I come from a family with a rich history in the arts. My aunts and uncles are amazing singers, my mom is the best singer in the world to me, and she has been fortunate and traveled the world because of theatre.
I come from a family of writers and poets. Coming up I was heavily involved in music and acting. I’ve also been in multiple musicals in middle and high school. Expressing myself through the arts has always been embedded in me, it’s always been something that has brought me joy.
Somewhere along the way I lost that love, and it goes without saying. But with COVID-19 being a factor in our lives for almost 3 years now, it’s been hard to experience the power of theatre. I’ve missed the emotion, the lights, the voices, the unanimous applause from a crowd all experiencing a scene at the same time. The gravitas of a solo coming from the heart of a performer whose tenacity and passion for the arts keep them going night after night.
I’ve missed that so much.
All of it came back when I went to see Disney’s FROZEN on Broadway at Wharton Center. The power of theatre in full force, even in times like these, it’s easy to forget how important it is for us to dream, imagine, and wonder.
I had the opportunity to bring my 10-year-old daughter who grew up on FROZEN, and she made us suffer through an infinite number of rewatches and countless renditions of “Let It Go”. This was her first time at the Wharton Center, and we got to experience this together.
On the way through the lobby, we are greeted by helpful and hospitable staff who seemed to be just as happy to see us as we were to be there.
As we sat in our seats amongst the crowd, we noticed that the stage and the lighting were breathtaking. As we eagerly anticipated the show to begin, I felt myself being transported back to my first love all over again.
From beginning to end, FROZEN was truly an unforgettable experience. From the musical numbers to the laughs, and to the emotion, it was something that I and everyone in the attendance needed.
As captivated as I was, I must admit that I spent some of those moments glancing over at my daughter and watching her eyes fill with joy as Anna, Olaf and Sven ran across the stage. I think what I loved the most about witnessing this event was seeing the diversity of the cast and the various cultures of people represented in the cast. What a time to be alive!
At the end of the FROZEN, the Wharton Center gave us an opportunity to have a brief chat with some of the cast members and ask them questions about the show. I asked actor Caroline Bowman, “What emotions did you draw from to play Elsa?”
She stated, “Well, first and foremost, I love Elsa. I understand the responsibility of playing her because she represents so much to so many people. There are some very deep and personal things that I pull from my life, and what I’ve gone through. She is so complex, and she makes me stronger as a woman, and playing her has made me fall into who I am more and what I have to offer to the world. It’s really empowering and a pleasure.”
My daughter also got to ask a question on how she was able to hit such high notes while singing! She got a wonderful response as well.
Needless to say, if you have the opportunity to see FROZEN at Wharton Center, go do it and take as many people with you as you can! Exposing your family to the arts is a wonderful and unforgettable experience. They handled the safety precautions so well, we felt very safe and protected during our time.
To the Wharton Center: I thank you for bringing this production here! It’s places like this that are a sanctuary for the arts and is a conduit to captivate our spirit and bring the magic of theatre into the hearts of people of all ages. |THIS.
[By Alex The Host]
