Frozen

City of Fairfax Theatre Company

Photo credits: Heather Regan

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen…

Although it was set in a kingdom of isolation, City of Fairfax Theatre Company’s production of Frozen had warmth and joy capable of melting any frozen heart! This all-ages cast was bursting with enthusiasm and togetherness, and certainly delivered a magical performance that did this beloved tale justice. 

Of course, if you were living under a rock during the 2010s and have yet to watch Frozen, let me give you a crash course.

Frozen

Released in 2013, Frozen is a Disney animated film loosely based on “The Snow Queen,” a fairytale written in 1844 by Hans Christian Anderson. The film is set in Norway and follows two sisters: Elsa, the oldest, who has to hide her ice magic from the kingdom; and Anna, the youngest, who is naive and innocent to her sister’s powers. When their parents die in a shipwreck and Elsa is ordained as Queen, the gates to the kingdom finally open… but before long, Elsa has frozen the entire kingdom, and Anna has set out on a journey to save both Arendelle and her sister. 

The Broadway adaptation of Frozen opened in 2018 and followed the same storyline, including almost all of the songs from the film (written by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez). The duo actually composed additional songs for the Broadway musical, including “Monster,” “What Do You Know About Love”, and “Dangerous to Dream,” among others. 

Yes, Kristin and Robert are the masterminds behind the infamous “Let it Go.” I distinctly remember walking into my gymnastics class as a wee elementary schooler and hearing all the kids in the lobby belting the tune at the top of their lungs. It was everywhere: the bus, the grocery store, the playground, the doctor’s office.

And yet, it warmed my heart to see that the Frozen mania has carried on to the next generation. There were so many young audience members at the show I attended, and a ton of them were dressed in Elsa costumes. Their wide-eyed gasps and laughter during the performance added a whole extra layer of warm, fuzzy feelings! 

It wasn’t until August 2025 that the rights to Frozen officially came out. Before then, only the JR. and KIDS versions of the show were available, having been released in 2019. Because of this, CFTC’s production of Frozen was the first time I’d seen the full-length musical, and I was blown away. The pacing was great, the songs were powerful, and the company did an incredible job bringing Arendelle to life.

But first, a quick shout-out to CFTC and their model of inclusivity.

CFTC’s Commitment to Inclusivity

I am consistently blown away by CFTC’s commitment to inclusivity when it comes to their productions. Not only do their casts contain some of the largest age ranges I’ve seen, but they always offer a sensory friendly show during their run. Typically a Wednesday evening performance, the sensory friendly showing is designed to create a safe, welcoming environment for individuals with sensory sensitivities. This means that the pit is reduced to half its size, lighting is adjusted, and special effects like fog are absent. The house lights also stay up during the performance, so individuals can move around or step out of the auditorium if they so desire. I’d absolutely love to see other DMV theaters add this option, and continue advocating for all audiences.

The sensory-friendly showing of this production was the only evening I was able to attend, so do keep in mind that I saw the show with some of the technical elements reduced. I’ve heard from others that the added special effects were spectacular, but the sensory-friendly version of the show didn’t need them--it was magical all on its own.

This Production

While I only saw half of the pit perform, they added a warm, rich layer of emotion to every musical number. I can only imagine the powerful sound of the full pit! Music Director Rachel Bradley did an excellent job elevating the magic of the film’s soundtrack, while maintaining the core of the songs we know and love. Sound designer William Taft seamlessly balanced the cast and pit; a task far from easy, for a production of this size and a space as large as Katherine Johnson’s auditorium.

Speaking of magic, Gabriella Marchetti and Laura White’s costumes were essential in bringing the Frozen characters to life; any one of the performers could’ve stepped out of the Disney film. Anna and Elsa wore their signature outfits, of course, and the iconic quick change in “Let it Go” was awe-inducingly seamless. Peter Marsh’s ice castle added to the wonder, transforming two ordinary staircases into a frosty, icicle-lined spectacle; further enhanced by Katie Brusseau’s cinematic lighting. Other standouts include the costume and scenery of the Hidden Folk, which were artfully covered in moss, leaves, and tree branches.

Plus, who doesn’t love fantastic puppets! Olaf was incredibly lifelike, with a movable mouth, gesticulating arms, and even wiggling eyebrows. Thanks to Puppet coach Rebecca Kalant, actor Brandon Schenk truly mastered the ability to manipulate the Olaf puppet, making for a smooth and dazzling performance. Likewise, Andy Shaw had the tough task of maneuvering an adorably massive reindeer head in his role as Sven; Shaw injected the character with such energy and life, he was impossible not to love. 

Performances

All across the cast, performances were larger-than-life and perfectly Disney-esque. It felt like I was watching scenes from the movie play out, since each and every cast member was fully immersed in the story. 

At the head of our tale were sisters Anna and Elsa, embodied by Amelia Jacquat and Draconia Craig, respectively. In “For the First Time in Forever,” the audience got to experience Anna’s boundless joy: Jacquat skipped across the stage, twirled through the hallways, and gazed in awe at a chocolate fountain. Meanwhile, Craig found blissful solitude in the mountains during “Let it Go,” and released ice-shattering belts as she commanded the stage. These sisters stood in impressive contrast--Jacquat was the perfect warmth to Craig’s cool demeanor--which made for a tear-jerking heart-to-heart once they finally opened up to each other. 

Anna and Elsa’s younger counterparts, played by Penelope Porter and Riglee Bryson (at Wednesday’s show, alternating performances with Meena Claytor-Howard and Allison Ceballos), were brilliantly cast. Porter did an incredible job embodying Jacquat’s exuberant and playful demeanor, while Bryson’s layered performance shone a light on the anxiety Elsa experiences surrounding her powers, a trait later built upon by Craig. 

The role of the sisters' childhood snowman, Olaf, was brought to life by Brandon Schenk. Schenk delivered a positively jubilant performance, and exuded the naivete and goofiness that makes the character so beloved. His rendition of “In Summer” was equal parts heartwarming and comedic, as Schenk crooned the jazzy melody while members of the ensemble tossed beach balls and tap danced in gleeful synchrony.

Speaking of heartwarming, William Choi expertly captured the charming, rugged spirit of Kristoff. From his initial wariness of Anna in “What Do You Know About Love” to his utter devotion to saving her in “Kristoff’s Lullaby,” Choi developed a remarkable arc when it came to his relationship to Jacquat’s character. When the two weren’t exchanging rapid-fire banter, they were experiencing a slew of rom-com worthy moments that made the couple impossible not to root for.

On the other side of the coin was Hans, and Christian Rodgers took to the role with princely charisma, malevolent greed, and sideburns to spare. His performance of “Love is an Open Door” certainly had Anna (if not the audience) fooled, and Rodgers did an excellent job slowly revealing his character’s true intentions throughout the course of the show. 

No matter the instant, the ensemble of Frozen became the backbone of this production’s magic. Whether they leapt and spun as guests of Arendelle or transformed into a blizzard of snow, each ensemble member executed Stacey Yvonne Claytor’s dynamic choreography with finesse. One of my favorite numbers had to be “Hygge,” thanks to not only Christopher Dockin’s precious embodiment of traveling salesman Oaken, but also the ensemble’s enthusiastic performance as his very large, very cheerful family! Likewise, they shone as the mystical Hidden Folk in “Fixer Upper,” led by Andreas Moffet and Lottye Lockhart’s devoted Pabbie and Bulda. One final shoutout goes to Josh Shull for his first musical performance, and for absolutely knocking the character Weselton out of the park.

Who is it For?

Frozen is a franchise guaranteed to immediately draw families (and therefore audiences of all ages), but there’s so much more to the story than its Disney princesses and catchy ballads. Director Amanda Herman Snellings framed Frozen as an exploration of the true meaning of love; it champions “letting go” of societal expectations, embraces authenticity, and celebrates the unbreakable bond between sisters. 

Honestly, the musical itself is worth seeing for the extra songs alone! Somehow, I’d never listened to “Monster” before witnessing Craig’s performance in the CFTC production, and I was blown away by how powerful of a ballad it is.

The cast and crew are incredibly talented, and do this timeless story (plus its many many fans) proud.

Frozen only runs for two more performances today, August 1st (and the matinee is already sold out!), so be sure to grab your tickets for the evening performance at fairfaxcitytheatre.org.