Reviews: Anastasia: The Musical at Alexandria City High School
In a story defined by memory, identity, and the lingering shadows of a lost empire, Alexandria City High School's production of Anastasia: The Musical brought emotional depth, striking technical choices, and standout performances to the stage, crafting a world that felt both intimate and ethereal.
Originally inspired by the 1997 animated film, with music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally, Anastasia follows Anya, a young woman with no memory of her past, as she journeys from post-revolutionary Russia to Paris in search of her identity. Along the way, she encounters Dmitry and Vlad, who hope to pass her off as the lost Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, while the imposing Gleb pursues her with the intent of ending the Romanov family once and for all. At its core, the musical explores themes of belonging, loss, and the enduring pull of history.
Leading the production was Page Vogel as Anya/Anastasia, whose performance was both vocally and emotionally compelling. Her strong, clear vocals elevated key musical moments, while her grounded acting brought authenticity to Anya's search for identity. Opposite her, CJ Glacken as Dmitry proved to be a sincere and engaging scene partner, bringing warmth and earnestness to the role that made his connection with Anya feel genuine and earned.
Adrian Lawlor's portrayal of Vlad Popov stood out as a comedic highlight, delivering consistently sharp humor and impeccable timing. His electric chemistry with Ellie Hartman as Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevich was particularly memorable in "The Countess and the Common Man," a number that nearly stole the show with its energy and charm. Meanwhile, the production found a compelling antagonist in its Gleb Vaganov, played by Joel Sokiya, whose interactions with Anya carried a palpable tension; creating a truly terrifying antagonist with strong acting choices.
Equally noteworthy was Kit Vontz's Dowager Empress, whose portrayal captured the character's profound grief with nuance and restraint, grounding the emotional stakes of the story. Hannah Moline who played the heartbreakingly innocent Young Anastasia, shone in her scenes with the Dowager. Ailinn Colarulli's featured performance as Count Ipolitov added a breathtaking vocal highlight to the production in "Stay, I Pray You." which was staged with actors both onstage and in the aisles, creating a haunting, immersive harmony that resonated throughout the theater.
A defining strength of this production was its cohesive technical and directorial vision. Student director Augustino Russo guided the show with clear intention, resulting in strong blocking that enhanced both storytelling and character relationships. The stage crew, though sometimes noticeable, moved swiftly with complex rotating set pieces. The lighting design, lead by Alexis Morrison, Ian Mendoza, David Fite, and Fatomata Barry, was particularly effective. Using bold color choices to distinguish setting and mood; the use of red tones for Russia contrasted sharply with the French flag's colors lighting in the Paris scenes, visually reinforcing the shift in location and tone.
Altogether, Alexandria City High School's Anastasia: The Musical succeeded in balancing spectacle with sincerity. Through thoughtful direction, dynamic performances, and purposeful technical design, the production captured both the grandeur and the emotional heart of the story, leaving a lasting impression worthy of its legendary tale.
Written by Natalie Gilmore of Yorktown High School
A daring adventure across Europe all with the purpose of finding family and belonging. Anastasia at Alexandria City High School was truly a magical 'journey to the past.'
Twenty years after the Bolshevik revolution, the young Anastasia or Anya is living in the city of Leningrad with no memory of her title as the Grand Duchess of Russia. Although everyone believes Anastasia was killed with the rest of her family, her grandmother still holds out hope, advertising a reward for her safe return. Conmen Dmitry and Vlad recruit Anya as a part of their scheme to get the reward. They travel across Europe to Paris, but hot on their tails is Bolshevik officer Gleb Vaganov, whose father is intrinsically connected to the death of the Romanovs.
The stage musical Anastasia premiered on Broadway in 2017 and is based on the 1997 animated movie of the same name. Having previously collaborated on the Tony award winning Ragtime, the musical features music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and with the book written by Terrence McNally. The show received a national tour as well as multiple international ones.
Page Vogel's wide-eyed, spunky Anya was lovely to watch as she brought the audience on her journey through self-realization. Vogel's facial expressions were so clear as visions from the past swirled around her in "Once Upon a December." Her voice enveloped the audience as she switched from lilting vibrato, to a fantastic mix, and a strong and steady belt in numbers like "In My Dreams," and "Journey to the Past." Alongside Vogel were CJ Glacken as Dmitry and Adrian Lawlor as Vlad. The trio had amazing chemistry together in the hilarious "Learn To Do It," as they danced around the stage. But Glacken and Vogel were also able to wonderfully capture Dmitry's and Anya's relationship from somewhat rivals to lovers. With little glances and jokes, the couple was able to slowly build the relationship until it culminated in adorable moments and the end of the show. And when the two layered their voices in "In a Crowd of Thousands," they created a truly magical sound.
Although Vlad might have been a third wheel to Dmitry and Anya, Adrian Lawlor was anything but. His amazing comedic timing and caring nature made him lovely to watch. He drew the audiences into just how tender Vlad was in the beautiful "Meant to Be," as he realized his partners were in love.
The chilling rendition of "Stay, I Pray You," performed by Ailinn Colarulli took the audience's breath away with the powerful display of bittersweet goodbyes. Colarulli had a marvelous soprano voice that fit perfectly with the song and no one would know it was originally much lower.
Lighting (Alexis Morrison, Ian Mendoza, David Fite, Fatoumata Barry) was executed wonderfully in order to show key story points and emotions. The stark red background of Russia versus the pinks of Paris made the setting very easy to distinguish. And well operated spotlights helped convey deeper moments as well as lighting the actors. Directing a show is no small feat, but Augie Russo did an amazing job. Russo had a vision and that was very clear to audiences. The movements in scenes were very well done.
Dancing bears, painted wings, but this production of Anastasia is something we'll always remember. Alexandria City High School undoubtedly showed the power of home, love, and family.