Experienced theatre professional Christie Blizzard couldn’t wait to see the back of global juggernaut Frozen The Musical when it toured Perth in 2023. But not because she didn’t enjoy it. The founder of The Production Academy — a musical theatre and youth drama studio in Osborne Park — had grand designs on adapting the famous fairytale into her very own Disney reality.
Following a tireless journey of licensing approvals, casting and production, the industry veteran is excited to see her production of Frozen Jr hit the stage on Saturday at Newman College’s Marist Auditorium. Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion. “I wanted to do a musical with the studio and Perth youth for quite a while, and I knew the first one I wanted to do was always going to be Frozen, and then it came on tour in Perth, in Australia,” she said.
“So I knew that wasn’t possible.” With Music Theatre International (MTI) controlling the licensing and quality of Disney’s stage adaptations in Australia, the theatre buff laid out her credentials and timings for an underage adaptation which was eventually greenlit. “It’s a bit of an application process,” she said.
“You can’t just walk off the street and say, ‘That’s what I want!” Getting the nod to begin casting and production in October, the show’s producer, experienced director Dixie Farinosi, and supporting team have had their ice skates on since — rehearsing for two schoo.