"Frozen" at Paper Mill Playhouse

For Samantha Williams, playing Anna in “Frozen” at Paper Mill Playhouse for the holidays is a love letter to her grandmother and great aunt, who shared the same names as the beloved Disney sisters. When Williams got the call that she’d been cast as Anna, her family’s reaction was unanimous: “Oh, Grandma would be so excited.” Her grandmother Ana and great aunt Elsa were devoted “Frozen” fans who delighted in introducing themselves as Princess Ana and Elsa. 

“We lost my grandmother to cancer a few years ago,” Williams shares. “She has these funny ways of popping up in my life, and this is no different.” The show’s themes of family and sisterhood make the role even more meaningful. “I am so honored to have this opportunity to honor her and my aunt’s sisterhood with this piece.”

Let It Go

In a world that often feels overwhelming, Williams finds inspiration for Anna’s quintessential optimism in unexpected places. “With the current political climate, I find that it has been hard to find moments of joy and awe,” she says. “But, like Anna, I have been trying to stay focused on the beauty of humanity no matter what.” And for Williams, the connection is natural: “Anna and I are not so different in that I am also awkward and hopeful—my love of being silly, messing around, and having fun with my castmates is going to make those characteristics of Anna fun to portray on stage.”

Maintaining Anna’s infectious enthusiasm through eight shows a week requires strategy. Williams plans to embrace the fundamental magic of live theatre. “One of the most beautiful parts of theatre is that there are new things to find in every show,” she explains. “So, I’m hoping that if I just focus on the new every day, I’ll be able to maintain my authentic joy.”

Williams couldn’t be more thrilled about her onstage sister. “I was so excited to hear that Mary Kate would be playing my sister!” she shares. As a fan of Morrissey’s social media presence—particularly her vocal health videos—Williams has been inspired by watching her navigate the demands of playing Elphaba. “It reminded me that we really are athletes.”

Finding Forever

For emotionally complex numbers like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” that span years in minutes, Williams relies on meticulous preparation. “I think it takes a lot of work before the work,” she notes, “like developing a strong back story and really diving into what my childhood was like with Elsa and the exact moment everything changes.” The real craft comes in trusting that foundation. “Figuring that out for myself as the actor during rehearsals, then trusting that all that emotional life is there as we get into performances, is all a part of the craft.”

Love Is an Open Door

Beyond the ice palaces and snowmen, Williams believes the show’s true power lies in its central message: “To not underestimate the power of love.” Her hope is simple: “I hope people leave more connected to their families and loved ones, as I know the holidays can be complicated for many people.”

Williams is mindful of the broader cultural resonance of her casting as Anna. “It’s so awesome that little Brown and Black girls will get to see someone who looks like me play this role,” she says. “I am so grateful to the casting team for giving me this opportunity and looking past how this role has been cast in most iterations.” For Williams, honoring her grandmother’s memory while creating new ones for young audiences is the real magic of this “Frozen.”

There’s something magical about watching an actor step into a role that feels both familiar and uncharted. Mary Kate Morrissey—best known for her commanding turn as Elphaba in “Wicked”—is ready to let it go as Elsa in Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of “Frozen.” But don’t expect a carbon copy of the animated icon—this powerhouse performer is bringing her own magic to Arendelle.

From Oz to Arendelle

After spending significant time living in the green skin of Broadway’s most misunderstood witch, Morrissey is embracing a different kind of outcast. The transition from “Wicked” to “Frozen” feels both familiar and refreshingly new. “It’s such a cool opportunity to come into a new character, who shares such similar traits and themes to one I know so intimately,” she explains. But the differences are just as compelling as the similarities. “[Elsa] is a queen, and she already has a deep relationship with her sister, as tortured as it is, so she doesn’t have to create it.”

Both Elphaba and Elsa grapple with extraordinary abilities that make them feared rather than celebrated. “Both are reactive and combustible, but the way they handle their power is very different.” Both were originated by the inimitable Idina Menzel. “She has left her fingerprints on both roles,” Morrissey shares of Menzel. “Respecting the perspectives of the women who have played these roles before me is really important when it comes to interpreting them.”

Want to Build a Snowman?

The heart of “Frozen” beats in the complex relationship between Anna and Elsa, and Morrissey is thrilled to explore that dynamic with costar Samantha as Anna. They first connected at callbacks, and the chemistry was immediate. “I remember thinking that we would be a really good pair,” Morrissey recalls. When it comes to building that connection, “I try to see where that character’s point of view and my own overlap and make that part of the character very bold,” she says.

The secret ingredient is her own relationship with her sister. “I have a deep love and loyalty to my sister, and I know the strength of a bond like that, and I know how outside forces can test it.” The rehearsal process will be “like a constant conversation between the two of us,” Morrissey explains. “You have to be respectful, attentive, humble as you work through your unique dynamic with your partner to find what’s true for yourself and what’s true to the show."

Taking the Throne

The musical number “Let It Go” is a cultural force of nature, but Morrissey is most excited about the physical work of embodying Elsa’s powers. “Something that I am really looking forward to working on is how she feels the cold in her hands and coming out of her body,” she says. “I want to make sure that I don’t Elphabatize by just doing what I’ve done before.”

This holiday season, the production will create a different kind of magic for Morrissey. “All of my friends who have kids and family who have kids are planning on bringing their families to our show,” she says. “This holiday season, ‘Frozen’ will be a part of my holiday memories because I will get to see everybody this year.”

And when asked to choose between Elsa’s ice magic or Anna’s warm hugs? Her answer is pure Broadway: “The correct answer is ‘C,’ Olaf’s vibrato.”

“Frozen” ran at the Paper Mill Playhouse from Nov. 26, 2025, to Jan. 11, 2026.

Photo: Samantha Williams (Anna) and Mary Kate Morrissey (Elsa).

Photograph by Melissa Spector