Brendan Kennedy feels like Richmonders could use a trip to Arendelle — think Disney’s Frozen — this summer to escape the heat and humidity.
He’s happy to make that happen during Arts To All’s production of Frozen: The Broadway Musical, playing at at the Love Jennison Family Theatre at St. Catherine’s School. The show, which runs August 6, 7, and 8, is a collaboration between the Brilliant Summer Program at St. Catherine’s and Arts to All.
“As this summer program has continued to grow, we’ve wanted to produce shows that truly bring generations together,” says Kennedy, Arts to All founder and director of the production. “Frozen is one of those rare musicals that children, parents, grandparents, and theater lovers can all enjoy together.”
A Bigger, Bolder Production
From a production standpoint, Frozen is significantly larger than last year’s production of Legally Blonde.
“Everything has grown. The cast is larger, the sets are more ambitious, the costumes are more elaborate, and the lighting and technical elements are on another level,” Kennedy says. “Our production team has grown tremendously over the past year, and Frozen felt like the right show to take that next big step.”
The Heart Behind Arts To All
Kennedy founded Arts To All because he believes everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the performing arts, whether they’re on stage or in the audience.
“At its heart, Arts To All is about using theater to bring people together,” he says.
Two Casts, Twice the Magic
This year’s production has just under 40 performers, ranging from young children to college students to adults.
Vocal ability was important because Frozen has such an iconic score, “but we were looking for much more than that,” Kennedy says. “We wanted performers who could tell the story with authenticity and emotion. The relationship between Anna and Elsa is the heart of the show, so chemistry, acting ability, and storytelling were just as important as singing.”
One of the biggest surprises for Kennedy during auditions was the amount of talent that came through the door.
“We had so many exceptional performers that we made the decision to double-cast several of our principal roles. This year we’ll have both a Purple Cast (performing August 6 at 7:30 p.m. and August 8 at 2 p.m.) and a Blue Cast (performing August 7 at 7:30 p.m. and August 8 at 7:30 p.m.),” Kennedy says. “Each cast has its own Anna, Elsa, and several other featured characters.”
The decision to use two casts wasn’t made because Kennedy couldn’t choose just one cast.
“It was because we genuinely had two groups of performers who deserved the opportunity to bring these roles to life. Audiences can expect two incredibly talented casts, each offering their own interpretation of these beloved characters,” he says.
Building the World of Arendelle
Chase Kniffen, a veteran of Richmond theater, serves as the scenic designer for the show.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have him back on this production,” Kennedy says. “Chase has created some really exciting ice effects and visual surprises that I think are going to leave audiences asking, ‘how did they do that?’”
Several of the show’s theatrical moments are “magical,” he adds. “We’re excited for audiences to experience the world of Arendelle as it comes to life.”
Bar West is returning as the official restaurant partner after such a successful collaboration during Legally Blonde.
“They’ll once again create a themed menu inspired by the show, giving audiences another fun way to make a full evening out of their theater experience,” Kennedy says.
For tickets, go to https://www.st.catherines.org/arts/box-office.
