‘Frozen Jr.’ showcases DUSD’s young talent
Leilanie Rose Peele as Elsa and Keely Newman as Anna. (Photo by Alistair Hunter)
DOWNEY — Downey Unified School District and the Downey Foundation for Educational Opportunities collaborated on the successful DFEO Musical Theatre Summer Intensive, which culminated in two student performances and two free public performances of the musical “Frozen Jr.” at Stauffer Middle School.
The Musical Theatre Summer Intensive is the brainchild of DUSD’s Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator Russ Heinke and Stauffer Middle School drama teacher Andrea Pyle, former director of the successful after-school Downey Musical Theatre Conservatory.
When Pyle stepped down from her role as director and essentially the producer of MTC this past year to spend more time with her children and family, MTC did not continue. It was basically a scheduling conflict.
Enter the impressive Russ Heinke, the new Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator, who spent time with Pyle to understand what MTC was and why it didn’t continue. In May, Heinke offered up the idea: “What about during the summer?”
Pyle jumped at the idea. “It’s my dream job,” she told me.
If Pyle is the director and producer of MTSI, then Heinke and Superintendent Dr. Roger Brossmer are the executive producers. On very short notice, they created MTSI as a summer school program from 8 a.m. to noon at Stauffer, open to all of DUSD’s incoming sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students. Seventy-seven students auditioned and 44 were selected, ranging in age from 10 to 13 years old.
When DUSD built the new gymnasiums at the middle schools, it had a plan to convert the gyms into theater space. DUSD staff laid a cover on the floor and used pipes and drapes to curtain off the gym walls, creating space for an audience of more than 250 in front of the stage. Stauffer summer school principal Iris Mara and vice principal Caitlin Vara scheduled the summer school gym exclusively for MTSI to rehearse and perform.
Three additional certificated teachers were brought on board: Downey High School drama teacher Chris Nelson to teach acting, Downey High School band teacher Oswaldo Zarate to teach vocals, and Sussman’s Monica Ulloa to choreograph and teach dance.
One of our community volunteer heroes, Jeff Toussieng, volunteered his lighting equipment, designed and hung lights, built set pieces, and ran lights. He also created a little magic that delighted the audience. He installed a couple of snow blowers above the stage, using dry snow that fell evenly across the stage and melted dry.
He’s been volunteering and doing this for DUSD middle school drama teachers for years.
Pyle secured the rights from MTI and ordered costumes to fit from New York.
The stunning backdrops were ordered from China and remarkably arrived in time thanks to Heinke.
Kirsi Newman as Young Anna, Olivia Pyle as Young Elsa. (Photo by Alistair Hunter)
Five of Pyle’s former students volunteered as stage managers: Gema Flores Ramirez, Maggie Robleto, Morgan Barrick, Sebastian Velasco and Malu Lomeli.
“We’ve had a few wild weeks,” Pyle said while introducing the performances, “but I knew these kids could do it.”
Day 1 of MTSI was spent getting to know each other. On Day 2, students auditioned for roles and two casts of 22 were selected. Day 3 of summer school was Day 1 of rehearsals, with the Anna cast rotating through the three teachers in acting, vocals and dance while the Elsa cast rehearsed with Pyle for two hours. Then they switched.
By Day 12, they were in dress rehearsal. The first performance by the Anna cast on Day 13 was for summer school students in the morning and for the public in the afternoon.
That’s intense.
Disney’s “Frozen” debuted on Broadway in 2018. The stage adaptation expands the 2013 animated film into two acts with additional music. “Frozen Jr.” is the play with the music adapted for younger voices.
The story is simple. In the beautiful mountainous kingdom of Arendelle, Princesses Anna and Elsa grow up sheltered inside their castle, isolated from the world and increasingly distant from each other. When Elsa is crowned queen, the magical powers she’s desperately tried to conceal from her sister take control, and she flees into the mountains. As a ferocious winter descends on Arendelle, Anna sets off on an epic journey to find Elsa and bring her home, with the help of hardworking ice harvester Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and a happy-go-lucky snowman named Olaf.
School programs that have two casts are often complicated and very difficult to decipher. The program for the production was professional, listing both casts, musical numbers and production staff, with photos of the staff and each student alphabetically by first name, cast bios, and the DUSD board and superintendent. There were even asterisks to indicate who was double-cast within the cast.
The Stauffer gymnasium was packed, with standing room only. Board member Nancy Swenson, who has served 21 years on the board, and former board member Donald La Plante, who served 41 years on the DUSD board, were in attendance.
I saw the performance by the Anna cast.
Truth is, I have never been a fan of “Frozen,” the animated film. Maybe I just missed something in the beginning. But it never struck home with me and I don’t remember much about it. Actually, nothing.
That being said, my granddaughter loves it. Apparently she’s not alone.
And I was surprised.
This entire cast was a joy to watch. They were prepared, ready to go and committed. There really wasn’t a misstep.
Definitely better than the animated film for me.
Ximena Flores Ramirez as as Sven, Omar Partida as Olaf, Kelly Newman as Anna, Beckett Browning as Kristoff. (Photo by Alistair Hunter)
I was first impressed with the early scenes featuring Kirsi Newman as Young Princess Anna and Olivia Pyle as Young Princess Elsa, loving sisters who gave a sweet rendition of “A Little Bit of You.”
I continued to be impressed with Madeleine Berumen as Young Anna and Alina Ruedas as Young Elsa.
And then Kelly Newman, perfectly cast as Anna, commanded the stage, all facial expressions and gestures, along with her equally strong counterpart Leilanie Rose Peele as Elsa. Their song “For the First Time in Forever” was an audience favorite. People in the front row were passing Kleenex.
Anna falls in love with Hans, played by a powerful Sofia Ortez-Martineze, but Queen Elsa forbids it.
Enter the hilarious Omar Partida as Olaf the snowman. He was a scream throughout the rest of the play, and the audience loved him.
Beckett Browning was perfectly cast and hilarious as Kristoff, the cynical ice harvester who was raised by trolls and leads Anna and her companions into the mountains in search of Elsa. He is the eventual love interest for Anna.
Kristoff is not alone. He travels with his trusty, loyal reindeer companion Sven, played by the perfectly cast Ximena Flores Ramirez, who loves giving Kristoff a hard time and acts as his conscience. Their song “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People” is a highlight.
Another standout is Sebastian Anon, who plays Oaken, a cheerful and warm salesperson who runs Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna. Anon nails the wacky character and makes him an audience favorite and comedic standout.
His song “Hygge” with the Oaken family is a crackup.
Heinke talks of expanding MTSI next summer to two middle schools.
That’s something to applaud.
With MTSI, DUSD is exhibiting educational leadership by providing exceptional education and opportunities for young people. In the fall, these students will return to school with additional skills and experience.
Somehow, in the theater experience, cast members tend to bond together, so they will also have new friends.