The full-length “Frozen” musical from the Maui Academy of Performing Arts features a cast of 23 with Ruby Mackie playing Anna and Amber Seelig as Elsa. Courtesy photo

Looking to close its first season in the new Naylor Theatre on a high note, the Maui Academy of Performing Arts is presenting the hit musical “Frozen,” which opens on Friday.

With Ruby Mackie starring as Anna and Amber Seelig playing Elsa, “Frozen” will take audiences to the enchanting kingdom of Arendelle.

“We are so excited to offer Disney’s ‘Frozen’ to the Maui community,” said Carolyn Wright, the show’s co-director. “It’s based on the Broadway musical, and includes some new songs that aren’t in the movie. The music is beautiful and inspiring.”

Essentially, the musical follows the same core story as the film. However, the stage production expands on it with deeper character development and centers more on the two princesses’ relationship.

Elsa was born with dangerous ice powers she struggles to control, and Anna is her optimistic younger sister. After inheriting the throne, Elsa flees, inadvertently throwing the kingdom into an eternal winter and nearly killing her sister. Anna sets out to find Elsa, joined by ice harvester Kristoff and magical snowman Olaf.

“The rights became available last year,” Wright said. “You could do a ‘Frozen Jr.,’ which is like a reduced version of the show with kids. As soon as we saw that they had released the full-length Broadway version, we thought we wanted to finish the first season in the Naylor with a bang.”

When the play opened in London, the Guardian praised “Frozen” as a “stunning musical extravaganza” that was “every bit as magical as the animation, packed with visual thrills,” and said the signature ballads were even more powerful performed live.

“There’s a lot of magic in this show,” said Wright. “Elsa has to do her freezing magic, and so we’ve got a team from our lighting designer to our scenic designer, and some consultants who are working on how to make that magic happen, mostly with lighting. Then we have a couple of puppets in the show that are incredible. Olaf, the snowman, and Sven, the reindeer, are some professional-quality puppets that we’ve rented from a puppet company in New York City.”

With its focus on sisterhood and female empowerment, the movie became a phenomenon, earning $1.2 billion worldwide. The film’s anthemic song, “Let It Go,” has more than 410 million YouTube views. Parents reported how their children played the soundtrack on a loop and watched the DVD at least once a day.

“When we asked our cast why they auditioned for this show, most in their 20s said because this is the most important story in their lives,” said Wright. “They grew up with this story. They love it so much.”

Wright said her adult children went to see a touring version of the show in Boise, Idaho, and her son heard a low hum coming from the audience throughout the entire show. “He realized it was kids mumbling the words, singing along with it,” she said.

With that experience in mind, MAPA is offering sing-along performances at 2 p.m. April 25 and May 2. “So everybody in the audience knows it’s a sing-along and they’re welcome to sing along to the entire show,” Wright added.

The musical is meant to appeal to all ages.

“There’s really something for everybody,” said Wright. “It’s got all the beautiful music and the gorgeous magic, but it also has this really heartwarming theme of family and sisterly love and kind of how to overcome your fears. When Elsa sings ‘Let It Go,’ the most famous song from the show, it’s like an anthem for how to live your life authentically.”

“Frozen” will open at 7 p.m. Friday. The show will continue with performances on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through May 10. As of Monday, tickets were sold out for “Frozen” throughout the opening weekend.

The Wave of Harmony Foundation has donated 500 complimentary tickets to Frozen for Maui youth age 18 and under from low-income families. To redeem complimentary youth tickets, use code “HARMONY” during checkout at mauiacademy.org/currentseason.