Anastasia (musical)
| Musical dates | |
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| Title: | Anastasia |
| Original title: | Anastasia |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Stephen Flaherty |
| Book: | Terrence McNally |
| Lyrics: | Lynn Ahrens |
| Original direction: | Darko Tresnjak |
| Premiere: | May 13, 2016 |
| Place of premiere: | Hartford |
| Place and time of the action: | Russia and France of the 1920s |
| Roles / people | |
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Anastasia is a musical by Stephen Flaherty , Lynn Ahrens and Terrence McNally , loosely based on the 1997 cartoon of the same name . It deals with the myth that the Russian tsar's daughter Anastasia was the only one who survived the murder of the Romanov family . After the October Revolution , Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna offered a high reward for finding her granddaughter. In order to sneak the money, the two fraudsters Dimitry and Vlad Popov look for a double of the Tsar's daughter. There they meet the street sweeper Anya, who suffers from amnesia , looks very similar to Anastasia and is looking for her past and her family.
The plot
prolog
In 1907, Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, who moved to Paris, gave her six-year-old granddaughter Anastasia a music box as a farewell gift (“Prologue: Once Upon a December”). Ten years later, the Bolsheviks attack the palace during a ball . ("The Last Dance of the Romanows"). When the tsar's family tries to flee and Anastasia wants to take her music box with her, she is shot down. Like her family, she is pronounced dead.
first act
The first act takes place in Russia. Saint Petersburg has just been renamed Leningrad and General Gleb Vaganov of the Bolsheviks promises a glorious future. Still, rumors continue to circulate that Anastasia survived her family's murder. Her grandmother Maria Feodorovna in Paris offers a reward for finding her. Thereupon the two cheaters Dimitry and Vlad Popov decide to train a young woman to embody Anastasia and to get the reward ("A Rumor in St Petersburg"). When they cannot find a suitable candidate and are already about to give up, they are contacted by the street sweeper Anya, who needs papers to travel to Paris. The young woman suffers from amnesia and vaguely remembers having been to the Yusopov Palace (“In My Dreams”). Since she looks very similar to Anastasia, Dmitry and Vlad decide to pass her off as the Tsar's daughter. The plan is betrayed by three bitter actresses to Gleb Vaganov ("The Rumors Never End").
Anya receives lessons in history, etiquette and dancing from Dmitry and Vlad and after a few months is ready to travel to Paris (“Learn to Do It”). Before they can leave, however, Anya is arrested by Gleb. He warns her not to play Anastasia and reveals to her that his father shot the Romanovs back then. Despite his insistence that Anastasia is dead, he admits that Anya has the "Romanov eyes". Since he feels drawn to her, he lets her run with a warning ("The Neva Flows"). When she finds Dmitry, the two are attacked by his old rogue buddies ("The Neva Flows Reprise"). After the fight together, he tells her that his father fought against the Bolsheviks and was killed in one of their camps. His mother is also dead and he had to learn to take care of himself ("My Petersburg"). He shows Anya a music box that fell into his hands during the October Revolution but which he was never able to open. It is about Maria Feodorovna's parting gift to Anastasia. Anya opens the music box without difficulty and begins to vaguely remember a ball from the tsarist family (“Once Upon a December”). In return, she shows Dmitry a diamond sewn into her dress when she was found ("A Secret She Kept"). She gives Dmitry and Vlad the stone to pay for tickets to Paris.
At the train station, Count Ipolitov recognizes Anya as Anastasia and kisses her hand. They say goodbye to Russia (“Stay, I Pray You”) and board the train to Paris. On the journey, each of the three imagines what they are hoping for from the trip. Anya wishes to really be Anastasia, Dmitry wants the reward and Vlad hopes to see his old flame again, Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch, a maid of Maria Feodorovna ("We'll Go From There"). On the trip, however, they are found by the police who are looking for them as criminals. Count Ipolitov is shot and Anya collapses due to the exchange of fire. Dmitry takes care of her and escapes from the train with her and Vlad. They continue their journey to France on foot. In the meantime, Gleb received an order from his superior Gorlinsky to follow Anya and kill her (“Traveling Sequence”). Obediently, Gleb sets off, but fights for Anya ("Still") with his conscience and his romantic feelings. Shortly before her arrival in Paris, Anya gathers all her courage and hopes to finally find her past (“Journey to the Past”).
Second act
In the second act, the action shifts to Paris, which makes an intoxicating first impression on the three travelers ("Paris Holds the Key (to Your Heart)"). Anya visits the Pont Alexandre III , which was named after Maria Feodorovna's husband , and vaguely remembers her promise to cross this bridge with her ("Crossing a Bridge"). The old lady has since given up hope of ever seeing Anastasia again after cheating several times ("Close the Door"). Her maid Lily Malevsky-Malevitch is staying with other exiled Russian nobles in the Neva Club (“Land of Yesterday”). When Vlad finds her, Gleb has also arrived in Paris. Despite her anger that Vlad once stole her jewels, Lily revives her romance with him ("The Countess and the Common Man"). She agrees to allow Anya to meet the Grand Duchess at the ballet " Swan Lake " the next evening, but Vlad drops the tickets. Gleb, who overheard them, picks up the cards ("Land of Yesterday Reprise").
At night, Anya has a nightmare about the murder of the tsarist family (“A Nightmare”). Dmitry comforts her and tells her about a memory of Anastasia, to whom he bowed as a child at a parade. Anya also remembers this incident and they both recognize that she is actually the surviving daughter of the Tsar ("In a Crowd of Thousands"). During the ballet, Vlad noted to his regret that the two fell in love ("Meant to Be"). Anya and Maria Feodorovna see and recognize each other, but the Grand Duchess does not want to be disappointed again. Dmitry and Gleb reflect on their respective feelings for Anya ("Quartet at the Ballet"). Lily, who Anya recognized as Anastasia, takes her to Maria Feodorovna after the event. Despite his feelings for Anya, Dmitry is ready to let her go so that she can be with her relatives ("Everything to Win"). At this meeting, however, Anya learns that Dmitry and Vlad wanted to use them to collect the reward and storms out angrily. Dmitry finally convinces the Grand Duchess with a fit of anger to see Anya. In their hotel room there is ultimately a confrontation between Maria and Anya. Anya, angry about Maria's cold treatment, compares her to the grandmother she knew and suddenly remembers saying goodbye to her. The Grand Duchess believed her when she saw the music box. For the first time since Maria left Saint Petersburg, grandmother and granddaughter see each other again (“Once Upon a December Reprise”).
The next morning there is a press conference at which Vlad and Lily have to deal with curious reporters ("The Press Conference"). Before the public presentation, Anya hesitates, unsure whether she wants to lead a life as a princess. However, her grandmother assures her that no matter what decision Anya makes, she will stand by her. To clear her head, Anya pulls back. She finally realizes that she loves Dmitry, who has waived the reward ("Everything to Win Reprise"). When she wants to go after him, Gleb sneaks into her room and locks the door. He has orders to kill her and feels obliged to finish his father's work. Anya now remembers the murder of the Romanovs. She fearlessly asks him to kill her so that she can finally see her family again. Gleb realizes that, unlike his father, he cannot commit cold-blooded murder and lets her go ("Still / The Neva Flows Reprise"). Together with Maria he announces to the public that the search for Anastasia has been given up and the reward will be donated. Meanwhile, Anya finds Dmitry on the Pont Alexandre III. Together they leave Paris, celebrated by the ghosts of the Romanovs ("Finale").
History of origin
Back in 2012, a Russian producer approached Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens with the suggestion that the cartoon should be turned into a musical. Although this collaboration did not materialize, Flaherty and Ahrens turned to Terrence McNally , who, like them, believed that the film could not be transferred one-to-one to the stage. A more mature, historically correct approach was tried, which is why McNally also consulted the 1956 film adaptation of Anastasia with Ingrid Bergman . For example, the figure of the evil wizard Rasputin was deleted because he was already dead at the time of the October Revolution. Instead, a Cheka officer , Gleb Vaganov, was conceived as the heroine's adversary. It was also decided to have the first act played in Russia and the second in France to show the differences between the two countries in the early 1920s.
In the same year there was a reading for the early version of the musical. Angela Lansbury , who had already portrayed Anastasia's grandmother in the cartoon, took over this role again. Kelli Barrett was hired for the role of Anya / Anastasia, while Aaron Tveit took on the role of Dmitry. Six songs were taken from the cartoon into the musical, including the Oscar- nominated Journey to the Past (German: Journey through Time ) and the Once Upon a December nominated for a Golden Globe Award (German: Once upon a time in December ). In addition, 16 new pieces were written. According to director Darko Tresnjak, they “kept the best of the cartoon, but it's actually a whole new musical”.
In March 2016, the roles for the Hartford production were determined. The title role was cast with Christy Altomare, while Dmitry was played by Derek Klena. Manoel Felciano took on the role of Gleb Vaganov, Mary Beth Peil that of Maria Feodorovna. Vlad Popov was played by John Bolton and Lily Malevsky-Malevitch, who is based on the cartoon character Sophie Stanislavovna Somorkov-Smirnoff, by Caroline O'Connor. The premiere took place on May 13th after the originally planned premiere on May 12th had to be canceled due to technical difficulties. It had already emerged in advance that the play would be taken over on Broadway next spring. Hartford gave the producers the opportunity to fine-tune the musical again and Mary Beth Peil described it as the ideal preliminary stage for New York. In an interview, Ahrens said about the work process:
“It's a sensitive environment. You work hard You are tired. You're trying to do everything right. And having the critics on your neck in New York immediately is very disheartening. It's very difficult to get something right the first time one hundred percent. "
The play premiered on Broadway on April 24, 2017, still with Altomare in the title role. Some pieces of music were deleted from the Hartford production or renamed, some roles were reassigned. Gleb Vaganov was no longer played by Manoel Felciano, but by Ramin Karimloo . Karimloo himself was replaced by Max von Essen on December 5, 2017 . As of March 26, 2018, Zach Adkins and Vicki Lewis took on the roles of Dmitry and Lily.
Differences from the cartoon
- As a farewell present, Anastasia receives a music box from her grandmother, not a key.
- When her family dies, Anastasia is seventeen years old and witnessed the murder.
- During the October Revolution, Anastasia's grandmother was already in Paris, no longer in Saint Petersburg.
- In the musical, Dmitry is not one of the former servants of the royal family. Instead, he and Anastasia met once at a parade as children.
- Anastasia's dog Pooka, Rasputin and his talking bat Bartok are missing in the musical.
- Anastasia's opponent in the musical is Gleb Vaganov, whose character was invented specifically for the play. He is loyal to the regime, but at the same time feels drawn to Anya and feels remorse for his father's deeds.
- After escaping from the train, Anya, Dmitry and Vlad travel on foot, not by ship.
- Sophie Stanislavovna Somorkov-Smirnoff was renamed Lily Malevsky-Malevitch for the musical.
- Anya sings "Journey to the Past" shortly before arriving in Paris instead of on her way to Saint Petersburg.
Track list
Hartford production
In the Hartford production, different titles were sometimes sung than in the final Broadway version.
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first act
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Second act
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Broadway
For the final version on Broadway, some titles of the Hartford production were deleted or renamed.
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first act
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Second act
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Germany
The Broadway songs were translated into German for the German production.
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first act
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Second act
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Performances
| country | Performance location | premiere | Kidney | theatre | Performances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States
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Broadway | April 24, 2017 | March 31, 2019 | Broadhurst Theater | 808 |
| tour | October 12, 2018 | open | |||
 Spain
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Madrid | October 10, 2018 | open | Coliseum Theater | |
 Germany
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Stuttgart | 15th November 2018 | October 13, 2019 | Stage Palladium Theater | 376 |
 Netherlands
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Scheveningen | 22nd September 2019 | open | AFAS Circustheater |
occupation
| Performances | Broadway (2017) | Stuttgart (2018) | Scheveningen (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anja | Christy Altomare | Judith Caspari | Tessa Sunniva van Tol |
| Dimitri | Derek Klena | Milan van Waardenburg | |
| Gleb Vaganov | Ramin Karimloo | Mathias Edenborn | René van Kooten |
| Vlad Popov | John Bolton | Thorsten Tinney | Ad Knippels |
| Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch | Caroline O'Connor | Jacqueline Braun | Ellen Evers |
| Tsar mother Maria Feodorovna | Mary Beth Peil | Daniela Ziegler | Gerrie van der Klei |
During the Stuttgart season there were the following cast changes: From May 2019 Masha Karell took over the first cast as Tsar's mother and Patricia Nessy the first cast as Lily. From July 2019 Thomas Hohler took over the first line-up as Dimitri.
Criticisms and Reviews
Although the Hartford production was so popular with audiences that it had several additional performances, critics described it as "inconsistent, insincere, insecure". The modified version on Broadway also received mixed reviews. The New York Times judged that not only the heroine, but also the play suffered from an identity crisis, as it vacillated between elements of the cartoon and the film adaptation with Ingrid Bergman. The length of almost two and a half hours was also criticized.
The Hartford Courant praised the fact that after the changes for the Broadway production, the piece "found itself." The irregularities would have been smoothed out and it "now speaks and sings with a stronger voice". The Hollywood Reporter described the musical as "cheesy, old-fashioned entertainment in a relatively cultivated manner and its success has to be recognized when the target group is languishing on cue." The costumes and Christy Altomare's vocal performance received applause.
Awards
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical (Christy Altomare)
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Directing a Musical (Darko Tresnjak)
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography (Peggy Hickey)
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Costume Design (Linda Cho)
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Lighting Design (Donald Holder)
- Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Projection Design (Aaron Rhyne)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Projection Design (Aaron Rhyne)
- Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Projection Design (Aaron Rhyne)
- Theater World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut (Christy Altomare)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Linda Buchwald: 'Anastasia,' All Grown Up With Somewhere to Go . American Theater June 3, 2016. Accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ Exclusive: Crawford, Barrett, Halston, Page Join Tveit, Lansbury, Lazar in ANASTASIA Reading! . Broadway World, July 28, 2012. Accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ Robert Viagas, Adam Hetrick: Tony-Winning Director Says Ahrens and Flaherty's Stage Anastasia Will Be a Whole "New Musical" . Playbill March 1, 2016. Accessed March 24, 2018
- ↑ a b Hartford production program . Accessed March 24, 2018
- ^ Adam Hetrick: Anastasia Cancels First Preview . Playbill May 12, 2016. Accessed March 31, 2018
- ↑ Christopher Arnott: Hartford Stage's 'Anastasia' A World Premiere Bound For Broadway . Hartford Courant May 5, 2016, accessed March 27, 2018
- ↑ Olivia Clement: Hartford Stage Adds An Extra Performance of Anastasia . Playbill May 19, 2016. Accessed March 31, 2018
- ↑ a b Review Roundup: Have You Heard? ANASTASIA Opens on Broadway Tonight! . Broadway World April 24, 2017. Accessed March 22, 2018
- ↑ Ben Brantley: Theater Review: 'Anastasia,' a Russian Princess With an Identity Crisis . The New York Times April 24, 2017. Accessed March 28, 2018.
- ↑ David Rooney: 'Anastasia': Theater Review . The Hollywood Reporter April 24, 2017. Accessed March 28, 2018.