what theatre was frozen the musical in? The original Broadway production of Frozen played at the St. James Theatre in New York City. The venue is now called the James Earl Jones Theatre, so older listings use a different name from current ones.
This distinction can make searches for the show confusing, especially if you are comparing Broadway, London, touring, or past performances. Here you will find the Broadway theatre and run dates, the venue’s current name and location, and how the musical’s other productions differ. You will also learn what to check before buying tickets or planning a visit, so you can match the right production to the right theatre.
what theatre was frozen the musical in on Broadway?
The original Broadway production of Disney’s Frozen played at the St. James Theatre, at 246 West 44th Street in Manhattan’s Theater District. Performances began on February 22, 2018, and the show officially opened on March 22, 2018.
The Broadway run ended on March 11, 2020, when the theater industry shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. The production did not return to Broadway after the shutdown. If you see a reference to Frozen at the St. James Theatre, it refers to this original Broadway run—not to a current production at that venue.
One detail often missed is that the St. James Theatre has since been renamed. It is now the James Earl Jones Theatre. That is why a current map or venue website may show a different name from an older review, playbill, or ticket record. The address remains the easiest way to confirm that both names refer to the same theater.
Where is the James Earl Jones Theatre?
The James Earl Jones Theatre is at 246 West 44th Street, New York, NY, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. It sits in the Theater District, within walking distance of Times Square and several other Broadway houses. The venue was known as the St. James Theatre during the Broadway run of Frozen.
The theater opened in 1927 and has hosted many stage productions over the years. Its name changed to the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022, honoring the actor. For anyone looking up the location of the old Frozen production, the important point is simple: St. James Theatre and James Earl Jones Theatre are the same venue under different names.
If you are visiting, use the current venue name when checking directions, accessibility details, or building information. Use “St. James Theatre” when searching historical coverage of the Broadway musical. The address helps avoid confusion when a search result or archived ticket page uses the older name.
How the Broadway run and other productions compare
Frozen has been staged in several places, so the answer depends on which production a listing describes. The Broadway production was at the St. James Theatre. The musical’s London engagement, its pre-Broadway tryout, and touring performances took place at different venues.
| Production | Theatre or venue | Location | Best way to identify it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Broadway production | St. James Theatre, now the James Earl Jones Theatre | New York City | Broadway run opened March 22, 2018 |
| Pre-Broadway tryout | Buell Theatre | Denver, Colorado | Earlier engagement before the New York opening |
| West End production | Theatre Royal Drury Lane | London, England | London production, not the Broadway run |
| Touring productions | Varies by city and date | Multiple locations | Check the local theater named on the ticket |
The table separates the main productions most likely to appear in searches. A tour is not tied to one permanent theater; its venue changes as the production travels. Similarly, the Broadway and West End productions are separate engagements, even though both tell the story through the same stage musical.
Why was the Broadway theatre called St. James?
The name on the original Broadway production’s playbills was St. James Theatre. The theater’s name later changed to James Earl Jones Theatre, so a present-day venue listing may not match the name printed on historical materials. The new name recognizes James Earl Jones, whose career included a long association with the stage.
This is a venue-name change, not a move by the Frozen production. The musical did not transfer to a different Broadway theater when the building was renamed. The production had already closed in 2020, and the venue received its new name in 2022.
That timeline matters when reading articles or searching for performances. A page that says the show played at the St. James Theatre is using the theater’s name at the time. A current page that says James Earl Jones Theatre is referring to the same building, not a second venue.
What happened to the Broadway production?
Frozen began previews at the St. James Theatre on February 22, 2018, and opened officially on March 22. It closed on March 11, 2020, during the broad shutdown of Broadway theaters. The production did not resume performances after theaters began reopening.
The show’s closure was part of the disruption caused by the pandemic shutdown, rather than a transfer to another Broadway house. A listing for a later performance may refer to a tour, an international production, or a different staging. It should not be read as proof that the original Broadway engagement reopened.
The stage musical is based on Disney’s 2013 animated film, but it is a live theater production with its own staging, cast, and performance schedule. That difference is useful when checking older cast recordings, video clips, or ticket pages. A film release and a stage performance are not interchangeable records of where the musical played.
How to confirm which Frozen production a listing refers to
Before making plans or citing a performance, check the production name, city, theater, and date together. A title alone is not enough: multiple companies can stage the same musical in different places, and the Broadway theater’s name has changed since the original run.
- Read the city first. New York points to Broadway or a local event; London points to the West End engagement or another London production. A touring listing names the city where the company is appearing.
- Check the theater name and address. For the original Broadway venue, look for 246 West 44th Street. “St. James Theatre” and “James Earl Jones Theatre” refer to that same address.
- Check the performance date. The Broadway run ended on March 11, 2020. A later date means the listing describes another production or event.
- Use the seller or venue’s current listing for active performances. Archived articles and ticket pages can preserve old theater names or outdated schedules.
This quick check prevents a common mix-up: treating every performance of Frozen as a Broadway performance. The musical can appear in a touring house, a regional theater, or an international venue without being the original Broadway production.
Was the London production at the same theatre?
No. The West End production played at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, not at the St. James Theatre in New York. They are separate theaters in different cities, and the London engagement is not another name for the Broadway run.
When someone asks about the Broadway theater, the direct answer is St. James Theatre, now called the James Earl Jones Theatre. When a listing mentions Theatre Royal Drury Lane, it is describing the London production. Checking the city and venue together clears up most confusion.
The same principle applies to other stage versions. A touring company performs in whichever theater is booked in each city, and local productions may have their own venues. Always follow the venue on the specific event listing rather than assuming the Broadway address applies.
What to know before visiting the Broadway venue
If you are going to the James Earl Jones Theatre for a current show, remember that it is not hosting the original Broadway run of Frozen. Check the theater’s current schedule before traveling. A past article, photograph, or search result can make a former production look current when it is not.
For a historical visit or a theater-district walk, the address is more reliable than an old sign or name in a guidebook. Search maps for “James Earl Jones Theatre” to locate the current venue, and compare the result with 246 West 44th Street. If an archive calls it the St. James Theatre, that older name is expected.
For tickets to a touring performance, start with the local theater’s official event page or the authorized ticket seller linked from it. Confirm the date, city, seating details, and performance time before buying. This is especially helpful when search results mix Broadway history with present-day tour dates.
Common mix-ups about the Frozen theatre
“St. James Theatre” and “James Earl Jones Theatre” are different buildings
They are not different buildings in this context. The name changed, while the venue remained at 246 West 44th Street. Older materials use St. James Theatre; current materials use James Earl Jones Theatre.
The Broadway show is still playing because the theater still exists
A theater’s continued operation does not mean every former show is still running there. Frozen closed its Broadway engagement in 2020. The James Earl Jones Theatre may host other productions, so check its present schedule rather than relying on the venue’s history.
Every live Frozen performance is a Broadway performance
Not necessarily. Broadway refers to a specific theater market and production context in New York City. Touring and regional performances can bring the musical to other cities, but they are not the original Broadway engagement.
A film location answers the same question as a stage venue
The animated film does not have a theater where it was staged live. The question about a theater refers to a theatrical production. If a source discusses a movie screening, concert, or sing-along, check whether it is a special event rather than the Broadway musical.
Quick answer for searchers
The original Broadway musical played at the St. James Theatre in New York City. That theater is now named the James Earl Jones Theatre and remains at 246 West 44th Street. The Broadway run opened on March 22, 2018, and closed on March 11, 2020.
For other versions, the venue depends on the production: the pre-Broadway tryout was at Buell Theatre in Denver, the West End production was at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, and touring venues vary by city. Match the venue, city, and date to identify the right production.
The original Broadway production played at the St. James Theatre, now called the James Earl Jones Theatre, at 246 West 44th Street in New York. Its run ended in March 2020, so later performances refer to another production or event.
For a listing you plan to attend, check the city, venue, and performance date together. That simple step will tell you whether you are looking at Broadway history, a London engagement, or a touring performance of Frozen.