There’s a chill in the air, and it’s not the first hint of fall.
It’s an icy mist spreading across Chicagoland as preparations begin for the first locally staged production of Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical, receiving its Midwest Regional Premiere at the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora.
Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical promises to bring the beloved Disney animated film to life to the delight of the entire family, filling the theater with winter magic. The stage adaptation, nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical, maintains the film's enchanting music, including the iconic and award-winning song “Let It Go,” and beloved hits like “For the First Time in Forever,” “Love Is an Open Door” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” Spectacular set designs and dazzling special effects will transport audiences to wintry landscapes populated by the now iconic sisters, Elsa and Anna, along with fantastical characters like Olaf the snowman and Sven the reindeer.
Paramount Theatre’s Regional Premiere of Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical will feature (top, from left) Emily Kristen Morris in her Paramount debut as Elsa. Beth Stafford Laird, Belle in Paramount’s Beauty and the Beast in 2019, plays Anna. (middle, from left) Adam Fane is Sven, Christian Andrews is Kristoff, Jake DiMaggio Lopez is Hans and Ryan Stajmiger is Olaf. (bottom) Everleigh Murphy and Genevieve Jane will alternate as Young Elsa. Elowen Murphy and Avelyn Choi will alternate as Young Anna.
In addition to Paramount’s nearly 40,000 Broadway subscribers already signed up to see Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical, the live stage version of Disney’s popular hit is arguably the hottest ticket in town for families seeking a fun and affordable holiday outing. Anticipation is so high that Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical has a 12-week run, the longest in Paramount Broadway Series history. Previews begin October 30. Press opening is Friday, November 8 at 8 p.m. Performances run through January 19, 2025.
Tickets are just $28-$85, a fraction of the cost to see a show in downtown Chicago. Add easy, inexpensive parking, a host of new restaurant options near the theater, a two-story Christmas tree in the Paramount Grand Gallery, not to mention the free Christkindlmarket Aurora at nearby RiverEdge Park, and Paramount is the coolest destination for families this holiday season.
Don’t miss this holiday blockbuster, a snowy Disney fairytale reimagined for the stage by Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For subscriptions, single tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days.
Let It Go: Behind the scenes of Paramount’s Regional Premiere of Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical
Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical is a powerful fable that captures the essence of sisterhood, self-discovery and the enduring power of love, making it a magical and heartwarming experience for audiences of all ages. The story is set in the kingdom of Arendelle, where two royal sisters, Elsa and Anna, navigate love, loyalty and Elsa's uncontrollable powers. In her struggle to understand her identity, Elsa questions her talents, confusing them for character flaws. Like every young woman’s coming-of-age story, she must find strength in her identity and gifts, looking both inward and to those she loves and trusts for support.
Paramount’s Artistic Producer and Casting Director Trent Stork will direct this Midwest Regional Premiere of Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical. Most recently, they helmed Paramount’s Billy Elliot and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, School of Rock, and Into the Woods with co-director Jim Corti. Stork also won their first Jeff Award, Director-Musical-Large, for Paramount’s Kinky Boots in 2022.
Today, Paramount announced the cast for the Midwest Regional Premiere of Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical.
Emily Kristen Morris will make her Paramount debut as Elsa, a mythic character, magical, larger than life, and sure of her powers. Most recently, Morris was the Elphaba standby on the Broadway National Tour of Wicked. Some of her other roles include Bea in Something Rotten (Broadway National Tour), Daisy in Side Show, Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, and Sophie in Mamma Mia. Morris is based in New York City, where she performs as an actor-singer, and runs her world-renowned voice studio, EKM Vocal Studio.
Beth Stafford Laird will portray Anna, Elsa’s sister and the spirited, loving Queen of Arrendale. Audiences will remember Laird’s Jeff-nominated lead performance as Belle in Paramount’s 2019 Broadway staging of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. Stafford has also performed in the first National Tours of Anastasia, Newsies and Ghost the Musical.
Paramount’s principal cast also features Adam Fane as Sven, Christian Andrews as Kristoff, Jake DiMaggio Lopez as Hans and Ryan Stajmiger as Olaf. Elowen Murphy and Avelyn Choi will alternate performances as Young Anna. Elowen’s sister, Everleigh Murphy, and Genevieve Jane will alternate as Young Elsa.
The ensemble includes Marta Bady, Corey Barlow, Matty Bettencourt, David Blakeman, Lydia Burke, Morgan DiFonzo, Evan C. Dolan, Tiyanna Gentry, Darian Goulding, Brian Hupp, Clare Kennedy, Trey Mendlik, Justin Payton Nelson, Emma Ogea, Jason Richards, Emily Scinto, Allison Sill, Rachel Ann Thomas, Shelbi Voss, Matthew Weidenbener and Jonah D. Winston.
Paramount’s design and production team includes Trent Stork, director; Tiffany Krause, choreographer; Kory Danielson, music director and conductor; Jeffrey D. Kmiec, scenic designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; Greg Hofmann, lighting designer; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Paul Deziel, projection designer; Katie Cordts, wig, hair and makeup designer; Aimee Plant, properties designer; Jesse Mooney-Bullock, puppet designer; Ethan Deppe, electronic music designer; Max Fabian, fight, stunt and intimacy director; Susan Gosdick, dialect coach; Devon Hayakawa, assistant director; Jordan Beyeler, assistant choreographer; Celia Villacres, associate music director and associate conductor; Bailey O’Neil, young performer supervisor; Jinni Pike, stage manager; and Lanita VanderSchaaf and Amber R. Dettmers, assistant stage managers.
Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical features music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, book by Jennifer Lee. The musical is based on the smash hit 2013 Disney animated film written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. It was originally produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions in 2018 under the direction of Michael Grandage, where it earned three Tony nominations including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.
Times, Dates and Ticket Information
Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical starts previews Wednesday, October 30 at 7 p.m. Opening Night is Friday, November 8 at 8 p.m. Performances run through January 19, 2025. The regular performance schedule through Sunday, December 22 is Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. No show Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving Day). There is an added matinee on Friday, November 29 at 3 p.m. No shows Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day).
After the Christmas holiday, to accommodate earlier bedtimes for younger audiences, the performance schedule shifts with several start times that are earlier than usual. Show times December 26-January 19 are Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Additionally, there are two special “school’s out” holiday week matinees: Friday, December 27 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, January 2 at 1:30 p.m.
Single tickets are $28-$85. Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, melissas@paramountarts.com or (630) 723-2461.
For the latest updates, follow @paramountaurora on Facebook and Instagram, and Paramount Theatre on LinkedIn.
Pay What You Can Performances
Paramount will offer two Pay What You Can performances of Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical on Thursday, October 31 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, November 2 at 3 p.m. Both days, starting at 10 a.m., visit the Paramount box office in-person to request tickets. Limit four per person. Subject to availability. See ParamountAurora.com/Pay-What-You-Can for details.
Access Services
Paramount will offer open captioning on Wednesday, January 8 at 1:30 p.m. and American Sign Language interpretation on Friday, January 10 at 7 p.m.
An audio described performance will be offered on Saturday, January 4 at 2 p.m. Due to a limited number of headsets, please inform the Box Office when you purchase tickets if you will require an audio description headset for the performance.
Paramount always offers assistive listening devices free of charge at all performances. Check in at the coat room before the show to borrow a listening device.
With Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical, Paramount will offer its first sensory-friendly/relaxed performance ever on Wednesday, January 15 at 7 p.m. Sensory friendly performances are designed to create a live arts experience that is intended for patrons who have autism or other social, cognitive and physical challenges that create sensory sensitivities and their families.
If you require wheelchair or special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office at (630) 896-6666 or boxoffice@paramountarts.com in advance.
Sponsors
Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical is sponsored by Jake’s Inc., GreenState Credit Union and Rush Copley Medical Center. Paramount Theatre Broadway Season sponsors are the Dunham Foundation, BMO, ComEd, Illinois Arts Council and the City of Aurora.
Disney’s Frozen the Broadway Musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
About Paramount Theatre
Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931.
Since launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount has amassed more than 37,000 subscribers, making it the largest subscription house in the U.S.
For over 50 years, the Joseph Jefferson Awards has recognized excellence in Chicago area theater. Paramount has been honored to earn 124 Jeff nominations and 29 wins over the last eight years of eligibility, including six Jeff Awards in 2022 for Kinky Boots, including Best Musical-Large, Paramount’s fourth win in that category following Sweeney Todd (2017), West Side Story (2016) and Les Misérables (2015).
Paramount Theatre is one of five live performance venues overseen by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA). ACCA also programs and manages the 165-seat Copley Theatre, home to Paramount’s BOLD Series, at
8 E. Galena in the North Island Center; Stolp Island Theatre, now open at
5 E Downer Place, Suite G, with a critically acclaimed experiential production of Million Dollar Quartet; RiverEdge Park, downtown Aurora’s outdoor summer concert venue at 360 N. Broadway; and the Paramount School of the Arts, all located in downtown Aurora.
Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.
For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @paramountaurora on Facebook and Instagram, and Paramount Theatre on LinkedIn.
