By Emily Pynes
Frozen, The Lied Center for Performing Arts, Friday August 15, 2025
Disney’s Frozen hit the big screen in 2013 and captivated us all, young and old, with its creativity, its characters, and its thought provoking storyline. The Disney princess journey had a refreshing plot twist – the classic act of true love set to bring us to “happily ever after” was not a kiss from a prince, but rather a moment of protective self sacrifice between sisters. There was a deep beauty in the choice to highlight familial love, especially because its primary audience watched that movie with a sibling sitting right next to them. The closing message was not about finding the one who completes you, it was about sisters discovering their own inherent goodness, a goodness that had been there all along, through their selfless love for each other. What an important message for all of us to be reminded of. As the credits rolled, I remember thinking, “This show is begging to be on stage” and was delighted to hear that a plan was, indeed, in the works.
I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for big Disney broadway musicals and this one did not disappoint! From the opening dance number to the closing bow, I was pulled into this story in a deeper way that I was expecting. Maybe because I’m older now, or because I was watching with this review in mind, but I think the truth of it was the irreplaceable experience of live theatre. I was watching real people play these beloved characters and the depth of their grief, their joy, their hope, was palpable.
When I go see theatre, plays and musicals alike, I want to see an honest story. I want to see the complexity of the experiences being acted out, because nothing in life is ever just one note, even if we desire it to be that way. We are dynamic, and isn’t that a gift? Sometimes, in the bigger musicals this honesty can be lost. However, within the first ten minutes of this production, the iconic number “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” had me giggling with little Anna and Elsa, played by Hallie Camacho and Laurel Denk, and tears welling up after the meaningful transition into their elder selves, played by Daisy Wright and Cate Hayman. At that moment I turned to my husband and just said “Wow”, knowing that we were in for a treat.
Other highlights include the number “For the First Time in Forever”, reminding me of the same excitement for adventure felt when Belle introduced us to her town in Beauty and the Beast. Wright’s Anna brought a heartwarming energy and playful comedic timing. Another shining light in the show was the well loved Olaf, played by Kyle Kemph whose commitment to the characterization of this joyful puppet was captivating. A favorite moment of the show was during his song “In Summer”. There is a grand pause after his line “Winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle, but put me in summer and I’ll be a…” and a sweet little girl in the audience completed it by endearingly yelling, “A HAPPY snowman”! Reminding me of the awe the little ones were experiencing as the show played on.
Haymen’s rendition of “Let It Go” was another showstopping moment, closing act one. She was especially magical to watch as she brought the song to life, the notes sailing out effortlessly. Haymen gave Elsa a humble strength throughout, not commanding your attention but rather inviting it and leaving us grateful to have been given a glimpse into her world. Early on in the show, Pabbie, the forest king, predicts that “fear will be Elsa’s worst enemy”. I thought the whole cast did a beautiful job of bringing this theme of fear and freedom to life through the fullness of their choral performance and their dedication to the story. I was confident that the music was guiding me and I could sit back and be led. It was the fear that kept Elsa hidden and isolated, but it was through relationship and connection that she found her light, and it was crystal clear that this cast understood that. It was a truly well done production and I would highly recommend catching one of the 13 performances Lincoln is lucky to have!
If you go: Frozen runs at The Lied Center for Performing Arts August 15-24, 2025. Evening Performances on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 7PM, Matinees on Saturdays at 11AM and 4:30PM and Sundays at 1:30PM. Ticket information at https://www.liedcenter.org/
Emily Pynes is a marriage and family therapist on the weekdays, an inspired sanguine most days, and a lover of the arts always. She studied Theatre Performance at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film in her undergraduate, grateful for all the ways she learned about the impactful art of storytelling. She believes that it was this training that would eventually lead her to her current passion, sitting with people in their own stories and helping them find beauty, truth and goodness there.
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