Just Right for Winter – Frozen at The Paper Mill Playhouse

Dec 5, 2025 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

Frozen, the Disney Musical, playing at The Paper Mill Playhouse through January 11th, retells a timeless classic as orphaned princesses, Elsa (Mary Kate Morrissey) and Anna (Samantha Williams), face the world alone. Elsa has magic powers, which she must keep a secret. To avoid harming her sister, she hides behind a locked door, shutting the castle off from the world until her coronation. Unfortunately, during the festivities, Elsa unleashes her magic, plunging the town into perpetual winter. She flees to be alone, but Anna follows her, aided by Kristoff (Daniel Yearwood), an ice merchant, and his reindeer Sven (Thomas Whitcomb).

A Heartwarming Story

When they were younger, Elsa conjured a snowman, whom they named Olaf, who was a little bit of both of them. Later, after their parents are lost at sea, the talented young Anna (Anjali Roa) sings the classic ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?’, imploring Elsa to open the door, come out, and play with her.

In Disney fairytale tradition, Olaf (played by the talented and funny Todd Buonopane) comes alive and becomes the central character, a snowman who likes warm hugs because some people are worth melting for. He explains the meaning of love, “Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours, like you know how Kristoff brought you back here to Hans and left you forever.”

Frozen tells a delightful, heartwarming story filled with memorable songs, dances, and athleticism, which are captivating and charming. It is the perfect family entertainment. We noted many girls, decked out in Frozen dresses, hair with a streak like Anna, in the audience.

Performance Perfection

Frozen delivered a Broadway-quality performance in the heart of New Jersey. The performers are world-class, as demonstrated by their extensive acting credits, including Broadway. It was a privilege to be in the audience, experiencing the magic of Disney’s Frozen at our local stage. Gracing the stage were the outstanding vocals from Morrissey and Williams, supported by a star-studded cast whose perfect chemistry lit the night, and their synergy with Yearwood and Buonopane was magical.

This was a top-notch cast, down to the youngest performers, Anjali Roa, young Anna, and Hazel Vogel, young Elsa. When the girls appeared on stage, the audience let out a collective ‘Ahh’. This pair of child actresses is so talented. We look forward to watching them mature on stage in the years to come.

Act One packs a punch, setting the stage for the internal drama about to unfold. Anna, desperate for human company, prepares to fall in love, while Elsa fears her first encounter with the Townspeople since her parents’ disappearance. Captivated as the familiar story unfolds, ending with Elsa’s iconic song ‘Let it Go.’

Act Two opens delightfully with Hygge, a Danish and Norwegian word and cultural concept that roughly translates to a quality of comfort and coziness, where the ensemble appears in beach attire, dancing up a storm, as Anna and Kristoff prepare to head into the mountains in search of Elsa. The heart-wrenching struggle between the sisters’ desire to connect, with townspeople approaching to capture Elsa in the background, led by Hans of Southern Isles (Sam Gravitte) and Weselton (Mark Price). A chase ensues in a highly stylised dance sequence, where the characters race against time to connect.

The ending is happily ever after, in classic Disney style, true love wins out, but with an unexpected twist.

Fall In Love Again 

“Frozen,” based on the Disney movie, premiered on Broadway in 2018, featuring music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with the book by Jennifer Lee. This performance at The Papermill Playhouse provides additional intimacy and a small-town feel.

We fell in love with Frozen all over again.

Frozen is packed with familiar songs that bring back memories. This timeless classic, complete with a happily ever after ending, humour, and chase scenes, is the perfect family-friendly way to enter a New Year, filled with opportunities and optimism.

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Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

Frozen received 5 Challahs

Running Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

Performances Through – through January 11, 2026