Local High School Welcomes Winter with Frozen Jr. Production

Doylestown, PA—If you are ready for some family fun and feel the urge to hear the heartwarming (albeit gut wrenching) lyrics of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” live, and in-person, then go online to purchase the last few tickets of Frozen Jr., a local production by the theatre students at Central Bucks High School East who call themselves the “CB East Patriot Players.” Based on the Book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen Jr. is a shortened version of Frozen and was adapted for the stage by Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez. The show opens this Friday night, November 19th, at 7:30 pm, there is also an evening show on Saturday night. Additionally, there will be two matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm.

Alicia Sehn, the Patriot Players’ Producer stated, “We love doing family shows! As soon as the rights were released for Frozen Jr. we knew the community would love bringing their families to see a production of it. It is a great way to expose young kids to the art of theatre and spark an interest in the arts at a young age.”

Step one is getting over the “cute factor” of the sweet actors who play Young Anna and Young Elsa. Remy Mayo and Patsy Kushnier are both students attending local elementary schools. They are adorable, believable, and have the maturity of voice to belt out the lyrics with a confidence that would surely make Kristen Bell smile. I asked Patsy if she liked seeing the movie Frozen when she was younger and she stated, “Oh yes, I was obsessed with it! I have all the books!” During our conversation we talked about the theme of the production. Patsy said, “I have two sisters, one is younger and one is older, this story is really about falling apart and coming back together again.” Remy agreed with Patsy and chimed in, “The message of this play is that you can always make up with someone, find the time to fix your differences, even if you think things have fallen apart.” I could have talked to these two for hours, their fifth-grade wisdom transcends the footlights and their energy was palpable!

Settling into the performance, there is a rhythm that is established by the older Anna, and this paces the cast. Anna is played by Angelina Mancuso. She gives a strong performance and appears to be ûber comfortable on stage. Her comedic timing is a perfect balance to her voice talent, as she delivers her lines with ease and grace. Angelina is a kinesthetic communicator and during her duet with Hans, she dances seamlessly around him making it obvious she is in her element.

Gone are the fair damsels in distress, the young ladies who were not capable of protecting themselves and relied on a knight in shining armor for help and protection. Instead, in this story, there is not an evil villain getting in the way of romantic love, just for the sake of having a character play the antagonist. Instead, we see self-awareness take hold under the spotlight, and get to explore what it might be like to have a sister who you pine to be with. For those of us who are only children, or who grew up without a sister, the story unfolds with an emotional tempo that takes us along for the journey; we suffer the losses along with Anna and then we feel empowered when we observe the joy of their reconciliation.

Frozen Jr. depicts sisterhood, and all the complications that come with it. Siblings experience every stage of your life alongside you; they get dragged down by your failures and are elevated with your triumphs. Sisters tend to be your partner in crime, as well as your most ruthless critic, and show up as your biggest fan, right when you need them. Angelina has two older sisters and stated, “This production significantly reminds me of them. I have always been really close to my sisters and being the youngest, I look up to them in every way. During the pandemic, we were living together again for the first time in years, and it was so much fun to have the opportunity to see them every day, goof around with them, and have family dinners.”

Elsa, played by Hazen Gotschal connected with the storyline because of her close bond with her brother Jonathan. He’s away at college, but they talk often and Hazen even admitted, “I turn first to my brother for advice and to talk things through, and I have been able to channel that experience into my character.”

Maybe it was because it has been a very long time, almost 20 months, since I have seen a live production, but, for me, this performance generated several goose bump moments such as the point when Elsa sings “Let it Go,” and the snow chorus gracefully floats around her like gentle snowflakes juxtaposed with the harsh, constraining ice castle backdrop. The set is crisp and majestic, and the crew working behind the scenes made the rehearsal seem flawless. There are several wow elements and clever special effects, but you will have to get a ticket to observe them in person. Let's just say, when you leave the auditorium after experiencing this performance, you will be better prepared for the holidays.

As an exploration of feminism, Frozen Jr. touches on this theme in a way that most Disney musicals have not. A steadfast optimist, Anna decides to locate her sister Elsa by herself and to try and undo the eternal winter the kingdom is under thanks to her sister’s ineffectiveness to control her powers. Anna finds her own assertiveness when she enlists the help of the reluctant Kristoff and Sven, his reindeer companion. Throughout the play, Anna goes from being an erratic, and innocent character to one that realizes the importance of family and eventually understanding what true love really is. How great is it to see a female character evolve into an empowered figure without having to showcase superhuman warrior strengths?

When the deepness of the themes get too heavy, Olaf, played by Phillip Schneller, provides some comic relief. Realizing how essential his character is to the premise and storyline, Phillip stated “It’s interesting to play such an important character, Olaf gets to pivot and have fun and deliver the message about being grateful and being loving to all in his life.” Considered the symbol of Anna and Elsa’s sisterly love, Olaf famously and poignantly states one of my favorite lines of the franchise, "Some people are worth melting for." The cast of Frozen Jr. makes sure we all know that in the end, family love and loyalty prevails.

The Patriot Players’ Director, Sasha Eisenberg said, “Theatre can help prepare students for the demands of high school, college, and more! Beyond performing and learning technical crew skills, students learn how to manage their time, speak with confidence in front of a group, and work with others as a team member for a greater goal.”

When asked about the generous support her team has provided to The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center by letting the museum set up a display in the lobby during the performances, Sasha stated, “The Patriot Players are very proud to be a part of the Bucks County musical theatre tradition! Our home has a rich history and we are thrilled to support the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center. I am personally inspired by the talent, dedication, and passion of our theatrical community in Bucks County. I strongly believe in the power of theatre to bring us together and celebrate as a community. Theatre education is life education!”

Christopher Villante, the Choir Director for CB East grew up in the area and stated, "I actually attended CB East as a student. I was aware even then that Rodgers and Hammerstein were not just a famous and influential pairing in musical theater, but that they also had a connection to this area. It’s hard to describe how neat it is to sing the line 'the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye' and know exactly where they were when they wrote it and what they saw!"

Frozen Jr. is the full package, from the elaborate costumes to the magical set, the talent to be showcased over the weekend on this local stage will take your breath away. Oscar Hammerstein, if you are watching from the heavens, grab some popcorn and enjoy! Congratulations to the entire cast of this production including: Eva Fiander, Sarah Santucci, Caeli Coyle, Molly Pecic, Blake Aspinwall, Reagan Hollingsworth, Remy Mayo, Patsy Kushnier, Jason Rackas, Ari Gelb, Keira Corcoran, Claire Parker, Rishi Nair, Sophie Derstine, Alex Levinson, Jack Arnstein, Angelina Mancuso, Hazen Gotschal, Lucas Badger, Ryan Fean, Griffin Bauer, Jonathan Pham, Jack Tompson, Phillip Schneller, Kaitlyn Borden, Nadia Hendrixson, Kate O’Donnell, Claire Parker, Amelia Alfiero, Hanna Balcerek, Tooba Kahn, Sophia Piechotta, Shelby Saldan, Lily Schweder, Emily Barchard, Kennedy Bayliss, Emma Bostic, Brooke Dougherty, Jordana Keyser, Olivia Russ, Geoffrey Schurer, and Corrinne Shisler.

All great performances need the support of a well-organized and talented tech crew, and this group does not disappoint! Congratulations to: Haley Kloss, Vraj Kothari, Taylor Newman, Jason Rackas, Tara Beagelman, Marissa Ballew, Kaitlyn Walters, Charlotte Brock, Sierra Graziosi, Sophia Bocchino, Charlotte Brock, Aiden Chappell, Jacob Chavez, Elise Delaporte, Lily Freeman, Shaelyn Feledick, Katie Grexa, Julia Pfeifer, Zane Brumfield, Jaclyn Dalby, Sophie Derstein, Caroline Gutch, Nadia Kadi, Conner Nace, Talya Slezak, Kaylee Tener, Sophie Destine, Ainsley Dobbins, Jason Rackas, Mackenzie Hopkins, George Layre, Conner Nace, Nathan Mutchler, Brady Reiner, and Nate Collie.

Click here to purchase tickets for Frozen Jr.

Those interested in helping to #SaveOscarsHome can contribute here to the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center.