NEW YORK (AP) — The upcoming stage adaptation of “Frozen” has found its sisters Anna and Elsa — they’ll be played by two Broadway veterans in Patti Murin and Cassie Levy.
Disney Theatrical Productions unveiled the pair Monday. Levy has starred on Broadway in “Ghost,” ”Wicked” and the 2014 revival of “Les Miserables.” Murin starred on the Great White Way in “Lysistrata Jones” and “Xanadu.”
The duo will be joined by Jelani Alladin as Kristoff, Greg Hildreth as Olaf, John Riddle as Hans and Robert Creighton as the Duke of Weselton. Rob Ashford has also joined a choreographer, replacing Christopher Gattelli.
The husband-and-wife songwriting team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who wrote music for the blockbuster 2013 film, is returning to work on the stage show, and Jennifer Lee, co-director and screenwriter of the film, is writing the story. Michael Grandage is directing.
The show will debut at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in August. It is expected to land on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in 2018 beside Disney hits “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,
Also in Broadway news…
NEW YORK (AP) — Producers of the Broadway show “Groundhog Day” said the musical will open Monday night with star Andy Karl once again leading the cast despite having to miss the previous show after tweaking his knee.
Karl hurt himself during a preview performance Friday, forcing the cancellation of Saturday’s matinee. An understudy filled in for him at the Friday-night performance. The show, at the August Wilson Theatre, doesn’t run on Sundays.
“Groundhog Day” is based on the much-loved 1993 movie about a jaded weatherman forced to live the same day over, with Karl starring in the Bill Murray role of Phil Connors, a part Karl originated in London and won an Olivier Award as best actor in a musical.
