By Merle Exit
Have you ever heard of a mash-up? It’s when a producer puts the vocals to a popular song on top of the beat and melody of another.
“Wicked Frozen” is kind of like that.
That’s the title of what Write Act Repertory Producing Artistic Director John Lant describes as “the untold parody musical of some magic ice witch princesses and other stuff like that.” In other words, it’s a satire dedicated to the Broadway shows “Wicked” and “Frozen.”
“Wicked Frozen” follows a character known as Adele Dazeem (John Travolta might be familiar with her) and her teacher Kristen Chenobell (a portmanteau of “Frozen” and “Wicked” stars Kristen Bell and Kristen Chenoweth), who become trapped in a Boston classroom during an unexpected blizzard as Adele sets off on a journey through a magical land known as Scandinorfindelle.
Directed and choreographed by Zoe Farmingdale, the cast of 11 features Kathleen Armenti, Lily Davis, Allison Frasca, Wills Jacobs, Tyler Joseph, Vanessa Magula, Jake McKenna, Chris Evan Simpson, Natalie Sullivan, Bethany Nicole Taylor, and Meagan Wells. Two of the actors have taken up residency in Queens.
Sullivan, originally from Omaha, Neb., has lived in Astoria for the past five and a half years.
“Whenever I visited New York, prior to moving here, I would stay with one of my best friends who lived in Queens. Once I stepped off the N train for the first time, I knew I had found my home,” she said. “When I finally made the move to New York, I didn’t look at any other borough. Queens just felt right. In addition to all of the wonderful family-owned businesses and restaurants, Astoria has a real community feeling that I’ve not found anywhere else in the city.”
Sullivan, who has been with the show since February, portrays featured ensemble characters including a zany student named Hildegard Von Schwargenstarm and is “also a swing for some of the other female roles”
Sullivan is a New York based singer, actor, and improviser. Prior to moving to New York, she worked as a touring actor/director with the Missoula Children’s Theatre. Her most recent New York credits include many humorous takes on recent pop culture, including “Star Wars: The Farce Awakens,” “Unauthorized! The Musical’s The Hungry Hungry Games,” “A Bad Dream on Elm Avenue,” and “Ghostblasters.”
She’s also a seasoned musical improviser and sketch comedian.
“In addition to ‘Wicked Frozen,’ I currently perform every Tuesday night at the Magnet Theater with musical improv house team Pyros,” Sullivan said.
Wells is another new Astorian who originally hails from Madison, Wis., where she graduated with a degree in musical theatre. She’s been living in “the same cute little house for the entire five years I’ve lived in New York” and considers the move to be “really lucky.”
“One of my friends from college who had recently moved to New York was moving out of her place in Astoria to go live with her boyfriend,” Wells said. “She gave me a tour of the place via Skype and I fell in love with it right away. A few weeks later, I packed up everything I could fit in a car with my dad, who moved me across the country.”
Wells plays the part of Miss Chenobell, who she describes as “a young actress-turned-earth science teacher at a Boston elementary school who is so pumped to hold her first after-school drama club… but then only one student shows up: Adele Dazeem, who begins to share with me the play she has “written” and the story begins.”
The show is a long-term labor of love for Wells.
“I’m lucky to say I’ve been cast in every version of ‘Wicked Frozen’ since its very first incarnation at the 2014 West Village Musical Theatre Festival, where I played Glindanna. It’s been an incredible journey,” Wells said.
Wicked Frozen is currently playing 7:30 p.m. on Sunday evenings at St. Luke’s Theatre — located at 308 W. 46 St. — through July 22.
