Whether you grew up in the South, the Midwest, or on the East coast, if you're female and under 35, you probably spent countless hours in early childhood twirling through your house along to your favorite princess music. While Cinderella, Belle, and Aurora hold a special place in my heart, it's Anastasia's spunky humor and unassailable vigor for life that captivates me, even now. Remember Anya's emotional flight from the Winter Palace, her 'journey to the past,' and all of those historical inaccuracies? Me too, and I love every last one of them. Not to mention Dmitry's adorable rapscallion character or our favorite little pooch, Pooka. The characters were beautifully crafted and, as adults we can appreciate that stacked cast (can anyone say Angela Lansbury?).
I digress. As April steadily approaches, so does Anastasia on Broadway. Yes, our childhood favorite is becoming a musical, lead by Christy Altomare.
So go on and order those tickets! You know you want to. But, if you absolutely, positively can't wait for the show, here's a sneak peek of Altomare performing "Journey to the Past" with an orchestra. I promise all of the same bubbly joy you felt as a little girl will hit you.
The show is directed by Darko Tresnjak, with Derek Klena as Dmitry.
And last, but certainly not least, the crowd favorite, Vlad, will be played by John Bolton, and no, I don't mean this John Bolton, I mean this one:
I can't wait to swoon over the newest rendition of this favorite, and for those of you planning to make the trip to New York, here are some must-knows:
1. Ages 7 to Adult suggested, but children under 4 won't be admitted into the theatre.
2. The expected running time is about two and a half hours (with an intermission).
3. Tickets start at $69 per person.
4. Opening night is set for April 24th.
5. The musical does seem to make some substantial deviations from the film we all know and love, so don't expect a live carbon copy of the plot you grew up with.
Prepare to take your own 'journey to the past' with this delightful show. Previews begin March 23, so mark your calendar!
