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| Jake Levy and Lila Coogan Photo by Evan Zimmerman |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through November 3
"The musical Anastasia, which is based on the 1997 animated film of the same name, has a plot that centers on the factual tragedy of a family that was murdered during the Russian Revolution in 1918. While that might seem heavy material for an animated family film or a big budget musical comedy, the plot has an intriguing and hopeful story at its center about how a young woman's journey to the past helps her discover her own future, and the rich score for the musical incorporates the well-known songs from the film. Anastasia ran for almost two years on Broadway and the national tour, which has come to Tempe for a week long run, is a visual feast for the eyes with a talented cast who derive moving portrayals....inspired by the mysterious legend and rumors of whether the young Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was actually executed, along with her family, or if she somehow miraculously survived....The musical's book by Terrence McNally wisely jettisons the mystical elements of the animated film, including the movie villain Rasputin, which helps ground the plot in realism. The writers of the film soundtrack, Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music), fleshed out the half dozen movie songs carried over to the stage musical with an abundance of new character specific ballads, love songs, and comical tunes. ...However, several of the new songs are forgettable and don't move the plot forward... several far-fetched and contrived story elements and the plot starts to bog down under the weight of the extraneous material that often gets in the way of Anya's story....Fortunately, director Darko Tresnjak beautifully incorporates the creative aspects of his stellar design team to deliver rich visual imagery throughout and to keep the pace of the piece brisk. Aaron Rhyne's lifelike, three-dimensional projections provide stunning backdrops and swift cinematic transitions between scenes...Lila Coogan... is superb as Anya...While Anastasia may have a few too many musical numbers that are forgettable and comic scenes that slow the action down, with a talented cast and visually stunning creative aspects, it results in a crowd-pleasing musical that combines fairy tale with fact." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
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