The Snow Queen
by Dean Carter and Lawrence Joseph Glatt
The Play
Gerda and Kay are best friends and they live on the upper story of a Copenhagen apartment building. Gerda’s grandmother is often there to look after the children and read them stories during the long winter days. While having s snowball fight with friends, Kay sees the Snow Queen and she places a shard of ice in Kay’s heart and another in his eye. Immediately, Kay grows critical and judgmental, shocking his dear friend Gerda. Soon after Kay is lured away by the Snow Queen and he heads north in her sleigh.
Gerda is heartbroken but she doesn’t give in to despair. Instead, she heads into the wilderness to find and rescue her dear friend. She has many adventures and meets many new friends, including a talking reindeer, a robber girl and some rapping crows, while heading north. In spite of many obstacles, Gerda trudges onward. Eventually she is able to find Kay and she removes the shards of ice that have frozen Kay's heart and his view of the world. As they return to their home, the children have passed out of childhood and are ready to join the world of adults.
The Snow Queen is about friendship, sacrifice and growing up. It is full of colorful characters, including the beautiful and terrible Snow Queen and her court of henchmen. It received its first performance in Calgary at the Waldorf School in 2018.