise out of the stage and come in from the wings in different pieces

Sven: He could be done like Pumba in the Lion King

Olaf: He can be done like Timon in the Lion King

Marshmallow: He can be done like the tree monster (thing) in Cinderella

[DigificWriter]

There's really no need for a lot of songs to be added to the show in order for it to work on stage. Frozen is a very different type of story than Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, or The Little Mermaid, and therefore doesn't need quite the same amount of songs that you'd need for those kinds of shows. Around 20 songs is more than enough to convey the story, and not every single character in the show needs to sing multiple songs.

Now, more thoughts on how to break things down:
1) I'd thought about breaking up "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" into multiple parts, which could be done very easily, but, based on the way the song is structured, it actually makes more sense to do it as a single 'montage piece', especially on stage

2) If you're going to use both, MtJtS actually works better if it comes before FtFTiF

3) Although they were written to happen at about the same place in the story as it's presented on film, "For the First Time in Forever, Reprise" and "Life's Too Short" actually do very different things narratively; FtFiFR is a 'reunion song', and LtS is a 'confrontation song', and, in a stage musical, you really need to have both, which is why it makes sense to include both

The only reason I broke up the songs into 3 sections is because I was trying to illustrate story structure, but you'd probably want to break things down more like they do in "Tarzan", which would give you a breakdown as follows:
- Act One -
"Eatnemen Vuelie (Overture)"
"Frozen Heart"
"We Know Better"
"Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" 'montage piece')
"More Than Just the Spare"
"Spring Pageant"
"For the First Time in Forever"
"Love is An Open Door"
"Let It Go"

- Act Two -
Entr'acte (instrumental cues)
"Reindeer[s] are Better Than People"
"In Summer"
"For the First Time in Forever, Reprise"
"Life's Too Short"
"You're You"
"Fixer Upper"
"Life's Too Short, Reprise"
"Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? Reprise" (new song)
"Eatnemen Vuelie Reprise"/Finale

That's only 19 songs, but for a show like Frozen, that's actually enough since it's not 'sung-through'.

As far as staging goes, I have the following thoughts:
1) Sven needs to pretty much be a 'pantomime reindeer' because, even if it looks 'cheesy', it's actually the best way to bring him to life without it looking goofy

2) Olaf needs to done as a 'Puppet Costume' (ala Timon)

3) The Snow Monster isn't needed for a stage version of the show

4) "Let It Go" could be very much staged with a 'revolving-door' set, as Elsa's Ice Castle doesn't actually need to be as elaborate on stage as it is in the film

[BroadwayNYC2]

The problem with Let it Go is that is feels like an Act 1 closer, but it takes place too early in the story.

[DigificWriter]

Not really. It might seem that way, but, in terms of 'stage pacing', there's more than enough going on in the early part of the story to constitute a full act and to let "Let It Go" be used as an 'act closer'.

[BroadwayNYC2]

I disagree. I think there is too much that occurs after Let It Go to squeeze it into one act. That is unless they add some plot before the song, which would definitely strengthen its placement as an Act 1 closer. Either way, I think there needs to be a lot of plot restructuring for it to successfully transfer to the stage

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Is it ok if i guess the Tony noms that it could get? :) It's just for fun, haha. Bold is a win prediction.

Best Musical
Best Original Score
Best Leading Actress (Anna)
Best Leading or Featured Actress (Elsa) [Depends who’s she up against]
Best Featured Actor (Olaf) [Again, it depends who is playing him and who’s he up against)
Best Direction of a Musical
Best Orchestrations
Best Scenic Design (If the Let It Go scene goes really well, how can it not?)
Best Costume Design
Best Lighting Design

[Mr. Nowack]

The problem is that it's structured in three acts, like most films, rather than two acts like most stage musicals. "Let It Go" would end act one, and "For The First Time In Forever (Reprise)" would end act two. It wouldn't be tremendously difficult to get past, but it is something to think about.

And I hope they don't use too many projections.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Ideas for LET IT GO staging:

http://ilikefast.tumblr.com/post/76641334621/coryjensenart-so-i-am-pretty-excited-about

[bwayobsessed]

I think they could rearrange the order of things so that Anna goes off to find Elsa and meets Kristoff before "Let it Go," that way there would be more plot before it so it could indeed be that act 1 closer. That being said...

- Act One -
"Eatnemen Vuelie (Overture)"
"Frozen Heart"
"We Know Better"
"Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" (with some break of dialogue for when the parents die as they can't show the ship sinking stage really)
"For the First Time in Forever"
Some song to describe the prophecy however I do not think spring pageant would work, I think something big and dramatic utilizing the whole ensemble would work better
Elsa's reaction to the prophecy could also be a song (maybe an expansion of the "conceal, don't feel" motif)
Dance at the coronation
"More Than Just the Spare" -Anna's response to some snide comment from the Duke
"Love is An Open Door"-Hans consoles Anna
Anna decides to go after Elsa (in song)
"Reindeer[s] are Better Than People"-Anna and Kristoff leave together
"Let It Go"

- Act Two -
Entr'acte (instrumental cues)
Song for townspeople reacting to how the snow has negatively affected them (show Hans and the Duke)
"In Summer"-expand the finale of the song. I see tap dancing in the beginning and then a kick line involving olaf and girls wearing gold sequins (like they're the "sun") like Be out guest.
"For the First Time in Forever, Reprise" (I do not think Life's too short would work..)
"You're You"
"Fixer Upper"
"Life's Too Short, Reprise"
Song for Olaf about love "Some people are worth melting for"
"Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? Reprise" (new song)
Finale-combining let it go and for the first time in forever (it sounds crazy but I wrote it out in my head and it sounds awesome haha)

Also, I note on Olaf, I think it should be a well costumed actor rather than a puppet (like Timon). In lion king, it works since there are lots of puppets and all of the main lions have masks, but in a show like Frozen, I do not think it would be affective.

Final side note, I think both Elsa and Anna could be nominated for "Leading Actress" (like Wicked)

[backtotheskies]

Disney actually created a website for the stage adaptation of Frozen. Wow.

http://www.frozenthemusical.com/

[BroadwayNYC2]

here we go again.

[fingerlakessinger]

Jesus. The movie is still out in theaters and people are already discussing the Tony Nominations it will/should receive?

In regards to the website.
It is absolutely NO indication of how fast the stage adaption is happening. Disney is grabbing as many domain names as possible so that when/if the show does happen, they don't have to shell out big bucks to get the domain name from someone else. They would rather just pay the $10 (or whatever it is) a year to keep a domain name until the show does actually begin to develop.

[AEA AGMA SM]

"Jesus. The movie is still out in theaters and people are already discussing the Tony Nominations it will/should receive?"

Not just what nominations it will receive, but what it will win. Talk about a prime example of putting the cart before the horse.