MANSFIELD — Performing in Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” is a role for which Beatrice Jones has been preparing her entire life.
All 10 years, that is.
“My mom and dad took my whole family (to see the Disney classic movie) when I was an infant. My whole childhood, me and my sister have been doing this little thing where we would actually re-enact (scenes),” Jones said.
“I would be little Anna and she would be Elsa and sometimes I would be little Elsa. Some of my first words were actually ‘Let It Go,’” she said, referring to the most well-known song from the 2013 movie.
Jones, a 10-year-old fourth-grade student at the Richland School of Academic Arts, is one of 40 local youngsters who will take to the stage Friday night at the Mansfield Playhouse, performing the junior version of the hit 2018 Broadway musical.
Naturally, Jones plays “little” Elsa in the story, which brings the magical land of Arendelle to life onstage.
The show features all of the memorable songs from the animated film, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, plus five new songs written for the stage production.
It’s not the Bellville youngster’s first time on the Playhouse stage, having performed as “Oompa Loompa No. 1” in September 2023 in ‘Willy Wonka Jr.”
Asked if she was more excited or nervous, Jones offered a stage veteran’s savvy response.
“I am very in between. I’m mostly excited, since this is my first really big role,” she said.
Sold out: ‘Frozen Jr.’ hottest ticket in town
Jones is not the only one excited. The entire community seems to be smitten for “Frozen Jr.,” which will be the first time the show has been done at the Mansfield Playhouse.
How can you tell?
The initial two weekends of shows at the 269-seat theater sold out a week before the show was scheduled to open.
Artistic Director Doug Wertz and theater manager Tammy Wertz quickly worked to successfully secure the rights and pay the royalties for a third weekend.
The show will now stage at 7 p.m. on Jan. 26 and 27; Feb. 2, 3, 9 and 10; and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 4 and 11. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Wertz, who has been around the Mansfield Playhouse for nearly half a century, said he could not recall a main stage show selling out all scheduled performances — five days before the curtain opens.
“I just think it’s the popularity of the show itself,” Doug Wertz said. “We all know that all the little girls wanna be Elsa or Anna. Frozen is such a wonderful musical, and frankly, I think that it’s a lot of the music that has helped it become such a favorite.”
“We did try to put on this show in the past. It seemed like there was always something that came up for one reason or another that we weren’t able to do it. The rights were pulled because of traveling shows or somebody else in the area was doing it,” he said.
Wertz said it’s been a pleasure to work with 40 talented area youngsters, some of whom are experiencing community theater for the first time. He said 110 children auditioned for show.
“I think it’s so much fun because we keep them busy and we keep them involved and engaged. That’s really the key. But it’s also, I think, keeping us on our toes to make sure that we are doing things that keep them engaged, being instructional, sharing knowledge and, and watching them grow,” Wertz said.
“I think the encouragement all the way through is such a positive experience that they want to be engaged,” the veteran director said.
‘Anna just resonates well with me’
One of the “veterans” in the cast is Kadelyn Becker, a 17-year-old Lexington High School senior. She grew up watching the “Frozen” movie and fell in love with the Anna character that she plays in the show.
“Frozen was one of my favorite movies ever,” Becker said. “I watched it so much growing up when it came out and Anna just resonates well with me. I love her character.
“She’s so full of joy and excitement and she’s energized throughout the whole thing. She’s eager to meet new people and to see this new life that she’s not used to seeing. I just love her excitement and energy and also her ambition and drive she has for the people she loves,” Becker said.
Becker, who plans to major in speech pathology in college, said she has enjoyed her first Mansfield Playhouse show since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I feel like it’s been great, getting onto the stage, getting the blocking down. It’s been nice to meet new people because I haven’t done stuff here for awhile. I didn’t know a ton of these people before, but we have all gotten along well and it’s been nice,” Becker said.
Madison High School student enjoys quick turnaround
Gage Workman, a 16-year-old Madison Comprehensive High School junior, literally just stepped off the Playhouse stage. He was “young” Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” in December and is Kristoff in “Frozen Jr.”
“I’ve been doing shoes here pretty much straight for a year,” Workman said. “Getting back into a junior show is always fun.
“I like working with the younger kids and being part of fun shows. Helping to teach the younger kids about theater, proper theater etiquette, where to enter … everything like that.
“It’s truly a rewarding process and once you’re done, they look up to you. When I was younger, someone helped me. You always have to have that person who helps you get started,” Workman said.
His character in “Frozen Jr.” is a “laid-back, relaxed type of dude,” Workman said.
“He’s really a loving fellow. He’s got a big heart, but at the same time, he’s relaxed. He is going where the wind takes him. It’s been fun trying to bring that character out and I’m excited to do it for an audience,” he said.
Wertz said the key to success in youth productions is to not handle them any differently than adult shows.
“I say this to a lot of parents, but just because its a kids’ show, we don’t treat it any different. We want to make it a true theatrical experience for the kids. It’s all about the experience.”
‘Frozen Jr.’ cast and crew
Cast
Gwyneth Jones — Sven
Kadelyn Becker — Anna
Madelyn Shafley — Mid-Anna/Snow Chorus #2
Breckelle Miller — Young Anna/Hidden Folk
Sophia Parsons — Elsa
Lydia McFadden — Mid-Elsa/Summer Chorus
Beatrice Jones — Young Elsa/Hidden Folk
Michael McDonnell — Bishop/Hidden Folk
Adon Burton — Weselton
Gage Workman — Kristoff
Tyson Edmunds — Bulda
Estel Bramlage — Pabbie/Summer Chorus
Taylor Beasely — Queen Idena/Oaken’s wife
Drake Ramey — King Agnarr/Hidden Folk
JT Viscioni — Hans
Graycen Stevens — Olaf
Landon Parsons — Oaken
Gage Anderson — Townspeople/butler/guard
Kinley Clow — Handmaiden/Hidden Folk/Oaken solo #1
Kara Bradley — Snow Chorus #2
Delta Davis — Snow Chorus #1
Braxton Edmunds — Townspeople
Oliver Jones — Townspeople/Oaken Family
Briner McCready — Townspeople/Summer Chorus
Julianne Kinnunen — Townspeople/housekeeper
Josephine Foster — Cook/Hidden Folk/Oaken Solo #2
Morgyn Beasely — Housekeeper/Snow Chorus #2
Clair Davisson — Snow Chorus #1
Violent Bringman — Townspeople
Rose Ellen Talbot — Snow Chorus #1
Logan Rush-Kirsop — Townspeople/Summer Chorus
Elijah Burton — Townspeople
Kenan Burton — Townspeople
Julia Burton — Snow Chorus #1
Quinn Getz — Summer Chorus/Snow Chorus #2
Sophie Sheppard — Snow Chorus #1
Sawyer Beasely — Townspeople/Sum Chor/steward/guard
Hardtley Roig — Townspeople
Justice McCraney — Townspeople
Selah Wolbert — Townspeople
Crew
Costumes — Linda Newman and Tori O’Brien, assisted by Elizabeth Newman, Christy Landon, Katie Getz and Jessica Ney.
Puppet creation — Linda Newman and Elizabeth Newman
Props — JT Viscioni, Katie Getz and Doug Wertz
Booth operators — Jeff Pyzocha, Cici Kettering and Grace Ankrum
Director — Doug Wertz
Music direction — Kim Wolbert
Choreography — Alayna Ross
Sponsors
This show is sponsored by Mechanics Bank and Park National Bank, along with a grant from the Carl and Anna Marie Fernyak Fund of the Richland County Foundation.