“Anastasia” Rises to the Top
Let me preface this review by stating I have loved each and every musical I’ve seen at Dallas Summer Musicals – and I have seen a lot this past year and a half while working for the paper. But holy mother of Broadway, Anastasia blew me away.
And if the comments I heard from other theatergoers can attest to what I’m about to tell you; we all thought the production was top-notch.
Anastasia, which is making its Dallas run through March 3, is beautifully inspired by the beloved films and seamlessly transports us viewers from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. The play follows the young Anya as she struggles to remember who she is after waking up in a hospital bed with amnesia.
Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her belief that she might the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia – the long-lost daughter of the last Russian czar presumed to have been executed alongside her family. The thought – the hope – of her being alive would challenge all reformist were doing.
While the real-life Anastasia sadly died alongside her family in 1917, the rumor of her possible escape and survival became one of the twentieth century’s biggest mysteries and has since become a mainstay in popular culture.
While Anya’s initial quest to find out who she was begins as a clever plot by a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat the cash in on fortune where from the presumed princess’s last surviving relative — the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna – the story evolves into so much more.
Anastasia was the most gorgeous show I’ve seen.
The costumes from the Broadway hit making its way across the states are stunning. The inner princess in me drooled with envy at the luxe dresses and sparkling tiaras.
The storyline was thrilling to watch and had a pace perfect for a stage play – trust me, there were no ‘Oh, my goodness when will it be intermission so I can stretch moments.
But, what I truly loved about the production was the set.
The mix of media (stage props and movie-like backdrops) did a stellar job of elevating the scenic design. The photorealistic images used throughout were cinematic and transfixing.
Tickets for Anatasia start at $20 (pricing subject to change) and are on sale at DallasSummerMusicals.org or can be purchased by phone at 800-982-2787. They can also be purchased in person at the Music Hall at Fair Park Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
