Review: Family Music Theatre's production of ANASTASIA captures our hearts

Anastasia

Based on J.M. Barrie’s Novel

Music & Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh & Morris Charlop

Directed by Dr. Sam R. Germany, Jr. 

Produced by Family Music Theatre

Audience Rating: PG 

Run Time: 2 hours 30 min, including one 15 min intermission

Accessible Seating: Available 

Hearing Devices: Not Available

Sensory Friendly Performance: Not Available

Production Sound Level: Comfortable Volume 

Noises or Visuals to Prepare For:  highly stylized depictions of war and gun violence, alcohol consumption 

Reviewed by Jenny Wood

I love a good Director’s note, and for Family Music Theatre’s Anastasia, Director Dr. Sam R. Germany, Jr. provides a truly interesting, comprehensive discussion of the historic events that inspired a story that has been adapted for stage and screen four times. The version currently playing at Family Music Theatre is a 2017 stage production that combines music from the 1997 animated film with the tone and plot points of the 1953 play and 1956 live action film: in 1918, the Russian royal family is killed in a rebellion attack, but one daughter is rumored to have survived. Some years later, two con men convince a woman with amnesia to travel with them to Paris and present herself as the Dowager Empress’s surviving granddaughter, Anastasia.

Staged in the New Vida Center, functionally a chapel space with a steeply raked ceiling over a raised platform performance area, there is little opportunity for complex sets. Dr. Germany uses these physical parameters to their advantage, leaning heavily on costume, choreography, and vocal performance to tell the story. By using costume changes and chorus members to establish time and place, the ensemble is able to glide through approximately 28 scene changes without distracting from the action by interrupting the pace of the show. 

Accompaniment is provided by a live band clearly visible throughout, upstage center, and the Sound team of Designer Kirk Longhofer and Engineer Aaron Anderson have done an excellent job of balancing the mic-ed performers against the instrumentalists. The large chorus in the small place provides an immersive sound experience all the way to the back row. 

As Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna Romanov, Sharon Balthrop provides the weighty, grounded throughline, which allows the two principal couples -  Countess Lily (Angela Germany) paired with con-man of court Vlad Popov (Ethan Gebauer), and our titular Anastasia (Sara-Joe McMeans) with con-man of the streets Dmitry Sudayev (Dauri Poole) - to lean into the spectacle of show stopping numbers such as "Learn to Do It," "Journey to the Past," and "Land of Yesterday" – so while, in my opinion, the darker tone of certain scenes warrants a PG rather than G rating, the warm and fantastical tone of the animated film is pervasive throughout the show, making Anastasia a lovely Friday night treat after a cold, chaotic week.

Anastasia continues through March 8, FamilyMusicTheatre.com for info and tickets.

Cheers!

Jenny