Review: TWELVE KINDS OF ICE at Children's Theatre Company

The air is getting crisper and the days are getting shorter, that means that the first real frost is on its way in Minnesota and as the storytellers of the world premiere of Children’s Theatre Company’s latest piece will tell you, the ice is on its way.

Based on the novel by Ellen Bryan Obed, Twelve Kinds of Ice tells the story of a young woman looking back on her childhood days when her father would share with her, the wonders of all the kinds of ice, twelve to be exact. From the thin highly breakable sheets that form on the top of water buckets to the nearly perfect ice that coats the rink that her father would create in her back yard. Young Ellen shares with the audience what these moments meant and how they formed her childhood.

The story seems simple on paper but the team behind this world premiere Musial have brought it to life with wonder and heart. Writing the book of the piece, along with the music (played masterfully by Justin D. Cook on a variety of instruments) and lyrics, Ben Steinfeld has taken a short story and given us a beautifully written show that invites us to experience a young girl’s memory but also to see our own experiences brought to life, even if we can only relate to a couple segments. It feels like a warm hug on a cold wintery day and that is exactly what we need nowadays.

While the story references multiple characters throughout, the show is brought to life by two extremely skilled actors, Katherine Fried (Ellen) and John-Michael Zuerlein (Dad). Fried is a perfect vessel for the character of Ellen due to her bright eyed and bushy tailed take on a young woman’s viewpoint of winter. She uses her energy and spark to find the magic in exploring the outside world during a season that, to some, is made to stay inside.

Fried has no trouble getting the audience to participate throughout the piece and that is a credit to her charm and warmth as a person. Not to mention she has one of the most stunning voices which is used to great affect throughout the beautiful and upbeat score, culminating in a rousingly beautiful eleven o’clock number.

Standing side by side Fried is the charismatic John-Michael Zuerlein who gives “Dad” the perfect embodiment of what a father should be. A man who isn’t afraid to be goofy and find his inner child to share that with his children. Zuerlein gives a performance that feels so realistic and grounded that the audience members have definitely met someone who Is exactly like him. He is playful yet stern and brings a sense of comfort to the piece that makes us feel like we aren’t just watching a show but seeing a glimpse into a neighbor’s life.

As this is a memory piece which was inspired by Obed looking back on her life, the show is placed in an interesting place in terms of who it is for. It seems perfect that it is premiering at CTC because on one hand it is perfect for kids of all ages who will see elements of their own lives represented. Whether it is ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, or even having to shovel the ice, most kids can relate to that. Then there are the adults who will view this show from a completely different lens. That being, looking back on our own lives and childhood memories while being filled with the nostalgia of being enamored with winter and all the things it brought.

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