If you didn’t know any better, and most in the audience won’t, you would think that the family-friendly “Anastasia” was a Disney musical. It has the romance, the glitter, the Cinderella story of a girl with amnesia that discovers (or maybe not) that she is a Grand Duchess from a prominent Russian family. It has a Disney-like story and a Disney-type musical score.
But the Broadway musical was inspired by the 20th Century Fox animated song-filled movie from 1997. There is some fine pedigree behind “Anastasia,” the musical, with a book by Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, and music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (“Ragtime” and “Once On This Island.”)
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It’s loosely based on the story of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, allegedly murdered by a group of the Bolsheviks, a faction of Marxists, in 1918.
Curtain up and the family of Czar Nicholas II is enjoying their luxurious palace living. A young Anastasia Nikolaevna is saying goodbye to her grandmother who is leaving for Paris. Soon after she departs, there’s an explosion. Lighting splotches blood red color on the windows. The family is wiped out, supposedly including Anastasia.
As a side note, it is a bit disturbing to see the bombing of the Russians as a war rages almost 6,000 miles away in Ukraine. Russia is now decimating the streets with bombs and missiles. It adds reality to this fairytale and makes your heartbreak for the people in Ukraine even more as this story is wrapped around the sadness of those who have lost so much, including loved ones, because of a war.
But back to the story. Could Anastasia have somehow survived? There’s a street sweeper in Leningrad who a hospital nurse named Anya when she couldn’t remember who she was. Could it be so?
There are also two con men who seek to return Anastasia to her grandma-ma for a princely sum, and a villain whose father killed everyone in the Czar’s family except for one. He needs to be the good son who finishes the job.
Every actor in the touring company’s “Anastasia,” which is at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts through Sunday, has their heart and soul invested.
Kyla Stone as Anya is bright-eyed and beautiful. The delightful way the character is written is the reason to fall under the spell of Stone and she helps to make that happen, too. Of course, why shouldn’t the princess have the best songs in the show? The first act closer “Journey to the Past” is enchanting, to say the least and Stone brings the house down with it.
Sam McLellan as Dmitry, one of the two men in on the con, who ends up, of course, in love with the street sweeper turned princess has a “gosh-gee” way about him that’s filled with likeability. And, he’s got a great vocal range to match.
Comic relief comes in the form of Bryan Seastrom as Vlad and the lady in waiting he’s left behind and returns to, Countess Lily (Madeline Raube), turn up the hilarity in Act II. Act II also has a built-in Russian ballet where members of the ensemble are absolutely impeccable in a version of “Swan Lake.”
Every bit a villain, but one with a soft spot is Brandon Delgado, as the Bolshevik general, Gleb. Delgado’s voice is impeccable. He is a trained opera singer, and it shows.
Wrapping up everything in a glittery and pizzazz-filled extravaganza is the scenic design by Alexander Dodge with projection design by Aaron Rhyne – the train ride from Saint Petersburg to Paris is immersive, you’ll see. And Linda Cho’s gorgeous costumes elicited audible gasps from the audience. Wait until you check out Anastasia’s red ball gown. It was just one of many magical moments that “Anastasia” does so well.
“Anastasia” runs through March 27 at the Adrienne Arsht Center with shows Saturday, March 26 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 27 at 1 and 7 p.m. Get information and tickets at www.arshtcenter.org.