Performance Review: The New Broadway Musical “Anastasia”
“Have you heard? There’s a rumor in St. Petersburg!”
This is arguably one of the most famous lines in the new Broadway musical “Anastasia,” which opened in Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center on Oct. 16. The show is part of the 2018-19 PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Broadway Across America.
From the costumes to the music to the special effects, this show is an absolutely magical experience. Inspired by the films, it tells the story of Anya, a brave young woman who sets out to discover the mystery of her past, after her entire family is executed and she is left an amnesiac orphan. After hiding in plain sight as a poor street sweeper, Anya encounters a mischievous conman and his ex-aristocrat sidekick who want to escape persecution (and earn a sizable reward) by helping Anya—aka Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia–find her home and remaining family in Paris.
Written by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ragtime), the musical features an entirely new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics), with direction by Tony Award winner Darko Tresnjak.
If you’re considering taking children to the show, please note that the recommended age for this show is 7 and up. There are several intense moments, including at the beginning of the performance when Anastasia’s family is executed and again toward the end, when a Soviet officer tries to silence her. There are also a few scenes where the characters are drunk on stage, and a “romantic scene” between Countless Lily (Tari Kelly) and Vlad (Edward Staudenmayer), which is absolutely hysterical (my 8-year-old laughed herself silly over this scene). The beloved duo received one of the loudest ovations following the show, proving their effectiveness as comic relief.
Anastasia is truly a delightful experience. A limited number of tickets are still available for the Pittsburgh show, which runs through Sunday, Oct. 21. You can purchase tickets online on the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s official website: trustarts.org.
Pittsburgh is only the second stop for this show’s first tour, which will continue across the country before wrapping up in San Francisco in September 2019.
Note: When we saw the show on Oct. 17, understudy Beth Stafford Laird was in the role of Anya, due to illness. It’s also important to note that the performance uses strobe lights.
Disclaimer: I was provided with free tickets to this show, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
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