Bringing Arendelle to Winnipeg: hundreds of youth audition to be the next Anna and Elsa
More than 300 kids auditioned for the role of young Anna and Elsa in Rainbow Stage's upcoming production of Frozen — triple the amount of submissions the theatre company expected to receive since casting calls were put out before the holidays.
Groups of children and youth between the ages of eight and 15 years old got into character over the weekend while auditioning with the song Do You Want to Build a Snowman? as their parents froze outside the door to listen.
The artistic director could be heard from inside the audition room at the Crescent Arts Centre on Saturday congratulating a group of nine girls for supporting each other through the process and being brave enough to showcase their talents.
"They did great," Carson Nattrass said to the parents, as the girls rushed to tell them how their audition went.
"I was pretty nervous at first when I realized how many people were going to be in there with me, but overall it went really well and I had a lot of fun," said 14-year-old Sophie Helgason.
Most of the group auditioned for the role of Anna, a character who sets off on a journey to bring her older sister Elsa back to the kingdom of Arendelle after Elsa's icy powers trap the village in a state of eternal winter.
"I like her … I think she's kind," said Xyla Roberts, who came to the audition cloaked in an Anna-inspired costume. The eight-year-old's mother said it was her first time trying out for a musical production.
"I like that she loves her sister very much and she wants to play with her … and make the sister happy," said youth Isabelle Chong.
"She's very energetic and lively," Chong told CBC after her audition.
Another youth trying for a lead role said Anna is a very strong, brave and intelligent character whose vibrant personality is a lot like her own — a perspective echoed by many youth at the theatre.
"In the movie, the message that Anna kind of gives out is that even if you don't have magical powers and you're just a normal person, you can do anything you want and you're still strong," Killian Chay said.
"Everyone who auditioned today did a really amazing job and if anyone else wants to try auditioning — a tip is — just do your best and if you don't get a role, that's fine. You're just brave since you tried," she said.
Like others, Chay has been preparing to audition for days.
But Maya Samboano, who's nine years old, said she's been practicing for the role since she was three.
"When I first saw Frozen at six months old, I really liked it. I watched it a lot I'm pretty sure, and when I was three, I started singing Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" she said.
Rainbow Stage often gets upwards of 500 audition submissions for one of their August shows, but the upcoming production of Frozen has received about 1,000 applications for all the roles, Nattrass said.
"It speaks to the fact that this show has never played in Winnipeg before and the power of the show itself," he said.
Children and youth moving on to the next round of auditions will be called back next weekend. Then three individuals will be chosen to play the part of young Anna, young Elsa and an understudy, said the artistic director.
"It's really amazing and the talent is extraordinary. So far, we're just having a wonderful time hearing all these kids sing," Nattrass said.
"It's going to be one of the hardest decisions to make."
This will be the 71st season for Rainbow stage. Frozen runs from Aug. 7 to Aug. 24, with 21 performances.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Elbows Up' anthology to include prominent patriots Margaret Atwood, Jay Baruchel, Atom Egoyan
TORONTO – An upcoming anthology to meet the recent swell in national pride will include essays by prominent Canadians including writers Margaret Atwood and Omar El Akkad, as well as filmmakers Atom Egoyan and Jay Baruchel. Its publisher McClelland & Stewart says 'Elbows Up!: Canadian Voices of Resilience and Resistance' will examine our relationship with the United States and ourselves. McClelland & Stewart publisher Stephanie Sinclair says she felt 'an urgent need' to create a time capsule that captures a pivotal period of history. She says it was inspired by the 1968 collection 'The New Romans: Candid Canadian Opinions of the U.S.' It will feature excerpts from 'The New Romans,' including one by Atwood — who will also supply a new piece — and works by late writers Margaret Laurence, Farley Mowat and Mordecai Richler. The book will be edited by CBC broadcaster Elamin Abdelmahmoud, and is set for release Oct. 14. New works will also come from writers Jeanne Beker, Niigaan Sinclair, Catherine Hernandez, Canisia Lubrin and Ann-Marie MacDonald. Another comes from Ken Dryden that was previously published in the Atlantic. 'This is a book that will be talked about for decades to come,' Sinclair said Thursday in a release. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025.
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Chorney-Booth: Edmonton's Bodega by Sabor makes its Calgary debut
In Edmonton, Lino Oliveira and Christian Mena are restaurant superstars. The duo's Sabor restaurant is a longtime favourite among lovers of Portuguese food, and their more casual Bodega by Sabor tapas concept has grown into a small but mighty empire. When it comes to succulent Portuguese and Spanish-inspired food, Edmontonians have been exceedingly fortunate to have Oliveira and Mena providing them with as much paella and bacon-wrapped dates as a city could desire. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Oliveira and Mena have had their sights set on a Calgary expansion for years – a goal they've finally realized with a new Bodega location in the heart of Mission – but like everything else they've done, the move had to come naturally. Sabor itself was decades in the making: after growing up together as childhood best friends, Oliveira (who is originally from Portugal) and Mena (originally from Chile) took some big swings to pursue their dreams. Oliveira ended up back in Portugal cooking at a small seaside restaurant while Mena, a gifted singer and actor, found success fronting a Latin-funk band and starring in a touring production of Rent alongside Neil Patrick Harris. But as exciting as those personal pursuits were, both men eventually found themselves lured back to Edmonton and a new dream of running a restaurant together, focused on Oliveira's versions of Spanish and Portuguese classics. Article content Article content Article content Sabor opened in Edmonton in 2008, and through a gift for hospitality and sheer grit and determination, Oliveira and Mena built it into a local special occasion favourite. Bodega happened, they say, almost by accident when they created a small bar area within Sabor for guests to grab a drink before dinner. Tapas culture – the art of socializing over drinks and a small bite or two – is a strong tradition in Spain (the slightly different Portuguese version is called petiscos) and Edmontonians embraced Sabor's add-on so enthusiastically it turned into a restaurant of its own, eventually expanding to encompass six locations in and around the provincial capital. Article content Article content Each Bodega has its own bit of local flair, and the 50-seat Calgary location is no exception. Situated in an old brick building that was most recently home to Bincho izakaya, the physical space provides a rustic vibe to complement the restaurant's classic Mediterranean fare. The one thing every Bodega location has in common is a signature sculptural 'white wall,' a collage of mounted knick-knacks and thrift store finds, all painted a dramatic flat white. Eclectic light fixtures also dangle from the Calgary restaurant's ceiling, and there is plenty of wood and tile, all giving the impression that the new restaurant has existed exactly as it appears for years.
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
How the Toronto Zoo puts animals 'in the mood' to mate
Ever wonder how the Toronto Zoo makes sure those cute baby animals are born? CBC's Dwight Drummond went behind the scenes at the Toronto Zoo to find out.
