Frozen by Evolve - review

[Jane Zussman]

Evolve’s Frozen, the Broadway Musical, has arrived with a cast of seeming thousands (35+) singing and dancing their way through this nordic extravaganza to the tune of a majestic, prerecorded score. Choreographers Philip Franke and Leah Thelen kept everyone moving in creative, icy ways. Director Helen Hart was also costume designer, meeting some quick change challenges - even sauna attire.

Kudos to Evolve for once again making the most of a non-theatre venue. Huge mural backdrops (Lynn Davis and Michelle Hill) cover the entire back wall. Center-stage platform fold-outs make for quick scene changes — and the lighting effects are amazing, especially when you remember this is  Delta Presbyterian Church, not a performance theater (or a disco). (A.D. Mike Stewart was also lighting designer and King Agnar.) 

And the voices were great - wonderful chorus harmonies. I was surprised to hear that Elsa (Sabrina Harvey-Cronk) had laryngitis because she still delivered a powerful “Let It Go!” And I was even more surprised that she’s a young 17 year old senior at Grand Ledge High; she exhibited a mature level of angst and poise. I also heard that Anna was also the music director, Dr. Melanie Walker, not originally cast but stepping in with star quality. Young Anna and Elsa are double cast; we saw Hayden McArthur and Lyla Krauss, who were adorable.

Cute puppets designed by Summer Stevens added to the fun. These are the kind where the “operator” shows, and their faces echo their puppet emotions. Bobby Maldonado was a winsome Sven the reindeer companion to the roughly charming Kristoff (Anthony Mandalari) another excellent voice. Ayden Soupal operated the goofy Olaf snowman puppet, with appropriate “warmth”.  Hans (Elijah Adaway) was a stalwart prince/cad (spoiler? Everybody’s seen the movie, right?) Tia Burch was fun as the pompous Weselton (“Weasel-ton). Rylan Bowman led the fun “Hygge” number as Oaken, the charming all-purpose retailer. 

Evolve’s production of Frozen is on the western edge of the ill-defined kingdom of GLUT so apparently it’s okay that Lebowsky’s production of the same show opens next week on the eastern edge, in Owosso. No shortage of musical-ice-dramatics! (Anyway, NOTE, if you’re looking at the GLUT website calendar, which one and where you are headed!)

Find the Evolve Frozen at Delta Presbyterian Church on WEST Michigan Avenue, between Mall Drive and Creyts Road. The show is close to selling out so reservations are recommended at https://www.evolvetheatrics.com They are able to set up an extra row of chairs for walk-ins, so that’s an option for risk-takers. The show continues through February 22. It runs about two hours which includes the intermission.

Jane Zussman

G.L.U.T. List

(Greater Lansing Ubiquitous Theatre)

cell 517-930-0932

JSZu...@gmail.com

http://www.greaterlansingtheatre.net 

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