by Mark G. Auerbach
Anastasia, the new musical having its world premiere and pre-Broadway shakedown at Hartford Stage, is two and half hours of musical magic–a compelling story well-scripted by Terrence McNally, a rich, lush and melodic score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (their best yet),and magnificent staging and choreography. Anastasia is wrapped up in a physical production that is probably Hartford Stage’s most ambitious, opulent, and satisfying to date. Add some polished performances, and Anastasia looks like it will have a long life on Broadway and on tour. I can’t recall too many evenings of theatre-going as thrilling as this.
Derek Klena and Christy Altomare in Anastasia at Hartford Stage. Photo by Joan Marcus.
I’ve had high hopes and incredible anticipation for the arrival of Anastasia. I’ve heard the story of Anastasia Romanov, told to me many times as a child by my maternal grandmother who left Russia for the United States several years before Anastasia, one of five children of the Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra, and family fell victim to the Russian Revolution. They were dethroned, arrested, moved from place to place and ultimately executed in 1918. Rumor was that Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the Tsar, had survived the massacre. A woman claiming to be her appeared in Paris after the Revolution, but she couldn’t convince the royals in exile that she was Anastasia.
The story became a play, and later a film in 1956, with Ingrid Bergman as Anastasia. In 1965, Robert Wright and George Forrest of Kismet and Song of Norway fame adapted the story as a musical with music by Rachmaninoff.. It flopped. Robert Massie came out with his bestseller Nicholas and Alexandra, later turned into an epic move; the Anastasia story became a TV movie with Amy Irving, and then, in 1997, the animated movie Anastasia, with songs by the Ragtime team Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens became a hit. The story of Anastasia has been crying out for a musical treatment. Here it is.
In McNally’s script, schemers Popov (John Bolton) and Dmitry (Derek Klena) are trying to find a woman that they can train to pass herself off as Anastasia to the Dowager Empress (Mary Beth Peil), thus claiming the Romanov inheritance. Anya (Christy Altomare), a girl with amnesia, catches their eye. As Henry Higgins transformed Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Popov and Dmitry begin Anya’s transformation. Dmitry, however, falls for Anya. McNally’s script is grand and sweeping, and staged brilliantly by Darko Tresjnak. The musical score, enhanced by Doug Besterman’s engaging orchestrations, is truly traditional Broadway at its best.
John Bolton and Caroline O’Connor in Anastasia at Hartford Stage. Photo by Joan Marcus.
The entire company is superb. Christy Altomare is a charming Anastasia with a beautiful voice, and stage presence. Mary Beth Peil’s empress is elegant and poised. Caroline O’Connor as the Countess Lily and John Bolton as Popov stopped the show with “The Countess and The Common Man”. Some other stand-out performances for me were Shina Ann Morris as Josephine Baker in the delightful Act II opener “Paris Holds The Key; Alida Michal as Odette in “Swan Lake” in the Paris Opera ballet sequence. Mention must be made of Peggy Hickey’s lovely choreography, from the elegant “Dance of The Romanovs” to the ballet sequencs and the travelling sequence on the train.
Alexander Dodge’s set designs and Aaron Rhyne’s video and projections offer breathtaking scenes of St. Petersburg and Paris. Dodge designed the spellbinding sets for Rear Window at the beginning of the season. He’s outdone himself. There’s a sequence on a train travelling between the two cities, “Travelling Sequence”, which is a showstopper for combining sets, projections, lights, song, and movement. Linda Cho’s elaborate costumes dazzle. Donald Holder’s lighting design is the best I’ve seen of late at Hartford Stage, and Peter Hylenski’s sound design is just right.
I was totally swept away by Anastasia, and one of the first in the audience to jump to my feet to give it a standing ovation. I felt like I was a part of something very special at this opening night, and that said from a theatre re[orter who sees lots of shows, is proof that live theatre is like nothing else. Thanks to Hartford Stage and the Anastasia company for giving me an evening of theatre I will simply never forget.
Hartford Stage presents Anastasia. Book by Terrence McNally. Music by Stephen Flaherty. Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox motion pictures. Directed by Darko Tresnjak. Musical direction by Thomas Murray. Choreography by Peggy Hickey. Scenic design by Alexander Dodge. Video and Projection Design by Aaron Rhyne. Costume design by Linda Cho. Lighting design by Donald Holder. Sound design by Peter Hylenski. Orchestrations by Doug Besterman. through June 19. For tickets: 860-527-5151 or www.hartfordstage.org
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
