Interview: Kaleigh Gorka Talks Playing Elsa in Disney's FROZEN at Neptune Theatre

The Canadian premiere of FROZEN at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre is currently in full swing and Elsa herself, actress Kaleigh Gorka was kind enough to chat with Broadway World about her experience playing this incredible character, her sisterly relationship with co-star Synthia Yusuf, and the overall magic of this beautiful musical.

Based on the smash hit 2013 Disney animated film of the same name, FROZEN is a musical with music and lyrics by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez with a book by Jennifer Lee. It tells the story of two princesses, Elsa and Anna. Sisters, who lost their parents as children and for a long time, have only had each other. Elsa, who has inherited the throne, has magical ice powers that she does not know how to control and is always afraid of unintentionally hurting those she loves. Anna finds herself on her own adventure, along the way seeking both romance, and to reconnect with her sister. On their respective journeys, both young women discover what “true love” and sacrifice really mean.

As we begin our conversation, Gorka sheepishly admits she was late to the party when it came to watching the FROZEN movie for the first time: “Let It Go was in my repertoire when the movie came out, but I actually saw FROZEN 2 before I saw FROZEN 1!” After “bawling” through the sequel, she figured it was high time she see the original. “I was like, I get it. Right. Yeah. This is why this has had the impact that it's had.” Once she had immersed herself in the story, she was fascinated by Elsa. “When you really examine Elsa as a character, the thing that speaks to me the most in understanding her is that she' s not a villain. This story is not a villain origin story.”

A key piece of research for Gorka as she prepared for the role was what she learned in a ‘making of’ documentary for the Disney film. “Pretty far into the process [of writing the animated film], Elsa was still a villain” she explains. “And it wasn’t working…and Elsa was the problem. So, they were like, ‘how do we take a more empathetic approach to this villain?’ And then Kristen and Robert [Lopez] wrote Let It Go and that changed the whole film!” Elsa’s struggle became the very question the writers struggled with: Is she a villain or not?

Delving into Elsa’s psychology was paramount for Gorka even before she began rehearsals. “I think what I had to do first was understand her, understand what she has to overcome.” Between both FROZEN films, documentaries, press about the show, and the songs and scenes themselves, Gorka found there was a lot of nuanced material to mine. “It's so rich because of the fandom and because of what this movie has become. There’s so much incredible stuff to pull from." The depth to this character and story is something that surprised Gorka. “It’s pretty hardcore, this story! When I was researching the press around this show that was a big reaction people were having. They didn’t expect to be moved in such a way. I do think that because they could stretch it out to a two-hour show, they could really get into Elsa’s psychology more than they could in [the first movie]…Elsa is explored in a deeper way and it is just as much for adults as it is for kids!” 

Gorka shares that she has come to recognize parts of herself in the character: “Right before opening, I was searching for a kernel of Elsa that I still needed to find. I was talking through it with my partner, who is also an actor. I took him through the lyrics of Dangerous to Dream and he said, ‘She's you.’ I've chatted with some other actors who agree that playing roles alike to the deeper parts of ourselves is much more challenging than playing the opposite. That said, I found what I was looking for and the first few weeks of this run have been some of the most fulfilling storytelling experiences I've ever had.”

Our discussion of the overarching themes in the musical led us both to acknowledge a few parallels with another little musical we both adore. That, of course, is WICKED. “It’s interesting. As a framework, vocally, the way I' m training for Elsa – the sound and the placement is the exact type of stuff I work on in Elphaba material. It's no coincidence that Idina Menzel was called to play Elsa…They were looking for a sound.” What’s more, Idina Menzel is hardly the only performer connected to both FROZEN and WICKED. A few past Broadway Glindas and Elphabas have played Anna and Elsa in the stage show as well. In fact, the original Elsa on Broadway was Caissie Levy, who coincidentally hails from the same hometown as Gorka! Apparently Hamilton Ontario is a major producer of both steel, AND snow queens!

Beyond the similar vocal requirements, Gorka notes that Elsa has three big songs at similar points in her journey as WICKED’s Elphaba has in hers. Where Gorka feels the stories truly diverge is where the characters find themselves at the end of their big Act 2 song. At the end of No Good Deed, Elphaba decides, so be it, if they see me as Wicked, I’ll be Wicked. At the end of Monster, Elsa makes a very different choice. “That theme [of ‘she’s a monster’] is really explored to set up her Act two song where she asks ‘Am I? Am I?’ And she chooses 'no, I’m not.' I think it speaks to the magnitude of her powers that she could be. She could have chosen that path. She could have been forced to that path…But she didn’t make that choice.”

Another major theme in FROZEN that parallels WICKED is that it is the story of two women who have a complicated relationship and love each other dearly. Although there are many nuanced roles for women in theatre these days, this opportunity to tell a story that centres around two women does not happen every day. “It’s so rare to have two girls be the heroes of the show.” Gorka acknowledges. “It’s so special. I think that there's something about the sisters that resonates with everyone. Synthia, who plays Anna, describes it as taking the idea of true love and kind of turning it on its head and putting it between two sisters or siblings.” Gorka believes that audience members of all demographics are going to be touched by the familial bond between the two heroes. “Those ties run so deep.”

That bond quickly carried over into real life. Gorka and co-star Synthia Yusuf who plays Anna, have formed a deep sisterly bond as well. “This experience with Synthia is one of the most special experiences that I’ve had.” And, "speaking of parallels to WICKED, you see this bond between Elphabas and Glindas…and, although that show has been around a lot longer than FROZEN, you also see it with the Annas and the Elsas. And then stepping into it, I completely understand why.” 

Gorka and Yusuf had actually first met years earlier…”We met about ten years ago. I was doing a show with her now fiancé and so she came to visit a few times while we were on contract. Since then, we’ve followed each other’s careers via Facebook and Instagram. We always stayed connected, cheering each other on – without knowing each other that well! We easily could not have, but we always stayed connected as each other’s cheerleaders…So to find out it was her and to get this experience of already trusting her so deeply, respecting her so deeply, admiring her…there was an intimacy [early on].”

Gorka gushes about the entire company and notes that there are a few more familiar faces to her as well. On Adam Francis Proulx, who plays Olaf the Snowman: "We’d never gotten to perform together, but we worked together in 2019. Adam is an internationally successful, Dora nominated, puppet artist. We are so lucky to have him. He’s bringing Olaf to life in the most pure, perfect way. You should come to the show for his version of In Summer alone!” Gorka adds: "This is my third Neptune show with David Light, who is so well cast as Kristoff it's as if he was plucked right from the film."

And then there is the Production Team, that Gorka states she cannot say enough good things about. Mounting a show like FROZEN, and the Canadian Premiere of it at that, is a daunting undertaking to say the least. “It starts with a group of extremely creative individuals who are willing to say ‘Yes and!’” She explains. She cites the costumes by Helena Marriott, Lighting Design by Leigh Ann Vardy, Set Design by Brian Dudkiewicz, and Choreography by Genny Sermonia, as key components to the “magic” that we see on stage. She also speaks highly of director Jeremy Webb and of Neptune Theatre as a whole. “I’ve felt like my talent has always been seen and valued by Jeremy, and everyone in the rehearsal room at that theatre. It's a very creative space, and I think that’s so necessary for a show like that.”

Another huge part of the “magic” is the audience itself. Gorka shares that she loves that the show can speak to children and adults alike, and she recognizes how special an experience FROZEN can be for young fans and how much life those fans breathe into each actor’s performance. “There are incredible contributions from our young audience members every day. What's so joyful about hearing tiny little voices cut through the darkness is that they are always SO invested in the story. My favourite of these so far is when I was singing Monster in Act 2, and in the little pause after I say ‘Am I a monster- full of rage?’ I heard a tiny voice say ‘No Elsa!! You're not a monster!!’ “

Gorka believes that the presence of children in the audience elevates her acting performance. “Kids have a sense for when things aren't real or true” she shares, clarifying that they may suspend their disbelief in terms of 'magic', but when it comes to the truth in a performance, she has noticed kids are very perceptive. She also notes that they are more than capable to hold and process the “big emotions” that this show, and really any Disney story has to offer.

It's clear in speaking with Gorka that so far, this experience has been nothing short of…well…magical! “I am just so happy to be among a company of people who are so positive, so uplifting and so generous. This show is huge for every single person involved and everyone shows up every day with a twinkle in their eye. Sharing this story and experience with my sister, Synthia Yusuf, has been such a gift. She is FULL of heart and life, talent and generosity on stage and off stage. “

Disney’s FROZEN continues at Neptune Theatre in Halifax until January 19th, 2025.

PHOTO CREDIT: @stoometzphoto

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