The Long Island Advance
Princesses, cast, orchestra give a royal performance
The Gateway set off an explosion of theatrical sparks and rocketing fireworks in “Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical,” a Long Island first that opened Friday night.
It was, simply, a night of entertaining alchemy.
The story unfolds with two princesses: Elsa, poised to be queen (Charissa Hogeland), and her sibling Anna (Emily Grace Tucker), who live in the mountainous kingdom of Arendale, and journey towards self-worth (for Elsa) and ferociously keeping their sister bond (Anna). The two leads, Hogeland and Tucker, brilliantly work it via strong, soaring voices, and total belief in their characters as loving sisters. Hogeland is beautifully nuanced portraying subdued self-sacrifice and its profound effects of holding back. Her breakthrough moment in “Let It Go” is a technical wonder, as she tears off her staid blue gown, revealing herself in a silver, off-the-shoulder Bob Mackie-type creation, owning the song. Tucker is an ebullient force, humorous in lively, self-effacing but confident moments. (Watch her pop the villain with a well-placed punch. Go, girl!)
Their younger counterparts start the story, revealing that Elsa has a magical power to create ice and cold that can harm or kill if not controlled, and she accidently hurts Anna. They are orphaned early, thus Anna’s determination to be with her sister. Kudos to Sofie Da Costa-Wilson as Elsa and Abigail Pirozzi as Anna. (Future greatness here.)
The adorable comedians are the life-size puppets Olaf, the snowman, commandeered by Wesley Slade, and Sven, the reindeer, with Clint Hromsco as his handler, who is the faithful buddy of Kristoff (Christian Brailsford), the rugged iceman. While Olaf expresses his ebullience often and hilariously through Slade, Sven, through Hromsco, does alright with his shuffling, affectionate nudging and sometimes, surprised expressions. It takes imaginative skill to manipulate these characters, as well as sing, dance, and make them real; hats off to Slade and Hromsco.
But there’s also Oaken (Tyler Gallagher), an absolute riot as the over-the-top optimist shopkeeper of Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna, dressed blithely in shorts, where Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven find themselves at his Big Summer Blowout Sale for warm clothes in their quest to get to Elsa, who has isolated herself.
Oaken is positively gleeful performing “Hygge” (pronounced as “who ga,” meaning “everything good” in the Danish culture). The audience ate it up and, yes, yelled “Hygee!” during the song. The ensemble dancing as sauna customers with towels, branches, and mugs was a prancing choreographed delight.
Our favorite villain, Mark Ryan Anderson as Prince Hans, is charming at the onset, and he and Anna are a falling-in-love wonder, complete with forward -role somersaults in “Love is an Open Door.”
(Anna later slugs him when his true intentions reveal themselves. Wow! He had us fooled.) The Duke of Weselton (sometimes pronounced Weaselton), played by Ralph Prentis Daniel, starts out as a funny and pretentious fawning royal; then his fear turns murderous.
Christian Brailsford as Kristoff is lovely in singing and character as the decent, thoughtful woodsman, kind to his reindeer companion and to Anna as her guide. Their relationship starts out as friendship, then slowly evolves into love, a sharp contrast to Anna’s quick fall for Prince Hans.
There’s plenty of humor amid the drama, and the cast and ensemble’s awesome dancing and singing urges you to pull on sherpa boots and jacket and join them.
There’s a nod to the environment as Bulda (Ariellys Reynoso) and Pabbie (Errol Service Jr.), Hidden Folk of the Mountain, are the green mythical creatures called upon to help both Elsa and Anna harness the magic of nature.
While “Let It Go” from the “Frozen” movie in won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2014, (the Broadway show played from 2018 to 2020, cost $30 million to produce, and grossed over $150 million with an attendance of 1.3 million), there are plenty of other numbers to enjoy. The sets are transporting marvels of intricate snow patterns, ice, swirling mist, mountains, a Scandinavian castle, and roaring storms underscored by the orchestra and chorus. The princess costumes are shimmering and beautiful, and the musicians, led by music director Bryson Baumgartel with associate music director/conductor Jake Turski, on keyboard, reeds, trumpet, bass and drums, punched up the songs and atmosphere with wow power.
While truly a show for adults, a sprinkling of little girls at Friday night’s show in princess gear attended, with even a fab adult princess in the audience, and the Gateway offered “Frozen” merchandise in the lobby.
Magic, sisterhood (ironically, International Women’s Day was celebrated on Saturday), love, and letting go are the themes. But as Hogeland commented in an interview, “Please don’t tell me you don’t like make believe.”
Patch.com
The Gateway's "Frozen" Will Melt Your Heart
The Gateway closes its 75th season with another smash hit, the visually stunning Long Island Premiere of Disney's "Frozen, The Broadway Musical." This must-see production features Charissa Hogeland, a superstar performer who understudied Elsa on Broadway in 2019. Hogeland's outstanding rendition of "Let it Go," with her enchanting costume transformation, was an unforgettable onstage moment.
Disney's "Frozen" is a cultural phenomenon in all its incarnations. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 fairy tale "The Snow Queen," this beloved tale, with its universal theme, love is the answer, cuts deep into the collective heart and soul of humanity. Adapted from Disney's 2013 Academy Award-winning animated film, this show features the movie's original songs written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with additional music created for the stage. The book by Jennifer Lee tells the timeless tale of two sisters, Elsa and Anna, both princesses, who live in the majestic mountainous kingdom of Arendelle. They were close playmates as children until Elsa's uncontrolled psychic gifts forced her to isolate herself from her younger sister. When Elsa is crowned queen, her supernatural powers manifest, and she flees into the mountains, further icing Anna out. As eternal winter descends on Arendelle, Anna begins an epic journey to find her sister and rekindle their friendship. The kind-hearted Kristoff, Sven, his devoted reindeer, and Olaf, an enchanted snowman, become her trusted allies.
First and foremost, The Gateway's Broadway-caliber production of "Frozen" is a technical masterpiece. The spectacular costumes, lighting, sets, projections, and breathtaking special effects mesmerized the audience. A big shoutout goes to the director, Larry Raben, choreographer Angie Schworer, and musical director Bryson Baumgartel.
Two sets of actors alternate the roles of Young Anna (Pepper Coleman and Abigail Pirozzi) and Young Elsa (Sonnie Betts and Sofia Da Costa-Wilson). Saturday's opening night show featured Pirozzi and Da Costa-Wilson, two talented, charismatic, and high-energy young performers.
Emily Grace Tucker gave an award-worthy performance as Anna, Elsa's naïve, free-spirited, and loving younger sister. Tucker showcased her stellar vocals throughout the musical. Her pitch-perfect rendition of "I Can't Lose You" was one of the show's highlights. Anna has two love interests: Hans, the prince who becomes the beast, brilliantly portrayed by Mark Ryan Anderson, and the trustworthy ice harvester Kristoff, played to perfection by Christian Brailsford. The electrifying onstage chemistry between Tucker and Brailsford was evident during their heartrending duet, "What Do You Know About Love," a beautiful ballad written for the stage version. Anderson and Tucker rocked the comedic pop duet "Love is an Open Door."
Wesley Slade is a multitalented actor, singer, comedian, and puppeteer who aced the role of Olaf, the goofy, childlike snowman who personified the bubby traits of the two younger royal sisters. Slade delivered an outstanding rendition of the tongue-in-cheek ballad "In Summer."
During the fun, upbeat number "Hygge," which espouses the Nordic go-after-the-good vibe philosophy, Tyler Gallaher stole the show with his hilarious portrayal of Oaken, a short-short-clad shopkeeper and sauna owner.
Ariellys Reynoso and Errol Service Jr. commanded the stage with their captivating portrayals of Bulda and Pabbie, the leaders of the Hidden Folk, a group of mystical beings. Other noteworthy performances include Clint Hromsco as Sven, Kristoff's reindeer and loyal companion; Ralph Prentice Daniel as the pompous, fearful Duke of Weselton; Claire Flynn as Elsa and Anna's loving mother, Queen Iduna; and Ian Black as their father, King Agnarr.
The audience cheered, clapped, and roared with delight as they jumped to their feet during the curtain call, paying homage to the outstanding performances of the entire cast. The extraordinary ensemble includes Melissa Lynne Jones, Jose Contreras, Kate Waldron, Louis Williams Jr., Halle Surgil, Darian Troy, Elizabeth Yanick, Louis Brogna, Gabrielle Luthy, and Leo Carmody. Some select performances feature a powerhouse teen ensemble, including Rileigh Picken, Sydney McHugh, Marty Timlin, David Lafler, Samantha Hayes, Giada Longo, Oliva Davis, and Brendyn Molnar.
Dan's Papers
'Frozen' at The Gateway Will Melt Your Heart
The Gateway Playhouse’s 75th season ends in grand style with the first full-scale professional production on Long Island of the dazzling musical Disney’s Frozen based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film.
This show will captivate the young and the young at heart, and for those who think Frozen is a lighthearted kid’s show, think again. It is sheer magic from start to finish with a dose of humor thrown in for good measure, and with some important messages to live by.
This musical is based on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2013 film starring Kristen Bell as Anna, Idina Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff and Josh Gad as Olaf with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee. Frozen premiered on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in March 2018 and enjoyed a two-year run.
Frozen is about two sisters, Elsa, who has magical, uncontrollable powers to freeze objects and people, and her sister, Anna, who as a child was accidentally frozen by Elsa one night after the sisters playfully rejoiced over building a snowman, Olaf. Their parents, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle, call for the aid of the colony of hidden folk led by Pabbie and Bulda to heal Anna. For their safety, the parents isolate the sisters from each other and shut the gates of the kingdom. Their parents set out in search of a solution to help Elsa control her powers and die at sea.
Years pass and now Elsa is about to be crowned Queen. On coronation day, Anna is excited to reunite with her sister and see the gates of Arendelle reopen to the villagers. Elsa has dreaded this day fearing her powers will expose her as a monster. Anna meets Prince Hans of the Southern Isles who proposes marriage on the same day they meet and she instantly agrees. But when they ask for Elsa’s blessing, she objects unleashing her icy powers in front of everyone.
Frightened, Elsa flees to the North Mountain not realizing her magic has caused Arendelle to fall into eternal winter. Anna meets up with ice harvester Kristoff, his reindeer, Sven, and Olaf, the snowman she and her sister built together as children. They set off on the quest to find Elsa and save the kingdom from this icy spell.
Director, Larry Raben, has brought this show to life with scrupulous care. Emily Grace Tucker embraces the role of Anna winning our hearts with her free-spirited antics, enthusiasm for life and love and an effortless soprano. Charissa Hogeland mesmerizes as the tortured Elsa with powers impossible to harness, and her spectacular vocals, especially in “Let It Go,” send chills.
Christian Brailsford as Kristoff with rugged good looks and resonant tenor makes us root for him to win the love of Anna. Mark Ryan Anderson is charmingly deceptive as Hans and his duet with Tucker on “Love Is an Open Door” is adorable.
Abigail Pirozzi as Young Anna and Sofia Da Costa-Wilson as Young Elsa are little bundles of energy with impressive voices.
There are two animated giant puppets, Sven, the mystical reindeer and Olaf, the talking snowman. Sven comes to life in the hands of Clint Hromsco who anoints this character with intricate movements of legs and head. Olaf is worked by Wesley Slade who adds a comedic touch to this lovable, bubbly, chatty character. Hromsco and Slade are such proficient puppeteers that we forget their presence and focus on their animated characters.
The ensemble performs at a caliber usually only seen on the Broadway stage with their gorgeous voices and synchronized dancing, including gravity defying leaps.
The band under the direction of Bryson Baumgartel is full and rich driving on the action with gusto. Michael Downs has created a majestic set with a massive staircase that glides into varied positions, at once taking center stage then parting to create a dance space. The childhood bedrooms are colorful in contrast to the sheaths of ice that the castle becomes. Michael Commendatore’s projections are breathtaking from fierce snowstorms to raging seas to swirls of falling snowflakes, they are spectacular. Riley Noble’s lighting design immerses the action with so much mood. Ben Takitch’s sound design adds dramatic effects like the crackling of ice and keeping levels always crisp.
Angie Schworer’s choreography is fluid and gorgeous. Costumes by Jacob Locke create gasps and leave us wonder how so many changes can happen so easily before our eyes. When Elsa’s period piece garments of gloves and dress fly off stage in different directions revealing a stunning icy blue confection, we are in awe. Equally amazing are Sven and Olaf’s costumes that bring these animated characters to life while camouflaging the puppeteers.
The exuberant reprise of “Let It Go” in the finale left the audience with just one wish, “I don’t want to let it go! I have to experience this show again!”
