Disney’s Frozen is a story of sisterhood, sacrifice and unconditional love that audiences have all come to know and love. From the time of its theatrical release in movie theaters across the country in 2013, young girls and adults alike have come to adore both princesses, Elsa and Anna, who couldn’t be more different, but who have an adoration for each other nevertheless. The narrative of Frozen centers on Elsa, who has been conditioned to be an introvert in an attempt to mask her inherited magical powers; while her free-spirited, extroverted younger sister Anna has always had the liberty of being her authentic self.
The thematic beauty of Frozen for audiences has always rested in how clearly the storyline denotes that it is possible to value and appreciate someone who appears to be nothing like you. In this case, it happens to be the two juxtaposing personas of two sisters that draws us into each of their worlds. We later learn that it is love that truly binds them together, and whether you’re an adult fan or a child–it is this powerful message that makes Frozen so appealing.
This beloved Disney franchise made its theatrical debut on Broadway in March of 2018, and has been going strong ever since. Most recently the talented actresses Ciara Renée Harper (Pippin, Tick, Tick…Boom!, The Wrong Man) has taken on the role of Elsa with Mckenzie Kurtz making her Broadway debut as Anna, and Blackfilm.com correspondent Lynnette Nicholas recently had the opportunity to speak with Ciara Renée about her role as Elsa, the importance of representation, how the spirit of sisterhood in Frozen impacts her and more.
Do you and the character Elsa share any personality traits?
Ciara Renée: I think that Elsa’s an introvert and so am I. As much as I love people, I also have to have my alone time. So, I totally understand where Elsa is coming from.
There’s a strong spirit of sisterhood in Frozen. Has the theme of sisterhood changed or affected your perception in any way, because Elsa and Anna have such a strong bond?
Ciara Renée: Yes. It breaks my heart every night to feel the distance between these two sisters. I have sisters of my own. Some of them I didn’t actually grow up with. I only met them later in my life. So, there’s been a distance between my sisters and I. I am learning that I have to bridge that distance in my real life as well, and I bring that to the stage with me every night as I’m trying to bridge that gap with my onstage sister Anna.
As a woman of color playing Elsa, what personal experiences of your own do you choose to bring to the role and how important is it to you?
Ciara Renée: That’s a great question. As a woman of color, I definitely understand feeling like I’m on the outside of things. Especially in this industry. It is definitely a white led industry and I know things are shifting now. When I was younger in the industry around the ages of 23, 24 and doing my first Broadway show, I was very used to being surrounded by or being in rooms that were mostly white, and being the only person of color. So, in that way, I have at times felt like the ‘other’ or outside of the group. And I think that’s something that Elsa understands as well.
Have you ever had experiences where casting directors did not know how to cast you?
Ciara Renée: Yes, I think absolutely. I feel like I have especially experienced that a lot in TV and film. And now, casting is very specific, and looking to cast in as real a way as possible. I used to play a lot of Latina roles. I don’t play those roles anymore, because I’m not actually Latin. I may look that way or present that way, but I’m not. It’s interesting now. I go in for things that are supposed to be for black people or black women, and they look at me and sometimes don’t think that I actually count as a Black person. So, that’s been a really interesting thing to navigate, especially in this current social and political climate that we’re in.
What would you say to other young girls of color who are going to be stepping into your shoes in the future? What would you say to encourage them as it pertains to their identity and owning who they are?
Ciara Renée: I would say to them that they are Queens. Not only are they Queens, but that they are also humans and they’re allowed to make mistakes. I think that there’s a lot of pressure on people of color to show up and be excellent all the time, and that is a great goal. But we’re human beings, and it’s not fair to have to show up and be excellent all the time. It’s not fair. And you’re also not a representation of all the black experience or all of the POC experience. So, don’t feel and take in that pressure. As much as you can, show up with integrity, show up with honesty. Show up and be respectful, and do your job obviously. I think that it’s important to try to take the weight and pressure off a little bit.
Get tickets to see Disney’s Frozen on Broadway, HERE.
This interview for Blackfilm.com was originally posted on March 4th, 2020.
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