Once upon a time in the Kingdom of the mythical Arendelle, lived two sisters, rambunctious whirlwind Anna and her mysteriously secretive sister Elsa . . .
And so begins Disney’s Frozen as the two sisters later go on an odyssey, both sinister and magical. The audience first sees the girls as children (Anna played by Emma Irrgang and Jones Luoma-Mattson as Elsa, opening night). Their charming “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” song instantly brought the audience into the Frozen world and its familiar score.
Playing the grown-up Anna, Tori Adler’s charismatic energy, comic timing, and gorgeous voice were on display from her first appearance. Every song, whether a solo or duet, was Broadway-ready, starting with the iconic “First Time in Forever.” In her awkwardness in meeting a prince, her sense of loss from being cut off from her sister, and her determination to find Elsa at all costs, Adler shows all the colors of Anna’s personality.
Amelia Louise Barr made the character of Elsa all her own as the regal, elegant, and beautiful Queen, who must hide herself away to protect her sister and her kingdom. Barr has a truly powerhouse voice throughout, but it was with her rafter-raising “Let it Go” that she had the audience cheering and clapping wildly at the end of Act 1. Her fabulous Act II. Solo “Monster” gave her another opportunity to
showcase the range of her vocal abilities and demonstrate why she made the perfect Elsa.
Adler and Barr create an entirely believable bond between the two sisters, highlighted in their heartbreaking “I Can’t Lose You.” Amazingly, Adler is also the understudy for Elsa, needing to know both roles and being ready to go on if she is called on to play Elsa.
Complete with his chiseled chin, curly hair, supremely Disney Prince-like appearance, and crystal-clear tenor voice, Sam Billman as Hans, the 13th son of a monarch of a small southern kingdom, quickly pursues the innocent from the moment of their meeting. Billman is yet another example of the top-notch casting in this epic production.
Greeted with applause from his first appearance as the charming life-size reindeer puppet Sven (Chris Ibarra) was an audience favorite. Without saying a word except when mountain man Kristoff (Jonah Hale) ”spoke” for him, Ibarra was able to create a sweet and memorable character as a trusty sidekick.
With his commanding voice, Hale is funny and awkwardly charming as the burly frozen wasteland guide, making a comic foil for the plucky heroine. As they struck out to find Elsa in her self-imposed crystal ice prison, he helped Anna to survive and, of course, shyly found himself falling in love with her. It is Kristoff’s selflessness in bringing Anna back for a true love’s kiss from Hans that saves the day.
The Playhouse called on its deep bench of talent in every role. Baker Anderson became one with his puppet alter-ego, Olaf, and had funny and “aw” inducing moments. Showing off his strong voice with his solo “In Summer,” the younger Anderson fit in seamlessly with the company’s seasoned performers.
Always a comic standout, Antony Ferguson was also able to use his ballet skills for some fun dance moves as the smarmy Duke of Weselton. Playing the wise leader of the trolls, Aaron Dumalag had some of the night’s strongest and most powerful vocals.
Kudos to the ensemble whose choral full company moments were breathtaking throughout. Their gorgeous harmonies in songs such as the Queen Anointed coronation of Elsa were stunning.
Music Director Kyle Picha and the 15-piece orchestra bring Frozen’s unforgettable score to life, never overpowering the cast, but helping to build the power of every musical moment.
The technical side of the Production also worked well to tell the story. Special congrats to Caitlin Quinn for her stunning costumes and Daniel Benoit for his creative projections in making Frozen work as a blockbuster stage musical.
Jeff Brown’s lighting created many memorable effects tied to Benoit’s projections. Tania Barrenechea’s set framed the action well. A few set pieces, however, were a little underwhelming, particularly two small ice floes serving as a “mountain” for Anna and Kristoff to climb.
It appears that director and choreographer Wes Drummond set out to make this the most ambitious and biggest Playhouse show to date, and he soundly accomplished that goal. With his huge cast, including two separate casts of children, and all the bells and whistles of a technical monster of a production, Drummond brings the holiday gift of Frozen to the community.
Hans Christian Anderson’s original story “The Snow Queen, the animated films, and the stage musical all have themes of female empowerment, self-acceptance, sisterly love, and the importance of family ties, all resonating at different levels for the varying ages of the audience.
Melting hearts and evoking tears, laughter, and joy, Frozen is the perfect show for the season. Tickets for the Playhouse’s show would be a perfect holiday gift for the entire family.
To read a profile of Amelia Barr, visit destinationduluth.co/AmeliaBarrProfile
More Information on Disney’s Frozen
Music & Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez And Robert Lopez
Book by Jennifer Lee
At the Duluth Playhouse at the NorShor Theatre
211 E. Superior St., Duluth, MN
Performances:
November 22 – December 21, 2025
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 2 pm
ASL Interpretation: December 12 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: destinationduluth.co/DuluthPlayhouseFrozen
