Independent Arts News Reporting A Journey to the Past for the Holidays! Bucks County Playhouse debuts an all-new production of the Broadway Musical “Anastasia”
Wednesday, November 13, 2024.
Pictured Above: Alex Caldwell. Photo Credit: Contributed.
“Anastasia” features a book by 4-time Tony winner, Terrence McNally, and a lush score by the Tony Award®-winners Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics).
NEWSROOM POST: NEW HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA
New Hope, PA – This holiday season, audiences are invited to take a journey to the past — stopping in Belle Epoque Paris and beyond — as Bucks County Playhouse debuts an all-new production of “Anastasia: The Musical,” November 22 through January 11.
The Playhouse’s Producing Director Alexander Fraser, Executive Producer Robyn Goodman, and Producer Josh Fiedler announced casting and details for the musical, which is the final presentation of the Playhouse’s 2024 season.
From the Tony Award-winning creators of the “Ragtime,” this dazzling show transports audiences from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.
“I love romantic musicals and I’ve been fascinated by the mystery of Anastasia since I was a child,” says Producing Director Alexander Fraser. “It’s thrilling to see how the creators of this Broadway musical have envisioned the story in a remarkable and fascinating way — one that has made the story timeless.”
“Anastasia” features a book by 4-time Tony winner, Terrence McNally, and a lush score by the Tony Award®-winners Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics). The playhouse production features choreography by Al Blackstone and direction by Eric Rosen.
Pictured Above: L-R: Lyda Jade Harlan, Roe Hartrampf, Mason Reeves and Christine Toy Johnson. Photo Credit: Contributed.
The cast includes Lyda Jade Harlan (“Scouts” Off-Broadway and “Maggie” at Goodspeed) who makes her Bucks County Playhouse debut as Anya, Mason Reeves (National Tour of “Disney’s Frozen,” and BCP’s “Guys and Dolls”) as Dmitry, Erik Lochtefeld (Broadway’s “King Kong”) as Vlad, Roe Hartrampf (Broadway’s “Diana” and BCP’s “Noises Off”) as Gleb, Kate Marilley (National Tour of “Beetlejuice”) as Countess Lily, and Christine Toy Johnson (Broadway’s “The Music Man” and National tours of “Come From Away”, “Flower Drum Song”) as Dowager Empress.
The ensemble includes Anna Bermudez (“Broadway Backwards”), Alex Caldwell (National Tour of “Dirty Dancing”), Tracy Dunbar (Pittsburgh Public’s ““Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For”), Gina Gagliano (Surflight’s “Legally Blonde”), Chelsea Cree Groen (National Tour of “Hello, Dolly!”), Michael Allan Haggerty (National Tour of “Disney’s Frozen”), Maya Imani (Fulton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”), L’ogan J’ones (Broadway’s “SpongeBob SquarePants”), Aidan B. Jones, Laura Katherine Kaufman (National Tour of “Cats”), Colby Marie Lewis (National Tour of “Anastasia”), Devon McCleskey (National Tour of “Pretty Woman”), Michael Mottram (Royal Caribbean’s “Hairspray”) and Leeanna Rubin (National Tour of “Annie”).
The creative team includes Jack Magaw (Set Design), Ricky Lurie and Jess Gersz (Co-Costume Design), Wheeler Moon (Lighting Design), Sam Kusnetz (Sound Design), Michael Salvatore Commendatore (Projection Design), J. Jared Janas (Hair/Wig Design), and Evan Zavada (Music Direction). Merrick Williams is the Production Stage Manager. Casting by Paul Hardt, CSA.
Tickets to “Anastasia” start at $39. A special Pay-What-You-Can Night will be held at the first preview on Friday, November 22. Official opening night is Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 p.m. The production is sponsored by Capital Health. Opening Night is sponsored by Oldestone Steakhouse in New Hope. The Audience Services Sponsor for “Anastasia” is BLBB Advisors. The 2024 Season is sponsored by Bank of America.
“Anastasia” will run from November 22 through January 5. “Anastasia” will play the following schedule: Tuesday through Friday evenings at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 1:30 pm. Special holiday week performances are Wednesday, November 27 at 7:30 pm and Friday, November 29, 2024 at 1:30 pm., Tuesday, December 24 at 1:30 pm and Friday, December 27 at 1:30 pm. There are no performances on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Tickets may be purchased now via the Bucks County Playhouse box office by calling (215) 862-2121, or online at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org.
ABOUT BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE
Steeped in a theatrical history that stems back to its founding in 1939 by a roster of theatrical royalty, Bucks County Playhouse is celebrating the twelfth anniversary of its 2012 re-opening and restoration. With more than 75,000 patrons walking through its doors every year, the Playhouse is leading the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding community. In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman took the helm of the Playhouse, and it has reclaimed its reputation of attracting Broadway and Hollywood artists. Playhouse productions of “Company” starring Justin Guarini, and William Finn’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were named by Wall Street Journal to its “Best of Theatre” list for 2015. In 2018, the Wall Street Journal again hailed the Playhouse and Artistic Associate Hunter Foster in its Best of the Year listings for its production of “42nd Street” and in 2019 labeled the Playhouse “one of the best regional theaters on the East coast.” Box office records have been repeatedly broken by signature productions of “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Steel Magnolias” directed by Marsha Mason, “Million Dollar Quartet,” “42nd Street,” and “Guys & Dolls” (all directed by Hunter Foster) and “Mamma Mia!” directed by John Tartaglia and choreographed by Shannon Lewis. The 2023 season was the brightest yet, featuring hit productions of Jonathan Larsen’s “Tick, Tick Boom” directed by Eric Rosen, “Bridges of Madison County” directed by Hunter Foster, who also led “The Rocky Horror Show” starring Frankie Grande. “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” became the top-selling show in Playhouse history. The creative teams who come to create new productions at the Playhouse are among the most talented artists working in the professional theatre today and relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, and Jessica Walter began their careers.
