Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on November 19, 2020.

“Colder by the moment. It’s a blizzard! I can’t see anything!” were some of the lines at the Floyd Community Theatre Guild’s Sunday performance of Frozen Jr. The play’s theme and urgency to save a fantasy kingdom from a magical deep freeze seemed to fit the reality of the day. Words were spoken and songs were sung as gusts of wind whipped onto the Chantilly Farm stage.

It was the guild’s first performance since the coronavirus hit in March, an outdoor performance in accordance with pandemic guidelines. “We did it just in time,” said the show’s director, Emily Gruver. Gruver, who is the director of the June Bug Center where the productions are usually held, was referring to Governor Northam’s coronavirus restriction of a 25-person gathering cap, which was set to go in effect the following day.

After a Friday evening performance and a Saturday afternoon one that was performed under blue skies and attended by over 100 people, Frozen Jr. went on against all odds.

Sunday’s challenges included the guild’s double-sided, wheeled set dividers blowing offstage before the show and strong winds causing the mics to go in and out during the performance.

Still, with energetic emotion and humor, and in colorful detailed costumes, seventeen young actors played the parts of Princesses Anna and Elsa at different ages, Olaf the snowman, Kristoff the iceman, Sven the reindeer and more. As with Disney’s 2013 animated Frozen, which the play was adapted from, there were troll healers, love interests, a plot twist betrayal and a coronation.

Scenes were complete with all the most popular and recognizable original music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez from the Disney film. Ensemble dance routines were also a highlight.

“The kids were great. They adapted really well to the last-minute block changes (positions and movements on stage that the loss of set designs required),” said Gruver. About the stormy weather, “They kept saying, ‘it’s the theme!’” she added.  Everyone was relieved that it didn’t rain, as was forecasted.

“An act of love can thaw a broken heart,” was another line and a theme of the musical.  Judging by the crowd’s response to the show, hearts were warmed by the performances and the resiliency of the actors and crew.  Sitting on lawn chairs and wrapped in blankets, audience members rose for a standing ovation at the close of the show.

_____________Our World Tuesday