The West End's Frozen, Starring Stephanie McKeon and Samantha Barks, Delays Opening

The West End production of Frozen has delayed its opening night due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Frozen was originally announced to open in November 2020, and then pushed back to April 2021. A new opening night date has not been announced. As previously reported, Stephanie McKeon and Samantha Barks will star as Anna and Elsa, respectively, with direction by Michael Grandage.

"In light of the recent government implementation of a full national lockdown, it has become necessary to postpone the opening of Frozen, which was planned for April, just a little longer," reads a statement from Disney. "The health and wellbeing of our audiences, cast and crew are paramount, and we cannot wait to share the production with you as soon as we are safely able to without current social distancing regulations. Therefore, we have taken the decision to temporarily take the show off sale, and to reassess our timeline. We will announce our new opening date as soon as possible."

The cast will also feature the previously announced Obioma Ugoala as Kristoff, Craig Gallivan as Olaf, Oliver Ormson as Hans, Richard Frame as Weselton and Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall, who will alternate the role of Sven. The ensemble will include Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae, Danielle Fiamanya, Hannah Fairclough, Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Emily Lane, Justin-Lee Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard, Leisha Mollyneaux, Gabriel Mokake, Sarah O’Connor, Jemma Revell, Jacqui Sanchez, Jak Skelly, Jake Small, Isabel Snaas, Joshua St. Clair, Monica Swayne and Anna Woodside.

Adapted by the blockbuster movie's screenwriter and co-director Jennifer Lee and featuring a score by the Oscar-winning duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Frozen centers on two sisters who are pulled apart by a mysterious secret. As one of them, Elsa (Barks), struggles to find her voice and harness her powers within, the other, Anna (McKeon), embarks on an epic adventure to bring her family together once and for all.