FROZEN Previews

[mailhandler777]

Fosse76 said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "The photos are sospectacular. Patti and Caissie look perfect. But, where is Olaf?!"

Look perfect? They look old enough to be Anna and Elsa's mothers!"

Onstage they both look young.  Patti more than Caissie because she reads young and sounds young.

[phan24]

Luminaire2 said: "Is the staircase just on a screen? In the video it looks very 3 dimensional or real. "

It’s just a projection, looks very realistic in person too. Great addition to the previously bare wall.

[Great Dame]

MyLife said: "All I felt was boredom, watching the clock tick by until there was a song I recognized and wanted to see. Nothing new is worth seeing, everything the audience seemed amazed by was something replicated from the movie - seriously this audience last night was floored by every costume they recognized with oohs and aahs. The only positive for me was Sven. Patti and Caissie are great but it's not enough to save this thankless show."

No offense, but this is a little snobby. You make it sound like the audience is stupid for liking the costumes, or the music, or the effects, or any of it. You are entitled to your opinion, but recognize a lot of people love and are genuinely amazed by the show and it's kind of belittling when you say things like "seriously - the audience last night was floored..." like it's a bad thing. If the majority of the audience is floored that is actually a good thing. "Thankless show" is a bit harsh, and I totally disagree with you that the audience didn't respond to new material. People lost their minds after "Monster" on almost a "Let It Go" level. I've seen it a few times, and every single time the crowd went nuts after that number. 

[Great Dame]

CurtainPullDowner said: "The score is just abysmal, the lyrics just repeating, repeating the same phrases till you want to rush the stage and quiet them. The book unbelievably bad and the staging just horrible. So much talent on the stage being wasted. I can't believe there wasn't one wise eye or ear telling them how wrong it all is.

I wonder if the reviews will acknowledge how miserable this all is?

But there is an audience willing to pay for this crap out there, such a shame."

You think Oscar-winning writers wrote abysmal music and that performers like Caissie Levy should be quieted? You need to get out of New York more often. Audiences are loving this, and then there's the small number of Frozen and/or Disney haters that just want to see it fail no matter what they do with it. You didn't like it, fine. But other audience members "willing to pay for this crap" isn't a shame it's actually really great for NYC's economy as well as the creative team's bank accounts and careers. Maybe just be happy it's not going to bomb because a lot of people put a lot into it. You don't have to like it, but there's no need to crap on other people for liking it. 

[Great Dame]

Fosse76 said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "The photos are sospectacular. Patti and Caissie look perfect. But, where is Olaf?!"

Look perfect? They look old enough to be Anna and Elsa's mothers!"

If you can buy into a magical ice queen for 2 hours and 20 minutes, I think you can buy into the fact that 36 is not old.

[mailhandler777]

Great Dame, you know that most of the people on here are looking for everything to hate about the show right. Just let them talk and get their feelings out. Nothing excites them more than trashing a show or performer.

[Great Dame]

mailhandler777 said: "Great Dame, you know that most of the people on here are looking for everything to hate about the show right. Just let them talk and get their feelings out. Nothing excites them more than trashing a show or performer."

Haha apparently! It's strange, every fan message board I've ever been on has been full of people nerding out and loving something together in community not people who don't like something. Well except for political message boards, that's where you go to argue lol! People come to boards like this because they don't have people in their real lives to love/discuss something with. Can't we all at least appreciate the time, art and creativity that goes into something like this? What the human body, mind and voice is capable of doing is amazing and theater is about celebrating that... even if you don't love a particular show.

[Luminaire2]

Great Dame said: "mailhandler777 said: "Great Dame, you know that most of the people on here are looking for everything to hate about the show right. Just let them talk and get their feelings out. Nothing excites them more than trashing a show or performer."

Haha apparently! It's strange, every fan message board I've ever been on has been full of people nerding out and loving something together in community not people who don't like something. Well except for political message boards, that's where you go to argue lol! People come to boards like this because they don't have people in their real lives to love/discuss somethingwith. Can't we all at least appreciate the time, art and creativity that goes into something like this? What the human body,mindand voiceis capable of doing is amazing and theater is about celebrating that... even if you don't love a particular show."

Bravo!!! 

[adamgreer]

Aisha Jackson made her debut as Anna last night- there is a video floating around social media of her curtain call.  Anyone go? How'd she do?

[mailhandler777]

adamgreer said: "Aisha Jackson made her debut as Anna last night- there is a video floating around social media of her curtain call. Anyone go? How'd she do?"

It was posted in the other thread about Aisha last night. I'm sure she was amazing as she always was when I saw her in concerts in the city. 

[Menken Fan]

I saw Aisha last night in her debut as Anna. She was amazing. Seamless performance, funny, and sang the heck out of it. I can’t compare her to Patti, who I was expecting to see. I knew something was up with the performance when they didn’t open the doors until about 7:50pm (which caused a circus in the tiny lobby).  They must have been rehearsing her right up to then. 

[mj5555]

I was there last night.  I've never seen Patti Murin as Anna, but Aisha was so great!  And she was so sweet at the stage door afterwards.  

[KathyNYC2]

Video? I've been looking but haven't found anything. I'll keep searching.

[CPannullo]

https://instagram.com/p/Bg5HAObH2Cy/

[KathyNYC2]

CPannullo said: "https://instagram.com/p/Bg5HAObH2Cy/"

 

Thanks so much for posting this link..but I can't get it to work when I just cut and paste it. Am I missing something or doing something wrong?

 

[Great Dame]

KathyNYC2 said: "CPannullo said: "https://instagram.com/p/Bg5HAObH2Cy/"



Thanks so much for posting this link..but I can't get it to work when I just cut and paste it. Am I missing something or doing something wrong?

"

Try this one

[KathyNYC2]

Great Dame said: "KathyNYC2 said: "CPannullo said: "https://instagram.com/p/Bg5HAObH2Cy/"



Thanks so much for posting this link..but I can't get it to work when I just cut and paste it. Am I missing something or doing something wrong?

"

Try this one"

Yes that works. Thanks so much!! Nice capture of Aisha's moment. 

The video ended when it looked like the cast was going in for a group hug. Going to scout around for a slightly longer version. But this was great. Thanks again. 

[RippedMan]

Went tonight, full cast in. I thought Levy was in incredible voice, but I kind of wish they had given her a "I'm Not that Girl" moment. Something quieter, softer. Everything she was big and belty - which she does incredibly - but would have liked to see a softer side to Elsa. Murin was great in her role. A lot of energy and just suited the piece nicely. My biggest "eh" was Kristoff - I just didn't fall for him like I think the audience should. Maybe it's the material - his duet with Anna is awful - but I just didn't think any of his jokes landed or line deliveries were believable. Olaf, to me, was the biggest mistake. He looks like a theme park character. There's no life to that puppet at all, and the guy playing him was incredibly dull. Olaf should be the center of attention and the scene-stealer, and I felt like everything was played as a throwaway line. I thought Hans was dashing and awkward, in a good way. But, I do agree that his change was a little too abrupt. We didn't get to see any shades of that, and we should have. The blanket scene would have been a nice place to throw in a line or two about this. 

The design was cool, if a bit predictable. I thought there were some pretty moments, but felt like Elsa just walking in from the wings in her ice castle was a bit like...huh? 

A lot of weird directional choices. Like, Kristoff just happens to have a perfect pair of pants for Anna to wear? Creepy much? And that costume makes her look like a little person. Just cuts her right at the waist and she looked like a dwarf. The big blizzard scene was beyond confusing and the constant singing of "anna!" "Elsa!" was just weird. 

A noble attempt, but I don't think they quite nailed it. Some smart choices, and then some silly ones - like the parents death. I kind of wish they had taken the Disneyland version and just bloated it out a little. But whatever. 

[TenuousBond]

RippedMan said: "Went tonight, full cast in. I thought Levy was in incredible voice, but I kind of wish they had given her a "I'm Not that Girl" moment. Something quieter, softer. Everything she was big and belty - which she does incredibly - but would have liked to see a softer side to Elsa. Murin was great in her role. A lot of energy and just suited the piece nicely. My biggest "eh" was Kristoff - I just didn't fall for him like I think the audience should. Maybe it's the material - his duet with Anna is awful - but I just didn't think any of his jokes landed or line deliveries were believable. Olaf, to me, was the biggest mistake. He looks like a theme park character. There's no life to that puppet at all, and the guy playing him was incredibly dull. Olaf should be the center of attention and the scene-stealer, and I felt like everything was played as a throwaway line. I thought Hans was dashing and awkward, in a good way. But, I do agree that his change was a little too abrupt. We didn't get to see any shades of that, and we should have. The blanket scene would have been a nice place to throw in a line or two about this.

The design was cool, if a bit predictable. I thought there were some pretty moments, but felt like Elsa just walking in from the wings in her ice castle was a bit like...huh?

A lot of weird directional choices. Like, Kristoff just happens to have a perfect pair of pants for Anna to wear? Creepy much? And that costume makes her look like a little person. Just cuts her right at the waist and she looked like a dwarf. The big blizzard scene was beyond confusing and the constant singing of "anna!" "Elsa!" was just weird.

A noble attempt, but I don't think they quite nailed it. Some smart choices, and then some silly ones - like the parents death. I kind of wish they had taken the Disneyland version and just bloated it out a little. But whatever."

 

I was at the show last night as well, and I agree with many of your points.  Something about Kristoff seemed meh.  Like we don't see him running back to save Anna, which would have helped me like him more. 

What would you have wanted for Olaf?  Did you not like the puppet-master setup?  I liked that the guy at least sounded like Josh Gad.  Not sure what he could have gone, given the constraints of the puppet.

Yeah the ending was totally confusing as well.  Like the show didn't attempt at any sustained dialogue at all really.  It was weird.  

I also don't get why the audience laughed when young Elsa hit Anna with ice (in the beginning).  That was awkward.

Wasn't one of Cassie's solo songs in the beginning around the ball an "I'm Not That Girl" kind of song?

Overall, not too memorable.

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

I just realized I never posted my thoughts on this show after I saw it a while back. But holy hell, what a mess. By far, my least favorite show of the season.

The design is truly atrocious. What should have been a light, gorgeous design for a show as breezy as Frozen is unusually dark and brooding. It felt like a total mismatch with the text.

Everything new to the show that isn't from the movie is beyond mind-numbingly boring. For example: after Hans shares with Anna that he's actually the villain and he's leaving her to die, we are effectively caught up in the plot and are eager to see what happens next. Yay, right? NOPE. Instead, they follow that moment with a five-minute-long, one-note song about isolation and loneliness. Like, OMG. We GET IT. 

The Act II opener is embarrassing. I felt genuinely embarrassed for the ensemble. As I was watching these poor, talented people dance in nude body suits with big leaves in front of their private parts, I just kept thinking to myself, "Did anybody ask for this? Did anybody buy tickets to Frozen on Broadway and ask for THIS?"

"Let It Go" is disappointing. That's all I'll say about that.

Most offensive is the ending. Concluding the story with a reprise of a song about empowerment, autonomy, and self-worth literally after Elsa UNFREEZES Arendelle (AKA, undoes the action that displayed her full powers) makes no sense. And it proved to me that this wasn't intended to be a good artistic/theatrical venture, but just commercial, tourist-oriented garbage. 

The performances are fine all around, but I did think that Murin and Levy are too old. The saving grace of the show is the reindeer. That thing was truly magical and beautiful. Unfortunately, that's the only thing I can give as a positive from this train wreck.

[mailhandler777]

RippedMan said: "Went tonight, full cast in. I thought Levy was in incredible voice, but I kind of wish they had given her a "I'm Not that Girl" moment. Something quieter, softer. Everything she was big and belty - which she does incredibly - but would have liked to see a softer side to Elsa."

Dangerous to Dream. 

[broadwayboy223]

BroadwayConcierge said: "I just realized I never posted my thoughts on this show after I saw it a while back. But holy hell, what a mess. By far, my least favorite show of the season.

The design is truly atrocious. What should have been a light, gorgeous design for a show as breezy as Frozen is unusually dark and brooding. It felt like a total mismatch with the text.

Everything new to the show that isn't from the movie is beyond mind-numbingly boring. For example: after Hans shares with Anna that he's actually the villain and he's leaving her to die, we are effectively caught up in the plot and are eager to see what happens next. Yay, right? NOPE. Instead, they follow that moment with a five-minute-long, one-note song about isolation and loneliness. Like, OMG. We GET IT.

The Act II opener is embarrassing. I felt genuinely embarrassed for the ensemble. As I was watching these poor, talented people dance in nude body suits with big leaves in front of their private parts, I just kept thinking to myself, "Did anybody ask for this? Did anybody buy tickets to Frozen on Broadway and ask for THIS?"

"Let It Go" is disappointing. That's all I'll say about that.

Most offensive is the ending. Concluding the story with a reprise of a song about empowerment, autonomy, and self-worth literally after Elsa UNFREEZES Arendelle (AKA, undoes the action that displayed her full powers) makes no sense. And it proved to me that this wasn't intended to be a good artistic/theatricalventure, but just commercial, tourist-oriented garbage.

The performances are fine all around, but I did think that Murin and Levy are too old. The saving grace of the show is the reindeer. That thing was truly magical and beautiful. Unfortunately, that's the only thing I can give as a positive from this train wreck."

I share many similar thoughts with you. The night I saw the show, the reindeer got the most applause at curtain call...

[Great Dame]

BroadwayConcierge said: "Most offensive is the ending. Concluding the story with a reprise of a song about empowerment, autonomy, and self-worth literally after Elsa UNFREEZES Arendelle (AKA, undoes the action that displayed her full powers) makes no sense. And it proved to me that this wasn't intended to be a good artistic/theatrical venture, but just commercial, tourist-oriented garbage."

What do you mean by this statement, I'm a little confused? She freezes Arendelle by accident, and the ending is about her embracing who she is, and through that learning how to control her powers. Did you feel like there was a conflicting message between the self-worth song and her unfreezing everything? 

Whew, we had really differing opinions about the show hahaha! I thought Murin and Levy were perfectly cast and personally don't give a hoot about their age. I also thought Let It Go was incredible. Levy could sing that sucker in the dark with no effects and I think it would still be incredible. I personally thought the sauna number was pretty funny. I also appreciated a lighter song like that to open act 2 because parents and kids were still trickling in from intermission throughout that song. I would have found that way more irritating if it had been during a number that was more tied to the plot.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Great Dame said: "What do you mean by this statement, I'm a little confused? She freezes Arendelle by accident, and the ending is about her embracing who she is, and through that learning how to control her powers. Did you feel like there was a conflicting message between the self-worth song and her unfreezing everything?"

To me, "Let It Go" is about being completely and entirely unapologetic for who you are. It's about embracing yourself, your powers and abilities, and not letting those who take any issue with who you are constrain you or what you can do. Obviously, in terms of Frozen's plot, the show needs to end with Elsa unthawing Arendelle—that just makes sense. But on a basic level, unthawing Arendelle involves Elsa backtracking on things that she did through her own inherent powers, simply because it was inconvenient for the kingdom and its inhabitants. To me, that does not lend way to a "Let It Go" reprise whatsoever. End with a reprise to literally any other song from the show but "Let It Go." 

I agree that Levy sang the hell out of "Let It Go." Her vocals are insane. But this is the Broadway production of Frozen. "Let It Go" needed to have "Defying Gravity"-level staging to close out the act. A projection (!) of a staircase was laughable. 

I also thought that starting Act II with a fun, light song from the "yoo-hoo" dude was cute and playful idea, but the way "Hygge" is done descends into embarrassing stupidity. It was just totally wrong. 

(For what it's worth, I totally respect your opinion, Great Dame. I just really did not like this show, ha. Especially since the movie is such a perfect jewel, I felt really let down.)

[broadwayboy223]

BroadwayConcierge said: "Great Dame said: "What do you mean by this statement, I'm a little confused? She freezes Arendelle by accident, and the ending is about her embracing who she is, and through that learning how to control her powers. Did you feel like there was a conflicting message between the self-worth song and her unfreezing everything?"

To me, "Let It Go" is about being completely and entirely unapologetic for who you are. It's about embracing yourself, your powers and abilities, and not letting those who take any issue with who you are constrain you or what you can do. Obviously, in terms of Frozen'splot, the show needs to end with Elsa unthawing Arendelle—that just makes sense.But on a basic level, unthawing Arendelleinvolves Elsa backtracking on things that she did through her own inherent powers, simply because it was inconvenient for the kingdom and its inhabitants. To me, that does not lend way to a "Let It Go" reprise whatsoever. End with a reprise to literally any other song from the show but "Let It Go."

I agree that Levy sang the hell out of "Let It Go." Her vocals are insane.But this is the Broadway production ofFrozen. "Let It Go" needed to have "Defying Gravity"-level staging to close out the act. A projection (!)of a staircase was laughable.

I also thought that starting Act II with a fun, light song from the "yoo-hoo" dude was cute and playful idea, but the way "Hygge" is done descendsinto embarrassing stupidity. It was just totally wrong.

(For what it's worth, I totally respect your opinion, Great Dame. I justreallydid not like this show, ha. Especially since the movie is such a perfect jewel,I felt really let down.)"

Yes!! You're hitting the nail on the head for me. I think if Let it Go hadnt been the act break perhaps we could have had for the first time reprise or a new duet that had Elsa freezing Anna's heart and then act two opening with "When Everything Falls Apart" (cut in Denver but I thought it was one of the better new songs.) I too think the movie is lovely and I wish we could have had a better stage adaptation.