Review: FROZEN at Springer Opera House

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA — Temperatures have dropped in Columbus, and that makes it the perfect time for the Springer Opera House to mount a production of Frozen. This adaptation is better than the film version, and the Springer Opera House has built on the changes in the play to create a show that parents can enjoy just as much as children.

Larren Woodward stars as Elsa, and she expertly shows how the character is terrified by her powers and works hard to repress them — and her own emotions. When Elsa's secret is out and the character is free to express herself, Woodward pulls out all the stops and gives powerful renditions of "Let It Go" and "Monster." Of course, "Let It Go" is the character's signature number, and Woodward sings it flawlessly and with passion. Sure, the visuals for the song look great, but Woodward's performance is strong enough to stand on its own; the trappings of theatre (such as costumes, special effects, lighting, a set) are just icing on the cake that is her singing.

As Anna, Ellie Karp gives an endearing performance. This Anna is the Liz Lemon of princesses, and Karp embraces the character's flaws and turns them into cute moments. Karp's "For the First Time in Forever" was full of excitement and anticipation that made me eager to see the next scene. Anna is at the center of all the important relationships in Frozen, and Karp builds all of them into enjoyable scenes that give Frozen its emotional depth.

However, the most compelling character of the play is Kristoff, played here by Russell J. Scott. Without magical powers or the privileges of royalty, the character is more relatable than the others. Scott reinforces this by making the character relatable when Kristoff expresses his exasperation at "Hygge." Additionally, his mortified reactions to the song "Fixer Upper" showed that sometimes a subtle acting choice is the right one in a big, flashy musical.

I am a fan of the ensemble of the Springer's Frozen. These hard-working actors populate the world of Arendelle and strengthen every scene. Director/choreographer Keith McCoy's choice to use them as background dancers in "Love Is an Open Door" and "In Summer" made these songs grander. The ensemble executed McCoy's choreography perfectly, even in challenging songs like "Fixer Upper" (with some surprising hip hop choreography mixed in) and the opening (with its reliance on graceful ballet).

In addition to the strong and varied choreography, McCoy creates excellent stage pictures in many scenes. The coronation scene was dominated by Elsa on an elevated platform at center stage, with other actors symmetrically placed around her, all of which conveyed the scene's dignity and pageantry well. But McCoy also gives minor scenes this level of attention. The scene in which Hans takes charge of Arendelle was so visually appealing that my 5-year-old daughter asked me to take a photo of it. (Sorry, darling! My phone was off and put away.)

McCoy was assisted by some smart artists in creating this visually appealing production. The costumes by Alex Allison, however, were the show's best technical element. The Arendelle costumes are a mix of 19th century fashions. Prince Hans looks like a handsome suitor from a Jane Austen novel, with some added sparkly trim to his regency tailcoat. Elsa wears an early Victorian-style dress that accents her dance moves during the coronation ball. Later, the men are in cloaks that would fit in well with the fashions of the end of the Victorian era. This mix of 19th century styles keeps the costumes interesting and surprisingly unified. The look is keeping with Frozen's fantastical setting without making the show looking like a manufactured plastic Disney world.

Rebecca Gossett's projections were a major asset for the show, and the ice animations and snow flurries falling around the stage were a nice visual component. I could almost feel a cold winter's breeze blowing through the theater at times. Wesley Forlines's lighting flatters the actors and showcases the lovely costumes without drawing attention to itself.