Whose favorite season wins?!
This December, the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of Disney’s Frozen: the Broadway Musical will freeze the stage and melt your heart! As we rehearse for our journey to the North Mountain, I wondered, “Who here is more like Elsa (‘The cold never bothered me, anyway.’) and who is more of an Olaf (‘Always loved the idea of summer, and sun, and all things hot.’)?” So, I created some friendly competition between the “Elsas” and the “Olafs” to find out! I asked the cast of Frozen what their most-loved time of year is and how they like to stay warm during winter…or what’s their favorite way to have some summertime fun!
Some of our lovely pit singers helped “break the ice” with their favorite seasonal activities. Annie Davis told me that she loves the summer because, as a teacher, she gets a summer break to enjoy all that sunshine just like Olaf. Sarah Kutz-Yeager said she likes to make a nice, warm soup to keep her warm in the winter — Yum! I hope she likes to share!
Elijah Miller, our puppeteer and actor bringing Sven the reindeer to life, said he prefers the winter because it’s much easier to warm up in the cold than it is to cool down when you are too hot (which I have to agree with). He said he appreciates a big blanket to stay warm and comfy in the winter months, and added that skiing is a favorite way to warm up when it’s cold outside! Sounds like Elijah would thrive in Elsa’s frozen-over Arendelle!
Princess Anna is fun, loving, and a fighter, much like the person portraying her, Kelsey Seals. Her favorite summer activity is “paddleboarding on ANY body of water — it is totally my happy place.” When the north wind howls, her favorite activity is watching the snow fall and reading a book or watching a scary movie! She loves to be extra snuggled and cozy during the winter! That’s just what you need if you find yourself with a frozen heart.
Of course, I had to know what the Ice Queen herself thought about the summer versus winter seasons. When I asked her what she likes about the winter, Natalie Renk (playing Elsa) responded, “I love hot tea and hot cocoa!” But our Elsa had a little trick up her sleeve; she really prefers the summer, making her… an Olaf! What a twist — I guess the cold does bother her anyway! She says her favorite summer activity has to be floating the river.
Finally, I asked our Olaf, played by Dylan Wright, if he really does like to close his eyes and dream about when summer does come. He says his favorite summer activity is, “camping- and it’s gotta be by a river.” How relaxing! He also said that in the winter, he loves snowboarding with his daughter, Evie. And you can’t forget the non-stop Christmas movies with his wife, Sage (she’s a Frozen cast member too)! In a typical Olaf fashion, he brought a bright side to both winter and summer, and that’s why we love him!
This cast is full of people worth melting for! Whether you’re an Elsa or an Olaf, you won’t want to miss the Missoula Children’s Theatre’s production of Frozen: The Broadway Musical this holiday season!