Anastasia
Anastasia is a stage musical that transports its audience to the tumultuous era of the Russian Empire’s fall and the rise of the Soviet Union.
Synopsis
It’s a tale of history, romance, and mystery, centered around the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia.
The story begins in the final days of the Romanov dynasty, where young Anastasia experiences the joy of a grand ball at the palace.
This happiness is short-lived, however, as the Russian Revolution breaks out, leading to the tragic execution of her family.
Anastasia, who somehow survives, is left with amnesia, forgetting her royal heritage.
Years later, in the Soviet Union, two con men, Dmitry and Vlad, seek a young woman to impersonate Anastasia to claim her inheritance.
They encounter Anya, a street sweeper with a striking resemblance to the missing princess and no memory of her past.
Seeing an opportunity, they train her to pass as Anastasia.
The trio travels to Paris to meet the Dowager Empress Marie, Anastasia’s grandmother, who has long been searching for her lost granddaughter.
Throughout the journey, Anya experiences flashbacks of her past life and forms a deep bond with Dmitry.
In Paris, Anya’s authenticity is initially met with skepticism, but she eventually convinces the Dowager Empress and others of her true identity.
As she embraces her royal lineage, Anya also grapples with her love for Dmitry and the life she left behind.
The musical culminates with Anya’s decision to forgo her royal privileges for a life of freedom and love with Dmitry, choosing personal happiness over a royal destiny.
“Anastasia” captivates with its blend of historical drama, romance, and the enduring mystery of the grand duchess’s fate.
About the show
- Written by: Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Terrence McNally
- Premiered: 2016
- Genres & themes: 2010s, Drama, Historical, Romance, Two Act
- Setting: 1920s, Paris, Russia
Songs from Anastasia
- Prologue: Once Upon a December
- A Rumor in St. Petersburg
- In My Dreams
- Learn to Do It
- The Neva Flows
- My Petersburg
- Once Upon a December
- Stay, I Pray You
- We’ll Go From There
- Still
- Journey to the Past
- Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart)
- Crossing a Bridge
- Close the Door
- Land of Yesterday
- The Countess and the Common Man
- In a Crowd of Thousands
- Meant to Be
- Everything to Win
- Once Upon a December (Reprise)
- The Press Conference
- Everything to Win (Reprise)
- Still / The Neva Flows (Reprise)
- Finale