Let it go to the stage! The roles of sisters Anna and Elsa have been cast for the Broadway version of Disney’s Frozen, opening at New York City’s St. James Theatre in the spring of 2018.
Caissie Levy will play the elder sister Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel on screen), who banishes herself because of her dangerous magical powers, while Patti Murin will star as sassy younger sister Anna (voiced in the film by Kristen Bell), who tries to reach out to her and save their kingdom of Arendelle.
Stage veteran Levy reprised the role of Fantine when Les Miserables returned to the stage in 2014. She has also been on Broadway as Molly in Ghost, Sheila in Hair and Penny in Hairspray. But for her newest role, the performer, who has a debut solo album With You out now, tweeted April 17: “Thanks so much for the crazy outpouring of love! Thrilled the news is finally out and can’t wait to freeze it up in Denver & Broadway.”
Costar Murin currently stars on NBC’s Chicago Med as Dr. Nina Shore — and has also racked up Playbill credits on Broadway in Lysistrata Jones and Xanadu.
And in a true act of impending sisterhood, both soon-to-be-princesses have both also been in Wicked: Murin as good witch Glinda and Levy as Elphaba — in a role ironically originated on Broadway by Menzel. (Yes, that means Levy and Menzel will share two storybook character credits.)
Also getting their feet cold in the show are Jelani Alladin, who will play Kristoff (voiced in the film by Jonathan Groff); John Riddle as Hans; Robert Creighton as the Duke of Weselton and Greg Hildreth as the lovable snowman, Olaf (voiced in the movie by Josh Gad).
Before hitting the Great White Way, the musical based on the 2013 animated blockbuster, which has grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide, will first make its stage debut at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Buell Theatre in Colorado. The “out-of-town tryout” will run August 17, 2017, through October 1, 2017, with tickets going on sale May 1. Seats for the Broadway run will be available later this year.
Frozen follows a long line of Disney Theatrical Productions shows — including Aladdin, The Lion King and Newsies — that have gone from the screen to stages around the globe in more than 50 countries.
