Journey to the land of ‘Anastasia’: Miami’s Stage Left puts on spring musical

From April 25-27, Miami University’s on-campus theater organization, Stage Left, transported students and attendees alike to early 20th-century Russia in Wilks Theater for its performance of “Anastasia: The Musical.”

The musical, which was fully student-run and produced, combines the history of the Russian Empire and the myth of the real-life Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia for a captivating telling of this story.

According to audience members, the production was heartbreaking and heartwarming all in one, thanks to the direction of Jobe Vogelsong, a junior strategic communication and political science double major, who chose this semester’s musical.

“This is very different from what Stage Left has done in the past,” said Vogelsong. “Stage Left is known for doing really campy, comedy musicals, and while there are funny aspects to this, at the end of the day it is a true story about the Romanov family about real people, which is much more serious than what we’ve done in the past.”

Photo by Caitlin Zook | The Miami Student

*According to Jobe Vogelsong, the director, 'Anastasia' is unlike any show Stage Left has done before.*

Due to the serious tone of this musical, Vogelsong worked with the cast and crew to ensure the score was portrayed properly and appropriately.

“[During] the first rehearsal, I did a whole slideshow about Russian history leading up to this story,” Vogelsong said. “I wanted to communicate that while this is not a true story, it's a myth, it is based on real people who these real horrible things happened to.”

The show itself, a stage adaptation of the 1997 animated film, follows Anya, played by Molly Stewart, an amnesiac young woman on a quest to rediscover her true identity and the possibility that she is the lost Anastasia Romanov, whose family was killed.

Photo by Caitlin Zook | The Miami Student

*Molly Stewart played the leading role of Anya in Stage Left's 'Anastasia.'*

As she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, Stewart delivers several solo performances throughout the musical, including “A Secret She Kept” or “Journey to the Past,” showing the audience her talent in commanding the stage with her presence and voice. Her vocals are both powerful and emotionally rich, capturing the complexity of her character’s inner conflict.

“Whenever [Stewart] sang, I couldn’t look away,” said audience member and junior public health major Katie Brand. “Her emotions were so evident through her vocal performances, and it added so much more depth to the character and the struggle she was going through.”

Anya is joined on her journey by two con men: Dmitry, played by Nathaniel Ivy, and Vlad, played by Ian Dewey. With their own distinct and charming quirks — brought to life brilliantly by the actors — they take Anya under their wing, training her to step into the role of the duchess they hope she might truly be.

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These three embark on a journey to Paris to reunite Anya with her Nana, also known as the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, played by Caitlin Zook, a senior strategic communications and arts management major.

The journey is filled with struggle, as Anya is being hunted by Bolshevik officer Gleb Vaganov, played by Will Sapp, on a mission to eliminate any trace of the Romanovs from Russia. Additionally, there is romance and many transportive musical numbers.

“My favorite song is ‘Stay I Pray you,’” Zook said. “It's a big ensemble number, and it's so beautiful. [The cast] sounds amazing.”

Photo by Caitlin Zook | The Miami Student

*While 'Anastasia' features real people, the show is based on a myth, not a true story.*

Alongside all of the individual cast members of the musical, the ensemble played a large part in making this musical so engaging. A standout performance of theirs begins the second act as the audience is welcomed to Paris with the song, “Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart).”

As the saying goes, there is something about Paris, which is held up in the second act, as it begins in Paris with large dance numbers and extravagant costumes.

Paris also sees the reunion of Vlad and his old flame Countess Lily Malevsky-Maltevich, played by Olivia Weddle. This rekindled romance added a hint of humor and flair to the story, balancing out some of the more emotional elements.

Some notable production choices utilized by Stage Left were their light effects and the use of the stage itself. While Wilks Theater is not comparable to that of a stage on Broadway, the cast and crew utilized every inch of the theatre. For certain numbers, cast members floated throughout the rows before arriving at the stage, making audience members feel truly immersed in the show.

Photo by Caitlin Zook | The Miami Student

*The performances of 'Anastasia' took place from April 25-27.*

The lighting of the stage changed with the mood of the scene to add a certain dramatization. A scene where this was particularly memorable was where the entire stage lit up red as Gleb belted one of his riveting solos.

The opening scene of the production showed the Romanovs posing for a family photo, but this was portrayed with simply a flash of a light rather than using an actor as a photographer.

Despite this musical’s overly serious tone and story, Vogelsong found a few ways to insert some humor into the characters and their scenes. Zook’s character, the Dowager Empress, has a scene where she complains of how boring and mundane the City of Cleveland sounds.

It's good to know that despite all that has changed from the early 20th century, Ohio remains to be the butt of all jokes.

“It’s a very sentimental and nostalgic show,” Zook said. “It’s like magic on stage, because you get to watch a princess become a princess.”

mcdowekr@miamioh.edu