“Let It Go”: Paramount’s remarkable regional premiere of “Frozen” thaws the hardest of hearts

Photos provided by Liz Lauren

The moment “Frozen” leapt off the movie screen to stages all across America and West End, it was met by endless public praises and the buzz is picking up all over again surrounding the Paramount Theatre’s regional premiere of the gargantuan production.

In fact, demand is so substantial, the musical is slated for a whopping twelve weeks, through Sunday, January 19, marking the longest stretch in the history of the Paramount Broadway Series, while giving families and folks of really any age in Aurora or the neighboring suburbs an extremely affordable alternative to trucking downtown, complete with its very own location of Christkindlmarket right down the road at RiverEdge Park.

Much of the magic comes from the Disney story itself, though the world-class venue does a breathtaking job recreating the snowy set pieces, intricate costumes and a multitude of special effects, while perhaps most importantly, assembling a knockout cast consisting of co-leads Emily Kristen Morris as Elsa and Beth Stafford Laird as Anna, plus Adam Fane (Sven), Christian Andrews (Kristoff), Jake DiMaggio Lopez (Hans) and Ryan Stajmiger (Olaf).

The near two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza actually begins with Young Elsa, a role shared on alternating dates between Everleigh Murphy and Genevieve Jane, and Young Anna, portrayed by either Elowen Murphy and Avelyn Choi, growing up together in a royal family.

Unfortunately, they quickly discover Elsa’s uncontrollable, supernatural powers of instantly being able to turn anything to ice, and as a result, their parents ban them from interacting for the sake of physical safety.

The fable soon fast-forwards to the future to find an adult Elsa ruling the kingdom of Arendelle and reuniting with Anna at the coronation, where they attempt to mend fences over their estrangement and simultaneously navigate the latter’s rapidly blossoming engagement.

However, there are some complexities throughout both their reunion and the subsequent romance, especially when it comes to Elsa’s abilities unintentionally reeking havoc on everyone around her, including Anna.

In moments of peace or peril, increasingly iconic songs such as “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?,” “For The First Time In Forever,” “Love Is An Open Door,” and of course, “Let It Go” are as awesome and unforgettable as ever, emitting enough warmth to thaw the hardest of hearts.

Luckily, sisterhood prevails throughout these many painful periods of self-discovery, making this a classic coming of age tale, filled with forgiveness and embracing various forms of true love, which are extra timely subjects surrounding the holidays to make “Frozen” a gift that keeps on giving.

“Frozen” continues at the Paramount Theatre through Sunday, January 19. For additional details, visit ParamountAurora.com.