Broadway “Frozen” to launch North American tour in Schenectady

Schenectady—”Frozen,” the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, will launch a North American tour in the fall of 2019, commencing at Proctors in Schenectady during the 2019-20 season. Information regarding casting, engagement dates and how to purchase groups and single tickets will be announced at a later time. 

 

For information or to register for advance ticket access notifications, visit FrozenTheMusical.com/Tour, Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.”Frozen” has quickly emerged as the biggest musical hit of the current Broadway season, smashing two long-standing St. James Theatre house records since opening in March. 

The pedigreed original creative team – including the Academy Award®-winning writing trio of composer/lyricists Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and book writer Jennifer Lee, along with Tony Award-winning director Michael Grandage, Tony-winning choreographer Rob Ashford, Tony-winning scenic and costume designer Christopher Oram, Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, Tony-nominated sound designer Peter Hylenski, Tony-winning video designer Finn Ross, Drama Desk Award-nominated puppet designer Michael Curry and Tony winning music supervisor Stephen Oremus – will again collaborate to bring the tour to vivid life.

 

In addition to Tony nominations for Best Score, Best Book and Best Musical, “Frozen” also received a Best Musical nomination from the Drama League and Best Musical and Best Score nods among its four Outer Critics Circle nominations.

 

This new “Frozen” will join North American tours of “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” currently crisscrossing the continent.

 

The Broadway smash musical will utilize the Upstate New York Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit. The 25% tax credit is extended to producers of touring musical and theatrical productions who launch such tours from a qualified upstate theatre, including Proctors in Schenectady, thus providing valuable economic stimulus to host venue communities through temporary employment, lodging, dining, transportation and tourism. This program has the potential to financially sustain New York’s regional theatres during months when there is typically little activity and houses are often dark.

 

“Frozen” will create an artistic and anticipated economic boon for upstate New York, as the tour will tech at Proctors for multiple weeks, in preparation for its public performances. A show’s tech period, generally requiring between two and four weeks, is the phase in its development when the production is readied for launch—a large venue is rented to facilitate the assembly of sets; costumes are fitted; performance cues are choreographed; and microphone frequencies are coordinated.  Once the tech period concludes, the show will hold several performances at the venue and typically stimulates hundreds of thousands of dollars of supplemental economic activity through ancillary audience spending. Additionally, “Frozen’s” cast, crew and locally-hired stagehands will patronize area hotels, restaurants and other businesses during the time when they will live and work in the city. 

 

“Frozen” will be the second tour mounted in Schenectady by Disney Theatrical Productions; the first was the North American tour of “Newsies,” which launched at Proctors in October 2014 and created approximately 155 temporary jobs, including the cast, crew, musicians, administration and other personnel in the City of Schenectady. 

 

“Frozen” opened too critical acclaim this past March with the New York Post raving, “Disney’s struck gold! Sumptuous sets, gorgeous costumes and plenty of special effects to wow the audience!” The New Yorker calls “Frozen,” “thrilling” and “genuinely moving” and applauds its “inspired stagecraft;” Newsday writes, “the show has all the makings of a serious megahit” and The Telegraph declares, “Frozen” will burn up Broadway for years to come!” 

 

“’Frozen’s’ songs shine!” exclaims the Daily News. People writes that the dozen new songs by Oscar^®-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez “blend seamlessly with favorites like ‘Love Is an Open Door’ and ‘For the First Time in Forever,’” from “Elsa’s earth-shattering anthem ‘Monster’” to “Anna’s 11 o’clock heartbreaker ‘True Love’ that…will have you reaching for the tissues.” 

 

To download “Frozen” production photos and b-roll, visit http://press.frozenthemusical.com. 

 

“Frozen,” a full-length stage work told in two acts, is the first and only incarnation of the tale that expands upon and deepens its indelible plot and themes through new songs and story material from the film’s creators; in fact, this new stage production features more than twice as much music as the film.  Like the Disney Theatrical Broadway musicals that have come before it, it is a full evening of theatre running over two hours.

 

The “Frozen” Original Broadway Cast Recording, featuring an expanded orchestra of 44 and exclusive bonus content, is now available digitally everywhere by Walt Disney Records. The physical album will be available on Friday, June 8, 2018 wherever music is sold and can be pre-ordered here. 

 

Based on the 2013 film written by a trio of Oscar winners, “Frozen” features music and lyrics by the creators of the film score Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Up Here, Winnie the Pooh, In Transit) and EGOT-winner Robert Lopez (Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, Up Here) and a book by Jennifer Lee (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph), the film’s screenwriter and director (with Chris Buck). “Frozen” won 2014 Oscars for Best Song (“Let It Go”) and Best Animated Feature.  

 

“Frozen’s” director is Michael Grandage, a Tony Award winner (Red) and director of three Olivier Award-winning Outstanding Musicals (Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel and Guys and Dolls), and Rob Ashford, Tony Award winner (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and multiple Tony and Olivier Award nominee, is choreographer. 

 

The design team for “Frozen” includes scenic and costume design by two-time Tony and Olivier Award winner Christopher Oram (Wolf Hall Parts 1 & 2, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Evita), lighting design by six-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Aladdin; Hello Dolly!; An American in Paris), sound design by four-time Tony nominee Peter Hylenski (The Scottsboro Boys, Motown, After Midnight), video design by Tony winner Finn Ross (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), puppet design by Michael Curry (The Lion King, Spamalot), hair design by David Brian Brown (War Paint, She Loves Me), makeup design by Anne Ford-Coates (On Your Feet!; On the Twentieth Century) and special effects design by Jeremy Chernick (Aladdin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

 

Two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Oremus (“Avenue Q,” “Wicked,” “The Book of Mormon”) is music supervisor and creates vocal, incidental and dance arrangements. He is joined on the music team by Tony nominee Dave Metzger (orchestrations), Chris Montan (executive music producer), David Chase (additional dance arrangements) and Brian Usifer (music director).

                                                 

“Frozen” is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. 

 

“Frozen” at Proctors is part of the Key Private Bank Broadway Series.