Just back this afternoon and I really liked Frozen. Is it perfect? No. I would say that it isn’t good as Aladdin and Lion King, but better than BatB and Mary Poppins. But, it’s still a lovely time. My mom was a little kid in the candy store and my sisters, who hate theater, loved the show. Heck, my twin was hooting and hollering!!! That is the reward for me.
Watching the Denver version, Disney did some major "fixer uppers" to a few scenes. The opening and ending scenes, for example, are much better. I know
taei said that Anna was hyper sexualized in Denver. I'm so glad to report that they fixed 99.9% that. Anna is not in a towel anymore during Hygge, Kristoff doesn't take off her dress and he doesn't peak at her, and Anna doesn't dance like a drunk girl. There is no butt grabbing during Love is an Open Door. Hans does have his face in her chest, but
emphasis on chest. It's on her chest only for literally a second and not on her boobs. Anna still has a thing for abs and nothing more. She's still in her underwear, but it's long johns and not actually a bra and underwear.
Cassie was beautiful as Elsa and Patti was adorable & beaming as Anna. But, I wish Patti made her a bit more dorky and youthful, a la Penny Pigeleton and Kristen Bell’s performance. Cassie also had really nothing to work with, but still was graceful and powerful. Because she's barely in Act 1, Disney should had marketed Cassie as featured actress for the award season. She would have possibly dominated the award season.
Greg and John were pitch perfect as Olaf and Hans. I think Jelani, Robert, Kevin, and (bless him) Andrew as Kristof, Duke, Oaken, and Sven were my favorite performances of the night. They were both so likable and they each had a unique presence. I also loved what they did to the trolls/hidden folk. And Sven AHHHHHH!
Yes, I also loved the effects and how they take up the environment, even though it was underused in some major places (Spoiler Corner). Loved how it was used in the reveal scene and Monster. How in earth that Frozen didn’t get nominated for scenic, lighting, and costume design is beyond me. The scenery was spectacular and the lighting design did a fantastic job measuring the warm and the cold colors.
The problems that I had:
-Let It Go was better than I thought and the effects were mostly well-used. The ending of it was phenomenal, but gosh dang it! The curtains ruined it! Remove the curtains! My mom and sisters were like, “How do they do it?” We don’t know, we don’t see the castle is transformed. A big moment and Disney failed.
-Yes, the nude kick line is somehow still there and it's cringy. To my shock, my conservative mom and my sisters didn’t mind at all. Mom even called it “harmless.”

So, whatever.
-The direction to In Summer was fantastic. However, the scene was made for a dance break. Give the scene its full potential. I also wished there was a dance break for the coronation scene with Anna and Hans. The Disney on Ice show had a gorgeous instrumental version of FtFTIF during the ball scene and I'd have loved to see it be in the show.
-Elsa’s pants added nothing at all! The pants look great in pictures and sound cool in paper, but it was pointless. Why was she wearing pants the first place? If they did another dress transformation from the dress to the pants during Monster, that would explain why Elsa looks like she’s about to fight.
-The book was good for the most part. Lee did a great job, growing Elsa and Anna’s relationship, like them hanging out during the coronation party and thank you: Elsa actually tells Anna why they can’t be together! And thank you again, for expanding the Duke's role. But, still:
First, where was Elsa’s journey from Arendelle to her castle? Act 1 could have added ten more minutes to that. She just disappears. Additionally, the transition from Hygge to the ice castle was nonexistence. They just jump right to the castle. It takes a while movie to get there. Why not in the show? Second, the prison scene between Elsa and Hans was sorely missed. Again, Elsa disappears when we could had great development between them and heck, even the Duke and Elsa. Robert’s Duke was aroused (yes, aroused. Patti’s reaction was great) when he sees Elsa during the throne scene. Keep that going. Third, I’m disappointed that it’s still the King’s idea to separate Anna and Elsa. I’m glad the Queen was at least WTH about it.
Lastly, spoilers for A Little Bit of You and Colder by the Minute:
-I don’t get why little Elsa’s powers during ALBOY were only on the girls’ beds. Why couldn’t the snow fall on the stage as well? It doesn’t really show how powerful Elsa is.
-Why are they building a TOY snowman? Cute concept (love that lil Anna was carrying it around), but it doesn’t make sense when Elsa can supposedly make a real snowman. I mean, it’s easy to have the props for it. I’m confused how Denver had to stop the show for technical difficulties over a toy.
-Now, how they froze Anna. What they did….was fine. I got concept, but….it was fine. Like Hunchback, it was community theater directing, but it looks better because of the effects and it was obvious that the people were supposed to be ice, and again…it was fine. Meanwhile, at Disneyland, the girl who’s Anna LITERALLY becomes a statue and transforms back to a human. Why couldn’t they done that? It’s a problem when a theme park does two critical scenes better than the Broadway show.