Before Frozen kicks off its Broadway premiere February 22, get a taste of what’s in store as the cast and creative team discuss the new Disney musical in the video above.
Frozen fans will recognize plenty, including the beloved characters and tunes (including one particularly memorable anthem), but new surprises await as well. “I’ve been given the freedom, as a director with the creative team, to not look over our shoulder, but also go much further,” says Michael Grandage. “We’ve been given the freedom to explore.”
That freedom relieves some pressure from the cast, who step into roles that were made instantly iconic with the 2013 animated hit. “There’s a certain level of nerves and anxiety that come along with that, but it’s mostly just been so joyful,” says Caissie Levy, who takes on the role of ice queen (and “Let It Go” belter) Elsa.
Levy continues, “People are going to see a lot more of the intricacies of what Elsa is dealing with…[composers] Kristen [Anderson-Lopez] and Bobby [Lopez] have musicalized key moments for Elsa that allow the audience to understand why she does what she does a little more.”
The musical is the first Frozen adaptation to expand upon the original story, with the help of a dozen songs written specifically for the stage and a book by original screenwriter and co-director Jennifer Lee. Anderson-Lopez expects the new material to assist in “telling a story that families will experience and hopefully open doors between them.”
Patti Murin hopes the marriage of familiar and unexpected shines in her performance as Anna: “I only want to present her to the world in the best possible way—in the way they’re going to recognize and love—but also see a bit more of than they were able to in the movie.”
Frozen will open officially at the St. James Theatre March 22.
