True journey to the past
Review of ‘Anastasia’
Photo via Instagram (@smhsthespians)
Thursday was the Starr’s Mill’s premiere of ”Anastasia: The Musical.” The musical is an adaptation of the 21st Century Fox animated movie “Anastasia” from 1997 starring Meg Ryan. From the costumes to the choreography, “Anastasia” was a truly wonderful musical.
Starr’s Mill’s production of “Anastasia: The Musical” was a huge success.
This story follows the Russian princess Anastasia who lost the memories of her past and tries to find her true self.
The musical is an adaptation of the 21st Century Fox animated movie “Anastasia” from 1997 starring Meg Ryan.
Starr’s Mill thespians have been preparing for the show since mid-November. They even had three judges attend opening night to be in the running for the Shuler Awards. During the show, three main points that helped me fall in love with this production.
Cast
The casting was a dream. I loved how they used younger children to portray the younger versions of Anastasia.
You cannot forget to talk about the antagonist of the story Gleb, played by senior Matthew Little. Gleb was a complicated character.
He was dealt a rough hand in life. His father died without honor. Then Gleb had to prove to himself and to his leader that he is a man of his word. He is willing to kill a young girl to prove that.
Even though Gleb is falling in love with Anastasia, he believes that she truly is the person they are looking for. The last scene that he and Anastasia are in together you can see the struggle he has with himself trying to prove to the world that he is his father’s son but also proving to himself that he is his own man.
The Dowager Empress Marie has a commanding voice, a regal posture that shows that they have power, and a voice that holds people’s attention. Senior Aleena Soto delivered this performance especially well.
Countess Lily and Conman Vlad, whose connection was just so beautiful and romantic, truly was one of a kind. They got to meet each other again and the audience could see them fall in love with each other all over again. Junior Katie Williams and senior Hayden Andrews had a clear connection that sometimes you miss in characters but not in these two.
Now into one of the most significant characters, Dimitri, played by senior Evan Lacy. His character changed as the show progressed. From the start he is very cunning and all he cares about is himself and the money. Then, he loses a little bit of that personality and he transforms into a much more compassionate and caring man.
The heroine Anya, who is really Princess Anastasia, played by the amazing senior Alexis Wiest, was beautiful. Sometimes actors just tell the story, but Wiest told the story on a first-hand account as Anya. She was passionate about finding out who she really is, while conveying her fears toward trusting Vlad and Dimitri.
Choreography
Amazing does not begin to describe the choreography of “Anastasia.” Kudos to senior Sophie Biel who choreographed the entire show, and to junior Katie Williams who choreographed the ballet scenes.
There was so much going on stage, I did not know where to look. The opening number was breathtaking. From doing the splits to being lifted up into the air, the dancers really set the tone for the show.
The numbers were interactive with the audience as well, as some had the characters run or dance up the aisles.
Costumes
Each costume correlated with the scene and helped to project the meaning. Anastasia’s changes throughout the musical were reflected in her outfits.
Anastasia went from wearing sweaters to beautiful ball gowns and crowns, which showed that she was discovering her real character. The costumes always contributed to the meaning of the musical.
Thank you to the entire crew and cast of “Anastasia.” They did a phenomenal job overall. With choreography that had the audience waiting for more, costumes matched to each scene, and roles portraying the pain, the determination, and the love between characters, I cannot wait to see what the Starr’s Mill drama department does in its next performance.