Paramount’s ‘Frozen’ a fantastic family fairy tale in Aurora

A family musical that adults will enjoy as much as their princess-costume-attired daughters and granddaughters? Yep. The Paramount Theatre in Aurora has booked an extended run of the Midwest regional premiere of “Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical,” and – snow joke – it’s fantastic.

Eleven years ago, a Disney animated film was released that – despite its title – heated up the box office. Inspired by “The Snow Queen,” an 1844 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “Frozen” grossed more than $1.28 billion worldwide in its initial release, going on to win multiple Oscars and Grammys, and to entertain tons of fans who just couldn’t “Let It Go” (the most famous song in the film).

In 2018, the stage version hit Broadway and was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score Written for the Theatre. Now it’s come to Aurora, and thanks to a perfect (snow)storm of talented actors and behind-the-scenes pros, “Frozen” is an ideal wintertime must-see.

Jennifer Lee, who wrote the original film and the book of this musical, has a script that starts in the beautiful kingdom of Arendelle, where the king and queen have two daughters, Elsa and Anna, who are the best of friends. Elsa has magical powers that allow her to make ice and snow. While her parents want her to avoid using magic, her energetic and playful younger sister thinks those powers are very, well, cool. (Genevieve Jane and Avelyn Choi played Elsa and Anna at the performance I attended, ably drawing us into their close relationship; real-life sisters Everleigh and Elowen Murphy alternate with Jane and Choi in the roles.)

While building a snowman the girls name Olaf, Elsa loses control of her powers and injures Anna. The king and queen – with the help of magical “hidden folk” – save Anna’s life and remove her memory of Elsa’s magic. Determined to prevent anyone from discovering Elsa’s uncontrolled abilities, the anxious parents tell her to “conceal (her powers), don’t feel (strong emotions)” – and they close the palace gates. Also, without an explanation for Anna, they keep the girls separated from that point forward.

Years later, when Elsa and Anna are in their late teens/early 20s (now played by the multi-talented pair of Emily Kristen Morris and Beth Stafford Laird), the king and queen leave their daughters for a fortnight to find more help for Elsa. When the royal parents are lost at sea, Elsa as the oldest must ascend the throne. While she dreads the opening of the gates for coronation day, lest it turn from a nice event to an ice event, Anna is excited to finally interact with others “For the First Time in Forever,” a joy-filled song in which she looks forward to magic, fun and possibly meeting “the one.”

Anna does meet a handsome prince – Hans (Jake DiMaggio Lopez) – who seems as taken with her beauty and shy awkwardness as she is with him. By the end of their engagingly fun duet, “Love Is an Open Door,” Anna has accepted a marriage proposal. When she suggests to newly crowned Elsa that the gates of the castle always be opened, and Anna asks for her sister’s blessing of the engagement, Elsa’s “conceal, don’t feel” mantra goes out the window, and her powers are shown to all, including Hans, an amusing, villainous duke (Jason Richards) and shocked townspeople. Elsa flees to the mountains; Anna chases after her, leaving Hans in charge of a totally frozen kingdom.

Just like in “The Wizard of Oz,” Anna’s travels result in others joining her quest: rugged, now-out-of-work ice salesman Kristoff (Christian Andrews), who thinks that “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People;” his best friend/reindeer Sven (played in a wonderfully designed life-sized mechanical costume by the masked, but expressive, Adam Fane); and eventually, a talking snowman – yes, Olaf (puppeteer Ryan Stajmiger providing many of the laughs as he voices this fan-favorite character) – who came to life when the two sisters built him 13 years earlier.

Songs such as “What Do You Know About Love” (a playfully bantering duet by Anna and Kristoff), “In Summer” (Olaf praising a season that most snowmen fear) and “Hygge” give us insights into the relationships between these travelers. “Hygge” deserves a shout-out for David Blakeman, memorably cast as trading post/sauna owner Oaken, hilariously giving endless examples of the meaning of “hygge”; his robed sauna patrons even emerge to sing along.

That may sound like I’ve told the entire story. I haven’t. There are plenty of additional fun and/or dramatic plot elements.

Praise is well-deserved across the board with this production: huge, beautiful, multi-function sets from scenic designer Jeffrey D. Kmiec and his staff; effective lighting effects from lighting designer Greg Hofmann; great costumes – including bathrobes and an extremely fast costume change for Elsa – thanks to designer Mara Blumenfeld; perfectly timed projected images to illustrate everything from lowering gates to stormy seas from projections designer Paul Deziel; a live, perfectly balanced 14-piece orchestra under the direction of Kory Danielson; and the masterful direction and casting decisions of Trent Stork. Special effects aren’t limited to the stage, either. During “Let It Go,” some audience members got a taste of Arendelle’s weather conditions.

In summary, I strongly recommend you check out “Frozen” with your spouse, significant other or entire family. You’ll have a “Frozen” in time memory that won’t melt anytime soon.

• Paul Lockwood is a communications consultant at Health Care Service Corporation in Chicago, as well as a local theater actor, singer, Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters member, columnist and past president of TownSquare Players. He and his wife have lived in Woodstock for almost 24 years.

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: “Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical”

• WHERE: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora

• WHEN: Wednesday through Sunday until Jan. 19

• INFORMATION: 630-896-6666, ParamountAurora.com