On the 3-day leg from February 26 to 28, the members of Spotlights (MS Drama 6-8) and Limelights (MS Drama 5) put on their version of Anastasia: The Musical (Youth Edition). The cast performed in a total of five shows: one for the Middle School, one for the Lower School, and three for general audiences. The two-act musical was a smashing success.
Anastasia: The Musical (Youth Edition) is a period drama that tells the story of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, who sustained amnesia after her family was killed in 1918, and believes she is a sweet sweeper named Anya in St. Petersburg. Prompted by rumors that the Grand Duchess is alive, two conmen, Dmitry and Vlad, hold auditions for a faux-Anastasia to take to Paris in hopes of duping the Dowager Empress, who has put out a reward for her granddaughter’s safe return. They find Anya, who fits the bill—a little too well. In a mad dash for wealth, pursued by the unrelenting Soviet officer Gleb, the three make their way to Paris on a journey for love, family, and above all, belonging.
Because the musical touches upon heavy subject matter like memory and loss, each lead was tasked with portraying intense emotion while nonetheless tackling their roles with intention and care. Several actors, such as Delia Torday, one of the double-cast Anastasias, found it helpful to draw from lived experience in particularly tough scenes. Torday noted that, “Through the difficult parts, especially through showing emotion, I kind of think how I would feel in the scenario and if I was her, how I would cope.”
The technical design of Anastasia, thankfully, rose to the level of emotional weight handled by the cast and matched it spectacularly. “As the program continues to develop, and the interest has grown, the level of the productions keeps increasing,” commented Director Heidi Painter.
After seeing the show, I’m sure audiences familiar with SCH theater can agree wholeheartedly. Thanks to a newly purchased 16,000-lumen projector, the digital backdrop used to transition between locations in St. Petersburg, during travel, and finally in Paris, was incredibly well-lit and in focus, allowing viewers to lose themselves in the story’s magic and take the scenery for granted. Each costume, in addition, matched the time period especially well. The rags and layered clothing donned by the Russian ensemble only hammered home the relevance of the tension simmering during “A Rumor In St. Petersburg” as talk circulates that Anastasia is alive. The twirling floral or striped dresses and suits of the Parisian ensemble in “Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart)” delineated the beginning of a clear shift in the main character’s innermost emotions as the actors established the change in setting. These aspects of Anastasia’s design only emphasized the advanced musicianship displayed by the cast.
Several solo songs characterized Anastasia’s journey, but so did a considerable amount of vocally demanding ensemble numbers, such as “Stay I Pray You” and “Finale.” Numbers such as these necessitated dynamic choreography and minute harmonies, which created moments in which the cast shone as a whole. Other songs in the musical’s repertoire, including the hopeful anthem of “Journey to the Past,” gave audiences an authentic opportunity to glimpse Anya’s inner conflict as she pursues a sense of family.
Overall, the show’s score transitioned coherently between the grandest sweeping moments and the more intimate ones that developed character relationships within this historical drama. Each track gave performers the opportunity to showcase their prowess with emotional nuance and their skill with vocal musicianship.
Even though Anastasia’s five-show run is up, SCH theatergoers don’t have to wait long for the next adventure—Upper School Players will be taking the Thornley Auditorium’s stage on May 7, 8, and 9 with Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, maintaining this year’s theme of “Stages and Stories.” A big thank you to Director Heidi Painter, Assistant Director Amy Miller-Mandel, Music Director Terrance Hart, Producer and Costume Designer Jeanine Braak, Technical Director Daria Maidenbaum, Choreographers Dorothy Sasso and Jessica Tiffany, and Limelights Director and Assistant Director Dorothy Sasso and Jennifer Caraballo, respectively. Congratulations, Spotlights (MS Drama 6-8) & Limelights (MS Drama 5), and we’ll see you soon, Players!
