Give your child a memory of sheer joy. Take them to The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s production of Disney’s Frozen JR!
A tow-headed little boy of maybe 6 is fidgeting in his seat, kicking the chairs ahead of him and constantly turning around to see all of the princesses surrounding him, giving a special long look at the boys around his age. The adult next to him is doing the Pop Quiz, surprised by some of the actual answers.
Then the lights go down and Roderick Justice (Direction/Artistic Director) thanks sponsors while giving the “etiquette rules” of watching a play. When he talks of the next plays, the boy lights up…”Did he say Wizard of Oz?!” Joy and anticipation changes to curiosity as the Hidden Folk (Ensemble plus Josh Galloway as Pabbie and Delaney O’Toole as Bulda) are singing and dancing, mesmerizing the boy to the point that he is not kicking, squiggling and wiggling anymore. The dancing (Choreographer, Angelo Cerngilia) and singing (Music Direction, Jacob Priddy) is taking both the child and the adult into a magical world.
The young boy doesn’t care that the music and lyrics are written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez or that the book and film is written by Jennifer Lee. All he knows is that he is transported to Arendalle where there is a little girl, Anna (Sheren Lavender), and her slightly older sister, Elsa (Celia D’Ascenzo). Anna’s energy and silliness is exactly what the boy wants. He is laughing and leaning forward, perhaps to the dismay of the couple sitting in front of him.
The Visuals are Striking!
The costumes are colorful and true to the original Disney movie (Costumes, Ryan Moller). Anna’s green dress and Elsa’s long sparkling dress when she is in her Ice Castle are amazing! The boy doesn’t realize this, he is simply stunned by their appearance. He wonders why the Hidden folk look so different. Why do they look like rocks? He may not realize that there are sticks and other natural components to their costumes that make them look like rocks. He is also unaware of how the lighting (Lighting Design, Jessica Drayton) affects how he feels while watching the show. The shadows, the focus on characters, and the ambience is expertly a part of his experience.
More of the Play Unfolds
Anna’s (Mackenzie Ruff Barbro) and Elsa’s (Claire Northcut) voices shock him. Their range is powerful, and ethereal. He is hypnotized. When Kristoff (Animaesh Manglik) comes onto the stage in his cart leaning back and strumming his mandarin blows his little mind. The “pièce de résistance”, however, is Sven (puppeteer, Ethan Kucha). The boy giggles and shares with his adult who this huge 2-piece reindeer is because everyone knows the story of Frozen and it’s characters. Another breathtaking character puppet is Olaf (Aaron Marshall) who has an amazing singing voice and a natural disposition for silliness!
King Agnarr (Gabriel Kanai Nakata) and Queen Iduna (Emma Riley) are not onstage for long, but the boy knows exactly who they are. They are the majestic parents of Elsa and Anna. A very funny character that the boy does not appear to recognize is Weselton (Jathan “JB” Briscoe). He is an arrogant and aggrandizing Duke who is a secondary antagonist. However, the boy laughs every time someone calls him Weaseltown and Weselton yells back “Weselton!” He likes Weaseltown.
Yes, Parents, Bob Herzog is in Disney’s Frozen JR
What is a TCT production without local news personality Bob Herzog? This time he plays Oaken (owner of Oaken Trading Post and Sauna). The boy’s eyes grow wide when people come out of the sauna and dance and then go back in. The singing and dancing are enough to take the boy’s breath away. This is a time of relief when the boy is not worrying about the sisters.
As the girls grow to be women Markenzie Ruff Barbro (Anna) is as wonderfully silly and fun as her young self. The boy titters as her emotionally joyful self bounces around the stage. He observes Elsa (Claire Northcut) closely as she deals with her town’s people and her own powers. All of the children in the theatre no longer talk, cry or make any noises when Elsa sings on a stair lift in her Ice Castle. They simply feel enchantment. The boy is spellbound.
The major antagonist, Hans (Christian Arias), is so handsome and charming. The boy snickers when he and Anna sing and snuggle. Such an adorable pair until when Hans reveals his evil plot to kill both of the sisters and take over as King of Arendale. The boy points out to his adult that he is lying to Anna throughout the play.
More of the Amazing Production Team
The adult appreciates everyone behind the scenes that make this production unique, enthralling and truly extraordinary such Adam Koch, Original Scenic Design, and Adam Borchers, Properties Master,. who transforms the stage between a forest to an Ice Castle with a subtleness of any major production. She is grateful for the puppets by Scott Molampy, Geppetto Studio, Inc. The directors bring the show together and this one is so awesome that the adult has to thank Technical Direction, Maggie Foley, Andrew Nunly, as well as Director Production, Dani Lobello and Production Stage Manager and Jadie Davis. The adult truly is pleased with Roderick Justice, who not only works on the play itself but is in touch with the audience, always looking for responses to his productions.
Overall: Enchanting
The Ensemble throughout the play enchants the boy from the beginning to the end. In the last scene he sighs and claps with joy. When all of the actors come onto stage, he stands. It is overwhelming. When his adult asks him whether he likes the play, he responds “I love it!” The boy’s highest form of compliment!
Tickets to Disney’s Frozen JR
Again, give YOURSELF and your favorite child a memory of sheer joy. Take them to The Children’s Theatre’s production of Disney’s Frozen JR.
Disney’s Frozen Junior plays:
- Saturday, April 26 , 2025 at 2:00 & 5:00 pm
- Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 2:00 pm
- Friday, May 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm
- Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 11:00 am & 2:00 pm
- Sunday, May 3, 2025 at 2:00 pm & 5:00 pm
- Homeschool Performance: Monday, May 28, 2025 at 1:00 pm
To get tickets to Disney’s Frozen JR, go to: https://thechildrenstheatre.com/
The Children’s Theatre at Emery Theatre, upcoming events are:
- The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition October 10 – 26, , 2025
- Elf: The Musical Jr. December 5 – 21, 2025
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical February 20 – March 8, 2026
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Musical April 17 – May 3, 2026
