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Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
It'll melt your heart
Rainbow Stage journeyed to ice-locked lands of inner imagination on one of the hottest and smokiest nights of this summer, gamely opening its eagerly anticipated Broadway musical adaptation of the blockbuster 2013 Disney film Frozen. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's 181-year-old fairytale The Snow Queen, with book by Jennifer Lee and music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the 145-minute (including intermission) production depicts close-knit sisters, the princesses Anna (a sparkling Julia Davis) and Elsa (her equal powerhouse, Tiera Lee Watts), who frolic and build snowmen together as children in the fictitious kingdom of Arendelle. After Elsa's magical powers accidentally condemn Arendelle to eternal winter, the siblings become estranged as they embark on their own voyages of self-discovery, jet-fuelled by one hit tune after another that had many in Thursday's capacity crowd gleefully warbling along. Supplied photo Tiera Lee Watts is Elsa in Frozen, and just hearing her version of Let It Go is worth the price of admission to the Rainbow Stage production. At first blush, Frozen checks all the boxes for romantic fantasy, or even a rescue tale à la Snow White or Cinderella, in which Anna becomes instantly smitten by Prince Hans of the Southern Isles (a noble Reid McTavish), aspiring to live happily ever after in the cocoon of domestic bliss. Yet beneath the permafrost is a potent tale of female empowerment, as well as an assertion that 'acts of true love' also extend to non-romantic familial ties. It's a message that continues to resonate, whether you're seeing the perennially popular classic for the first or 40th time. Rainbow Stage artistic director Carson Nattrass, who helmed this 145-minute production, has mined gold with his latest crackerjack cast and creative team, with this Manitoba professional première boasting a particularly strong lineup of triple threats, beloved local favourites as well as up-and-comers marking their debut under the dome. The hugely charismatic Davis (Ariel in The Little Mermaid) packs plenty of personality into her 'tornado in pigtails' younger-sister role, her crystal-clear soprano soaring through her Act 1 opening solo, For the First Time in Forever, and eliciting goosebumps. She rocked out in Love is an Open Door, sung with her new hunky heartthrob Hans, before later breaking our hearts in Act 2's I Can't Lose You, as her relationship with Elsa, who has fled to North Mountain, splinters. However, the fateful moment — ostensibly the tale's inciting incident — in which Anna quarrels with Elsa during her coronation, leading to her icy curse on Arendelle, feels one-dimensional and rushed, deserving of greater subtext. So does another key moment in the second act in which Hans, in his lust for power, incongruously stabs Anna in the back. Supplied photo Emeline Arnold (left) and Layla North play young princesses Anna and Elsa from the kingdom of Arendelle in Frozen. Mezzo-soprano Watts, who played Sherrie in Rock of Ages, perfectly captures the turmoil of a young woman 'cursed' with power, becoming increasingly frantic as she struggles between the confines of royal duty and the stirrings of her heart. And if there's one reason (of many) to see this show, it's her belting out Frozen's big number Let it Go for all she's worth, her final rafter-raising notes delivered atop her palatial staircase and garnering thunderous applause. This show is about kids — and for kids — so more kudos to the cast's youngest thespians, Kari Castillo's Young Anna (alternating with Emeline Arnold) and Layla North as Young Elsa. Their fearlessly confident performances promise much more to come. Some of the night's loudest oohs and ahs come — no spoiler alert required — during the first sighting of Olaf the snowman, brought to life by David Michael Juma in his Rainbow debut; the character is one of the show's two puppets created by Cassie Seaboyer. This straighter portrayal could use more spit 'n' sass, as Olaf wisecracks and offers advice to the travellers, although his Act 1 showstopper ode to heat, In Summer, pumps up the energy. The other non-human role is reindeer Sven, the trusty sidekick/confidante of rugged ice courier Kristoff (performed by the stage chameleon Nathaniel Muir, last seen as Drew in Rock of Ages). In his Rainbow debut, Eli Kanhai steps into the caribou's hooves to navigate the wintry wonderland, conjured by sets/properties designer Adam Parboosingh on a nifty revolving stage and effectively lit in a spectrum of colour-soaked hues by Scott Henderson, with costumes by Helena Marriot. Seeing the scrim periodically twinkling with 'stars' adds pure poetry to the night; the artistic choice to have it revert to a functional, bland canvas during several set changes is puzzling. Supplied photo Jula Davis sparkles as princess Anna. The ensemble performs effectively as a cohesive team, morphing into handmaidens, townspeople and trolls, while ably tossing off four-part harmonies. Rainbow Stage veteran and now Broadway star Jaz Sealey's choreography helps knit together the narrative, but it feels uninspired and overly restrained for this stage — more lifts and visual counterpoint would be welcome. Highly stylized sections in which dancers draped in white silky sheets evoke ocean waves and snowdrifts are a nice touch (if not a bit like spooky Halloween ghosts). One of the evening's highlights is Muir's poignant solo Reindeer(s) are Better than People, on which he accompanies himself on lute (is there anything this musician/actor can't do?). His gruff iceman's recognition of his own melting heart and blossoming feelings for Anna during Act 2 feel both raw and real. Special mention also goes to Joseph Sevillo's Pabbie, played with grand gravitas, and Daniel Boart's wily Weselton. Another Rainbow fave, Jeff Rivet plays the crowd like a fiddle as the lederhosen-garbed Oaken (also appearing as King Agnarr to Duchess Cayetano's Queen) with his Hygge kicking off Act 2 with off-the-sauna-walls zaniness. A live pit orchestra led by music director Andrew St. Hilaire proves solid and strong, with several wonky reverberation issues obfuscating actors' lines at the top of the show eventually resolving. Supplied photo Nathaniel Muir is a standout as brusque iceman Kristoff. It's a no-brainer that any production of Frozen will receive a rousing standing ovation, and as expected, this one did. The full house leaped to its feet at the end with loud cheers for the Arendellians, perhaps 'letting it go' that summer's end will soon be drawing near as 'Winterpeg' heads toward its own eternal (though thankfully smoke-free) winter.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Snow in August
Don't feel bad if you didn't see your name on Frozen's cast list. Rainbow Stage auditioned more 1,000 people in the open call for its summer production of Disney's most famous musical of the gen Z and alpha childhood eras, which opened Thursday. 'We wanted to find some diamonds in the rough [and] we wanted to feel accessible to every kid who loves Frozen… And our worst nightmares came true. Everyone could sing!' says Rainbow Stage artistic director and Frozen's director Carson Nattress. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS From left: Frozen music director Andrew St. Hilaire, choreographer Jaz Sealey and director (and Rainbow Stage artistic director) Carson Nattrass auditioned more than 1,000 actors for this production. 'It's been overwhelming in every sense — and then we went on sale and our system crashed, because people are so moved by this story.' If you're not someone who watches movies with the kids in your family, you've still probably heard Frozen's iconic power anthem, 2013's Let It Go. Like most contemporary Disney, Frozen takes its inspiration more from Top 40 than the jazz and Tin Pan Alley influences that coloured the musicals of the 1990s, so it may be confused for a regular pop hit. Also like so much recent Disney fare, Frozen is essentially an original story — bearing almost no connection to mythology, legends or fairy tales beyond a loose resemblance to Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen — which may mean its plot is unfamiliar. In short: when Queen Elsa (voiced by Broadway stalwart Idina Menzel in the movie) accidentally plunges her kingdom into eternal winter with her ice powers, her sister younger Anna (voiced by Hollywood actress Kristen Bell) sets out on a dangerous quest to find her and bring back summer. Along the way, this being Disney, she finds wisecracking sidekicks in talking or anthropomorphized creatures (a snowman and a reindeer among them) who join her for one reason or another on her journey — which is ultimately about love and sisterhood. Where some productions opt for older professional actors to play young leads, Rainbow Stage decided that for a show still so popular with children, it wanted to stay authentic. For the roles of Young Anna and Young Elsa, they were set on finding actors who fit this age description, even if they were amateurs. An open call format then just made sense. 'It's not teen years playing kids. We have true kid energy. It's very sweet,' says Nattress. But an open call, in this case, meant an open floodgate. Rainbow Stage's creative team saw groups of 10 kids at once for about three days straight in search of Young Anna and Young Elsa. It meant tough odds for hopeful talent and tough choices for Rainbow Stage. They narrowed their callback list to 20 children, but in the end just two actors felt too few. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS From left: Frozen music director Andrew St. Hilaire, choreographer Jaz Sealey and director (and Rainbow Stage artistic director) Carson Nattrass auditioned more than 1,000 actors. 'Layla (North) stole the role of Young Elsa,' says Nattress. 'And then we didn't know what to do, when Emmaline (Arnold) and Kari (Castillo) auditioned,' he adds, concerning the role of Young Anna. 'And I remember Jaz [Sealey] yelled from his car, 'Can we just have them share the role and alternate every night?' And we looked at each other and went, 'That's a great idea, because they both earned it.'' Sealey, Frozen's choreographer, had his Rainbow Stage debut himself as a performer in 2000. Like more than a few RS alumni, he's gone on to do notable things in the theatre world. After debuting on Broadway's 2012 production of Jesus Christ Superstar, he's continued to appear in Broadway's Aladdin since its original production in 2014. Nattress says this makes him one of the longest serving actors in Broadway history. Sealey's taken a little break from Broadway to choreograph Frozen. All this underscores the spirit of Winnipeg's musical theatre community, where casts are often mixed age-wise with child actors learning their chops alongside established performers who likewise got their start as kids. Nattress says that while young performers benefit from the example of adults, those adults are often charmed by their younger peers' energy and sincerity. 'It turns the tables,' he says. 'They — we — all battle our egos. And there's something about (a mixed-age cast) that takes the edge off for the adults… it removes cynicism.' North, Arnold and Castillo have their older counterparts in Julia Davis, who plays Anna, and Tiera Lee Watts, who plays Elsa. Both are from Winnipeg, but Watts — who debuted at Rainbow Stage just a couple of months ago in Rock of Ages — now lives in Toronto. '(Tiera's) Elsa is elegant, intelligent, a powerhouse… Her voice is stunning. She's exactly what you look for,' says Nattress. Supplied Layla Forth as Young Elsa (left) and Kari Castillo, one of two people playing Young Anna, build a snowman in the Rainbow Stage production of Frozen. While Elsa gets the musical's biggest tune, Let It Go, Anna is on stage non-stop as the hero of the journey. She's shot out of a cannon and sings number after number. 'Julia Davis, I can't say enough about her, because the role of Anna in Frozen is probably one of the hardest roles that in my recent memory of modern musical theatre,' says Nattress. Monthly What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. An email with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. 'She's hilarious, she's sweet. It's like all the things that if I were a kid who loves Frozen and knows the spirit of Anna, you're gonna see her and go, 'There she is.'' While it's common these days for theatre productions to take boldly interpretative approaches to well-established material, postmodern-ing this and that, Nattress wanted to stay true to the source. 'It was our conversation on the first day of rehearsal: carrying the responsibility of telling the story to people who love it this music. (We come) from a place of honoring the source material,' he says. '(People) are coming because they love this Academy Award-winning film that changed animated musicals and the tropes within them forever.' Conrad SweatmanReporter Conrad Sweatman is an arts reporter and feature writer. Before joining the Free Press full-time in 2024, he worked in the U.K. and Canadian cultural sectors, freelanced for outlets including The Walrus, VICE and Prairie Fire. Read more about Conrad. 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Buzz Feed
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Frozen Facts That Will Forever Change How You Watch
There were only a few movies in the 2010s that garnered as much obsession as the Disney animated film Frozen. Following the success of Tangled, it felt like princess movies were back on a whole new level. You couldn't go into a store without some Olaf memorabilia or "Let It Go" blasting on the radio. Here are 21 cool Frozen movie facts that will make you go watch it again on Disney+: Although it may be surprising, Frozen, released in 2013, was the first Disney film directed by a woman. Directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck collaborated on the project, making Lee the first woman to direct a Disney animated film in 52 projects. Filmmakers invited a real-life reindeer onto the set to gain a better understanding of the animal's behavior, which helped them create the character of Sven. (The reindeer, not that funny-looking donkey) Opening weekend for Frozen was, well, cold. The film only made $67.4M in its opening weekend. Turns out, word of mouth and reviews did the heavy lifting after those three days, because the film earned $1.28B in total at the global box-office. Yes, that "B" is BILLION. In the first Frozen, Elsa is confirmed to be 21 years old. This makes her the oldest Disney princess ever! On the topic of ages, Hans is 23 years old in the first movie. In addition to being the youngest brother in his family, he is also the youngest villain in a non-Pixar Disney film. I emphasize "non-Pixar" film because "Happy Child" Sid (Toy Story) is still our youngest antagonist. I'd say Sid is more of a troubled child, whereas Hans is just a P.O.S. (Piece of Snow). "Let It Go," although the one of the most popular Disney songs to date, wasn't much of a challenge. It only took composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez a day to write a demo. That pen must've been on fire. The opening song, "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" was almost left in the cold. According to Anna's voice actor, Kristen Bell, "[the song] was not put back in the film until the witching hour before we released it." We almost had to say, "okay, byeee," to one of the more emotional songs in the film. Arendelle is based on real Norwegian towns. Bergen, Norway was a major inspiration to the design of the buildings and how the town sat on the water. Elsa was actually going to be the villain. In the fairy tale the film is loosely based on, "The Snow Queen," the queen is actually the baddie. Her alternate character design was evil, heartless, and dare I Hans Christian Andersen, the author of "The Snow Queen," plays a huge role in Hans, Kristoff, and Anna are all based on the name of the fairy tale writer — a pretty cool homage if you ask me. The cast actually recorded their line reads together, which is an uncommon practice when it comes to recording voice-overs for animated films. There are plenty of animation marvels in Frozen, but Elsa's hair might take the cake. She has almost half a million hair strands that had to be animated. Sven's original name was going to be Thor, as in God of Thunder. One can only assume another Disney-owned character undercut the original name since the acquisition of Marvel happened around the same time as Frozen's production. The voice of Oaken (yoo-hoo, big summer blowout) is also that of Frozen's storyboard artist Chris Williams. Williams is a director, writer, and has helped write stories we love like Moana, Prep & Landing, The Emperor's New Groove, and Mulan. The beloved song "Let It Go" is available in 41 different languages. Rick Dempsey, Senior Vice President of Creative for Disney Character Voices International, said, "We held auditions all over the world," in order to find the right international voices for Elsa. We see evil queens and majestic queens throughout the history of Disney films, but Elsa is technically the first Disney princess ever shown crowned queen. Again, in 50+ Disney movies, whenever you see a first, you know it's magical. The snow monster was originally not-so-scary at all. In fact, the original version was just a giant-sized Olaf and acknowledged as a "brother" to Olaf. It didn't quite have the same impact that they had wanted, since the character was meant to be intimidating, not silly. When Olaf is told to give Anna a minute alone with Elsa, he proceeds to count to 60. Well, if you watch the whole scene and time it, the mischievous snowman makes good on his word. It is EXACTLY 60 seconds. Actor Alan Tudyk was actually in back-to-back Disney movies: Wreck-It-Ralph (2012) and Frozen (2013). He voiced King Candy and then The Duke of Weaseltown...I mean, Weselton. This would lead him to voice acting for numerous Disney characters. The ice castle changes colors to reflect Elsa's emotions. In a way, it works like a mood ring, fitting the proper emotions of the scene: dark colors for anger and fear, and warmer colors for when she speaks with her sister. Kristoff was originally going to punch Hans, but the filmmakers found more satisfaction in Anna getting the honors. It really wouldn't have made any sense storyline-wise, so the change was the correct one. Hans is, however, seen rubbing his chin, implying either Kristoff or Sven punched him. Watch Frozen on Disney+. What's your favorite Frozen moment? Comment below!
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mads Mikkelsen Joins Voice Cast of ‘Snow Queen' Inspired Animated Adventure ‘North' (EXCLUSIVE)
Mads Mikkelsen has joined the voice cast of the animated feature 'North,' which is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale 'The Snow Queen.' The film is being sold in Cannes by Studio 100 Film, and will be screened on May 13 in the Marché du Film. The film centers on Gerda, who sets off into the great unknown in search of her friend Kai, who has mysteriously vanished. On her journey, Gerda makes friends with people, birds, beasts, and a kind witch, unaware that a hostile, unseen enemy – the Snow Queen and her devil apprentice, Louie – is watching her. The evil queen keeps Kai prisoner in her ice palace way up north in Finnmark, Norway. More from Variety Carlos Rincon to Launch Prestige International Pictures at Cannes, Partnering With Vital Pictures Variety's International Achievement in Film Honoree Tarak Ben Ammar Soars With Italy's Eagle Pictures Pacts and Local Hits Like 'Boy With Pink Trousers' Variety's International Achievement in Film Honoree Tarak Ben Ammar Sees His Studio de Paris Soundstages Fill With Global Hits Mikkelsen will lend his voice to the character of Severin, the father of Kai. Severin is a figure who 'embodies wisdom, sorrow and the timeless magic of storytelling,' according to a statement. As a carpenter, he builds his son a beautiful sled for Christmas and grieves when the sled and the boy vanish. Norwegian composer Rolf Løvland ('Secret Garden,' 'You Raise Me Up') contributed the original song 'Finding You,' performed by Norwegian pop singer Maria Arredondo. 'This lyrical ballad reflects the themes of longing and connection that lie at the heart of the film's journey,' the statement added. Raymond Enoksen, one of Scandinavia's leading film and television composers, with over 200 productions to his name, has created the full orchestral score as well as the original track 'True North,' which 'anchors the film's sonic identity and amplifies its dramatic narrative.' 'North' is directed by fantasy author Bente Lohne, and is produced by Håkon Gundersen ('Flight of the Navigator,' 'Free Jimmy') and his company PictoryLand, in collaboration with Anima Vitae. Ralph Guggenheim ('Toy Story'), co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, serves as consulting producer. Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mads Mikkelsen joins voice cast of animated feature 'North'
Hollywood star has joined the voice cast of the animated feature "North," inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale " The Snow Queen ." The film centers on Gerda, who sets off into the great unknown in search of her friend Kai, who has mysteriously vanished, reports Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On her journey, Gerda makes friends with people, birds, beasts, and a kind witch, unaware that a hostile, unseen enemy - the Snow Queen and her devil apprentice, Louie - is watching her. The evil queen keeps Kai prisoner in her ice palace way up north in Finnmark, Norway. Mikkelsen will lend his voice to the character of Severin, the father of Kai. Severin is a figure who "embodies wisdom, sorrow and the timeless magic of storytelling," according to a statement. As a carpenter, he builds his son a beautiful sled for Christmas and grieves when the sled and the boy vanish. The film is being sold in Cannes by Studio 100 Film, and will be screened on May 13 in the Marche du Film. Norwegian composer Rolf Lovland contributed the original song "Finding You," performed by Norwegian pop singer Maria Arredondo. "This lyrical ballad reflects the themes of longing and connection that lie at the heart of the film's journey," the statement added. "North" is directed by fantasy author Bente Lohne , and is produced by Hakon Gundersen and his company PictoryLand, in collaboration with Anima Vitae. Ralph Guggenheim, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, serves as consulting producer. Mikkelsen rose to fame in Denmark as an actor for his roles such as Tonny in the first two films of the Pusher film trilogy, Detective Sergeant Allan Fischer in the television series Rejseholdet, Niels in Open Hearts, Svend in The Green Butchers, Ivan in Adam's Apples and Jacob Petersen in After the Wedding.
