BSC Theatre Dazzles with Set Design and Vocals in “Frozen: The Musical”

I attended the first showing of the Bismarck State College Theatre Department’s production of “Frozen: The Musical.” Last year, I had watched their last performance of “Anastasia” in the Sidney J. Lee Auditorium, so this was the first time I had seen a musical performance in the Advanced Technology Center’s Live Event Venue. 

I went to the musical with a friend and brought my boyfriend and his mom along. Although I am not the biggest fan of the movie “Frozen,” I was excited to see what a live performance of the movie would look like. What I watched was the fastest musical I have ever seen, with a short run-time and fast paced plot. Needless to say, I enjoyed it more than the movie. Still, it was a live performance. So, in short: the performances and set design carried the whimsy, though the technical aspects and sound design did not.

The positives of the performance outweighed the negatives—the acting and performances by cast members helped bring the magic to the audience. The young girls who played Elsa and Anna did an amazing job and showcased the different personalities of their characters well.

Schatzy Mosbrucker as Anna made the character feel real. Mosbrucker has a talent for acting and singing. Chameleonic and charming, the contrast between her role as Anastasia last year and Anna this year highlights her versatility as an actress and musical performer.

Kat Elrod stood out opposite Mosbrucker. Her hesitant demeanor was a strong representation of Elsa as the Ice Queen, a cold but accidental villain that is afraid to “let it go.” It is with the climax of the first act that Elrod proves her vocal skill with “Let It Go,” which caused much delight across the audience.

Other standout performances included Max Wild as Prince Hans, who did a good job playing a true villain despite this being his first time in a villainous role. His chemistry with Mosbrucker on stage worked well for this musical, just as it did for their roles in “Anastasia.” Isaac Peterchuk as Kristoff created much charm alongside Benjamin Wolff as Sven, who communicated through silly nods and facial expressions. Not to mention the bubbly attitude of Austin Saxowsky, who brought the snowman Olaf to life through his performance.

The technical crew should be mentioned for their time and dedication to the beautiful set design and creative decisions with the puppets of Olaf and Sven. Jack Golden, a BSC theatre alumnus, helped with the set design. The lighting and effects that were used at the climax of the second act added to the visual awe and wonder, creating that “Frozen” experience for the audience.

Although there were many strengths to the musical, some technical aspects had issues. Perhaps it was the new building that affected this, but the opening of the musical was very loud. It seemed too loud compared to past musicals in the Sidney J. Lee, though the loudness could have been a result of where I was specifically sitting. Other than that, the mic feedback at some points was harsh and even hurt the ears. All in all, some of the technical aspects surrounding the sound created a harsh listening experience, though this could also have been due to it being the first performance that weekend.

“Frozen: The Musical” was a good experience. It may not have had the same hold on me as “Anastasia” did last year, but it was at least better than the movie. Because Olaf annoys me a little less than he does in the movie, I can call this musical a good adaptation of “Frozen,” and I recommend that people check out the next production the BSC Theatre Department puts on in the future.