Review: The Romance of the Romanov's: MSMT's Stunning ANASTASIA Opens 2025 Season

For more than a century since the Russian Revolution, the mystery and romance of the bygone Romanov era has continued to fascinate audiences. The opulence, the glamour, the faded memories all create the enduring allure of nostalgia.

In presenting the Maine premiere of ANASTASIA, Maine State Music Theatre (in a co- production with the Fulton Theatre) has not only achieved an industry coup, but has also masterfully brought to life a compelling journey to the past, as well as a personal story that is poignant, heartfelt and uplifting.

Lynn Ahrens and Steven Flaherty‘s 2017 musical boasts a melodic score with haunting ballads, robust ensemble numbers, a hint of classical Romanticism, and a dash of gaiety. Terrence McNally‘s adroitly written book draws from multiple sources, including the Marcel Maurette 1952 play and actual historical accounts of the story of Anna Anderson, who claimed to be the Romanov princess. McNally heightens the story by adding the character of Gleb, a powerful antagonist, who pursues Anya, and sets the tale vividly in the contrasting locales of post-revolution Russia and sophisticated and elegant Paris of the 1920s.

Kenny Ingram (Christopher Page-Sanders, Assistant Choreographer) provides vibrant and spirited direction and choreography. He is equally dexterous in creating sweeping, epic moments and powerful intimate ones. His choreography captures the flavor of Russian and Parisian dance, and his musical staging of the large ensemble numbers and Romanov dream/nightmare sequences has the force of true historical drama. Absolutely stunning is the ballet scene at the Paris Opera where Ingram captures the grand flavor with only six dancers, paying homage to all the well-known Petipa moments, while combining them in a clever amalgamation that tells the story with contemporary thrust.  The choreographic elements and Tchaikovsky’s ballet score, set in counterpoint with the brilliant “Quartet at the Ballet” create a layered musical and dramatic tapestry that is one of the highpoints of the production.

Music Director Kevin Stites infuses Ahrens’ score with rich color and a symphonic lusciousness that belies the nine-person arrangement, just as he elicits compelling vocal performances from every member of the cast. Not only are the soloists splendid, but the choral numbers have both gravitas in the first act and the froth of champagne in the second.

William James Mohney’s set design (Meg Valentine, Props), together with Luis Garcia’s projections, contrast the grim reality of Bolshevik Russia with the grandeur of Paris and its White Russian exiles. Iconic scenes like the train journey are vividly created in Garcia’s kinetic video, and the sheer visceral energy of the visual ambiance, enhanced by Samuel Biondolillo’s lighting design, that evokes both realism and fantasy, and Shannon Slaton’s sumptuous sound design – all under the expert hand of Production Stage Manager Amy Bertacini, makes this ANASTASIA a thrilling ride.

Costume Designer Jeff Hendry (Kevin S. Foster II, Wigs) brings his daring originality to the costumes, chronicling the dreary garb of the post-revolution Russia to the sophistication and style of Europe in the 1920s.  He manages to create show-stopping pieces like the Tsarina’s ballgown or Anastasia’s transformation dress, and he uses color and texture with a master’s hand.

The cast forms a cohesive and committed ensemble. Lila Coogan, fresh off the Broadway tour, handles the title role with grace, authority, and virtuoso vocal prowess.  Her Anya‘s journey from traumatized amnesiac to princess reclaiming her identity is perfectly calibrated and completely convincing; she strikes just the right tone of a modern heroine: determined, fearless, yet vulnerable, poignant, and funny. Vocally, she is a powerhouse – all gleaming tone and fearless belt – and her closing Act One number, “Journey to the Past,” is an utter tour de force.

As the Dowager Empress, Mary Ernster delivers a towering performance – regal, effortlessly dignified, yearning, both heartbroken and hopeful, compassionate and able to facilitate a happy ending for Anastasia.  The confrontation scene is riveting, and her soliloquy, “Close the Door,” is meltingly sung. Coleman Cummings’ Dimitry possesses a youthful, insouciant charm and a genuineness that captures not only the heroine’s heart, but also works its magic on the audience. He plays the character with a credible awkwardness and self-deprecating humor, which proves all the more touching as he recognizes his true feelings for Anya. Vocally, he displays both power and lyricism and acquits himself well in numbers like “My Petersburg” and “Everything To Win.”   Gregory Lee Rodriguez’s Gleb is a worthy antagonist, tortured by the mission he has inherited from his father to kill the last Romanov, yet helplessly in love with Anya.  He demonstrates his compelling baritone in moments like “Still/ The Neva Flows.” Nick Gaswirth makes Vlad a witty bon vivant, who adds humor and sophistication to the mix, while Amanda Rose sparkles in the role of Countess Lily – alluringly chic, a little saucy, and very sexy.  Her accomplished soprano dominates some of the show’s grandest numbers, like “Land of Yesterday” and shines with wit in her duet with Vlad, “The Countess and the Common Man” in which she also kicks up her heels with vibrant charm. As the doomed Count Ipolitov, Andrew Love shines in his heart wrenching and exquisitely sung farewell to his homeland, “Stay, I Pray You.”

As always MSMT’s ensemble, into which the MSMT Singers have been seamlessly added, demonstrates the depth and breadth of the company’s talent. Each performer honors the triple threat commitment, at the same time that each creates detailed and individualized characters. 

ANASTASIA proves to be a brilliant choice for opening MSMT’s 66th season. Not only is the material fresh for a good part of the theatre’s audience, but the production allows the company to showcase all its strengths - from dazzling production values to inspired casting, to the ability to tell stories that deeply move and engage audiences. In a season that promises continued excitement and entertainment, the beauty and timelessness of ANASTASIA offer a journey to the past – a journey becomes a collective quest into the resonance of memory, aspiration, and enduring romance.

Photos courtesy of MSMT, Jared Morneau, photographer

ANASTASIA runs at MSMT’s Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin College campus, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick, ME, from June 4 to the 21, 2025. www.msmt.org. 207-725-8769.