Frozen Jr. delights at Blake Middle School

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By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Correspondent

The Blake Middle School Theater Group presented Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” on November 22–24 at the Blake Middle School Auditorium in Medfield. The lively and popular musical was performed in front of a sold-out audience at every performance. Parents, relatives, siblings, friends, and charming little ladies in tiaras and blue gowns attended the performance.

Director Tracy Allen and her talented cast and crew did it again! They produced a fun musical with heartfelt acting and singing, detailed scenery, colorful costumes, and effective lighting, sound, and scene changes. It is inspiring to see what can be accomplished at the middle school level with a dedicated director backed by her school, parents, and the Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MPCE).

Both Anna and Elsa were played by three actors each, portraying the girls when they were young, older, and then grown up. Even as the actors changed as the girls got older, they conveyed a consistent, strong bond between the sisters.

Vivienne Ladd, who played the grown-up Elsa, delighted the audience with her powerful singing and emotional delivery of Elsa’s songs. Charlotte Cooney, who played the grown-up Anna, delivered a strong performance with her sweet singing and confident stage presence with emotion-filled facial expressions that connected well with the audience.

Matt Goldman, who played Hans, and Shane Keleshian, who played Weselton, delivered performances marked by the air of refined, royal gentlemen. They spoke clearly and moved confidently across the stage with a strong presence.

Annie Stanton, who played Olaf, the magical snowman, added comic fun to the production, with great timing, tone, and energy. She led her group in the performance of “In Summer” with a sense of fun and happiness. Annie also worked well with Olaf’s bulky costume, making it seem easy.

David Elliot played Kristoff with a good clear voice and command of the stage. He successfully conveyed the character’s trustworthy and kind, helpful nature.

In the alternate cast, Kiera Stanton played the grown up Anna, Hanna O’Loughlin was the grown up Elsa, Theo Papadinoff was Kristoff, Amelia Meehan was Sven, Elias Arias was Hans, Michael Power was Weselton, and Kathryn Buckley was Olaf.

Watching the performances of these talented middle schoolers, one can only imagine what they can achieve as they continue to learn more about acting and singing, stage management, and technical skills. Follow their careers and support their dreams as they move through middle school and on to high school.