By JESSICA NEU
The windows are open, and so are the doors, as the Benedum Center welcomes Disney’s Frozen: the Broadway Musical, based on the Disney film that shifted the cultural zeitgeist, and concludes Pittsburgh CLO‘s 2025 summer season. Yesterday evening, dozens of young children dressed as their favorite characters eagerly took their seats, waiting to hear songs such as “For the First Time in Forever,” “In Summer,” and, of course, “Let It Go.”
However, with a run-time of over two hours and fifteen more songs than the movie, Frozen – the Broadway Musical is not just for children.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who also composed the soundtracks for the Frozen film franchise, paired with writer Jennifer Lee to create a story that offers a more in-depth journey to Arendelle. Director Michael Heitzman leads an all-star cast through the frozen fjords to tackle this juggernaut of a production. From the show’s opening moments, you gather a sense that you are in for a memorable experience. The famous trolls begin their Arendellian chants in a rich unison that brings on the goosebumps and chills before you even see the Ice Queen herself. The first glimpse of Elsa is with Young Elsa (Laurel S. Denk), who, at the tender age of 10, displays a stoicism and maturity far beyond her years. As Young Elsa and her family discover her magical powers, the show places a greater emphasis on the fact that fear is Elsa’s enemy and she must control her fear to control her powers. This distinction opens up fear as a theme that functions as an important through line to propel more sophisticated plotlines than in the original film.
As Elsa (Cate Hayman) and Anna (Daisy Wright) transition into adulthood, they move toward Elsa’s long-awaited coronation day. Music Director Catie Brown and the CLO orchestra swell during “For the First Time in Forever,” and the ensemble helps Anna through a seamless costume change to prepare for coronation day.
The gorgeous harmonies of the ensemble return during the dramatic landscape of the sisters’ palace as they prepare to anoint Queen Elsa of Arendelle. It is here that a key subplot develops as Anna meets Prince Hans (Kevin Hack). The 13th in line to the throne, the deceitful Prince Hans shines in his solo early in Act 1. Hack belts his way through “Hans of the Southern Isles.” The song humanizes Hans just enough to make him something other than a narcissistically driven villain. As each character navigates their motives, fears, and quirks, you cannot help but notice the simple subtleties that help make Frozen the Broadway Musical great. From Anna’s quick reference to being the “spare, not the heir,” the crackling noise when Elsa grasps the orb and scepter at her coronation, to the fluid movement of the trolls as they add drama to the background of a scene, Hayman assured that every detail remained thawed and vibrant.
Choreographer Robbie Roby also ensured that dancing would be a prominent part of the show. The score opens up many of the famous songs to accommodate large dance breaks. Roby’s choreography is a delightful mix of classic jazz with a flair of ballroom as the ensemble gleefully dances through numbers such as “Love is an Open Door” and the cheeky ode to Oaken, the beloved shopkeeper, “Hygge.”
After Elsa freezes Arendelle and Anna ventures off to find her sister, she encounters ice salesman, Kristoff (Pittsburgh’s own Matthew Hydzik) and his beloved reindeer Sven (Jordan Barron). Kristoff, Sven, and Anna team up to find Elsa, and along the way find everyone’s favorite snowman and lover of warm hugs, Olaf (Kyle Kemph). Kemph dazzles audience members of all ages during the beloved “In Summer,” which contemplates how a snowman could exist in summer. With multiple Olafs, a rousing tap routine, and even a reference to “Samantha,” “In Summer” is a show standout.
Near the beginning of Act 2, Anna finds Elsa at her ice palace on the North Mountain. Hayman and Wright lament in the lovely duet “I Can’t Lose You.” The song is an emotionally stirring moment between the estranged sisters, humanizing their relationship as well as them as individuals. It is a beautiful moment that highlights both women’s inner struggles and transforms the scene into a heartbreaking tale of love, fear, and survival, rather than the dismissive, reductive argument portrayed in the same scene in the film. Furthering this character insight, Hayman excels in “Monster,” which serves as an intrinsic foil to the “I Want” nature of “Let It Go.”
If Frozen, the film gives us the “how” of each character’s tale through Arendelle, Frozen: the Broadway Musical gives us the “why.” And this “why” is a thought-provoking, emotional journey into how fear, love, and being misunderstood can steer our actions. This depth of emotionality makes the show’s finale joyously cathartic, thawing everyone’s heart in the Benedum (except perhaps Hans’).
Heitzman and the Pittsburgh CLO triumphantly deliver Disney-level energy on a regional stage. The actors hit their marks, their on-stage quick-changes, and their notes. The special effects require precise timing that is met with intensity and force. Frozen – the Broadway Musical is a cool treat for the summer heat, but is also a warm hug to all who attend.
Read Sharon Eberson’s story on Capturing the Magic of Live Theater in a ‘Frozen’ Moment here.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
The Pittsburgh CLO’s production of Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical is at the Benedum Center now through July 27, 2025. For tickets visit: https://pittsburghclo.culturaldistrict.org/production/96030/list_performances
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Reviews
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