Here's something to look forward to - and cannily announced on National Siblings Day - Samantha Barks' Elsa has found her new little sis Anna in the form of Stephanie McKeon for the West End premiere of Frozen, due to reopen the refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane this autumn.
Disney Theatrical Productions have announced that Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon will play Elsa and Anna in Frozen when it reopens the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane later this year. The production opens on 11 November 2020, with previews from 30 October 2020, and has extended booking until 30 May 2021. With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen is directed by Michael Grandage.
Grandage said today:
“Frozen tells the story of two extraordinary women, and we’re thrilled to have found Samantha and Stephanie, who will bring their incredible talent to the roles of Elsa and Anna, allowing us to create a production of Frozen especially for London. Now more than ever, we’re looking forward to the day we can all get together in a rehearsal room to bring their story to the stage.”
Frozen – produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher – opened on Broadway in March 2018 and quickly established itself as the biggest musical hit of its season, nominated for the Tony Award® for Best Musical. In addition to the opening in London, the musical recently embarked on a North American tour, and new productions will open in Australia, Japan, and Hamburg.
Frozen was released in cinemas in 2013, winning multiple awards, including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”), the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and the BAFTA for Best Animated Film. It was written and directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Frozen 2, which debuted in November 2019, had the biggest ever opening for an animated film worldwide and is the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, owned and managed by LW Theatres, is closed until autumn 2020 for a landmark £60 million restoration project and will reopen as Frozen begins previews.
Frozen features choreography by Rob Ashford, set and costume design by Christopher Oram, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by Finn Ross, puppet design by Michael Curry, and musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus.
On #NationalSiblingsDay, sisterly news from @frozenlondon: @Steph_McKeon will play Anna opp @SamanthaBarks' Elsa in the musical's #WestEnd premiere, due to start 30 Oct at @TheatreRoyalDL. They've got the patter already!#GetSocial @StageFaves:https://t.co/D8kRjD6juy #ST #SF pic.twitter.com/nxL1hlKvhX
— Terri Paddock (@TerriPaddock) April 10, 2020
