By Nate Brown
Freezin’: Let It Go Already! at the Desert Star Playhouse in Murray wraps Disney’s beloved classic tale of an ice queen and sisterly acts of true love into a farce so exuberant that it will bring frozen tears of joy to audience members’ eyes Written by Bryan Dayley and directed by Scott Holman, Freezin’: Let It Go Already! parodies Frozen’s plot and pulls music from all over Broadway, including tunes many attendees will happily recognize from Wicked and Mean Girls.
As always at the Desert Star, the show starts before the audience is aware of it, as they are drafted into the musical world by accompanist Catie Omer Quigley (double cast with Musical Director David Slack). Omer Quigley proves herself a capable musician and M.C. throughout the show, and becomes the first of many characters that the audiences fall in love with.
As the lights rise on Stella (Melissa Cecala, double cast with Ashley LaRue Haslam) and Hannah (Madison Bartell), viewers may wonder if they were borrowed directly from the Magic Kingdom. The authenticity of these princesses provide a perfect beginning to the farce, creating an atmosphere of pleasant discomfort as they perform in very non-princess ways.
Chaunce (Dan Larrinaga) comes across as more of an annoyance than villain when he is first introduced, but soon moves into his antagonistic role with a flare. Larrinaga’s ability to balance evil with humor and slapstick carries the plot and the entertainment throughout the show. Audiences may even be tempted to cheer rather than boo for him on occasion. His comedic matchup with Wessel (Daniel Akin, double cast with Matt O’Malley) is one part Marx Brothers and one part Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, culminating in moments of genius.
No parody of this type would be complete without a loveable rogue and a member of the deer family, so when Gristoph (Danny Eggers, double cast with Rick Miller) and Moose (Brittany Shamy, double cast with Camee Faulk) appear, the cast finally feels complete. Eggers evokes the animated version of the role admirably, portraying the love interest and would-be-knight-in-shining-armor delightfully. Shamy stands out, not only for being stunning in antlers but for portraying the best beast friend with the innocence and over-the-top hilarity that harkens to the antics of Donkey from Shrek the Musical.
Sara McDonald and Lee Daily round out this hilarious group of characters by filling multiple cameo roles, delivering one-liners and movie quotes with high-energy and excellent timing. McDonald also portrays the naive and somewhat frightening snowman creation, Olah…er…I mean…Olive.
Along with being a joy to watch, Freezin’: Let It Go Already pulls the audience through a surprising moral twist. I have to hand it to Dayley and the talented company to have put the audience in its own moral dilemma, where they don’t know whether they want to cheer or boo. If it weren’t so funny, it might be a good time for deep introspection.
The technical crew deserves much more accolades than the audience gets a chance to give them. The design of sound, set, and lights by Eric Jensen, Brian Tolman, Jasmine Evans, and Tracy McGee create a world the audience can get lost in. Stage Management (Collin Anderson, Tolman, Brady C. Wilkinson) is clean and unassuming, save one outstanding moment when Anderson causes a cape to steal the spotlight. The choreography in both the show (Hillary Akin Carey) and in the ’90s “Olio” musical review that follows (Allison Cox) is supportive of the plot and music. Lynn Funk‘s costumes, hair, and makeup present impressive princesses worthy of a high-budget theme park production.
Freezin’: Let It Go Already! is appropriate for all audiences, but adults should be aware that no children under 5 years of age will be admitted. If you have younger children, this show may be one of the best specimens to introduce the concept of parody to your family. Feel free to come hungry and partake from the full menu of pizzas, burgers, and other delectable items. The long run of this show provides a great opportunity to enjoy it this spring, so don’t let it go!
Desert Star Playhouse presents Freezin’: Let It Go Already! by Bryan Dayley.
Playhouse Theater, 4861 S State Street, Murray, Utah, 84107
March 28, 2019 – June 8, 2019, times vary
Tickets: Adults $26.95, Children $15.95 (11 and under)
Contact: 801-266-2600
Desert Star Facebook page
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