If you liked the animated fantasy film Anastasia, you’re sure to be dazzled by the musical. Broadway takes the highly anticipated musical to the Coliseum Theatre in Madrid this October.
Based on the true story of Anastasia Niloláyevna Romanov, the youngest daughter of the Russian royal family, of Nicholas II and Alejandra, Anastasia is a cheerful girl who is very close to her grandmother, the Tsar’s mother. The brave young girl sides with two con men who take her to Paris to introduce her to the Dowager Empress Marie Romanov as her granddaughter, who disappeared during the siege of the Winter Palace, so they can collect the reward.
Anastasia is privileged to have a great team with Terrence McNally (author) Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics), both of whom also worked on other musicals like Rocky and Once on This Island, and is directed by Darko Tresnjak. All of whom have received Tony Awards for the Broadway production, while Darko also picked up a Tony for the Best Direction of a Musical for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder and also produced The Merchant of Venice starring F. Murray Abraham.
The Spanish production will star Jana Gómez (Barcelona, 1996), who was selected from hundreds of candidates to play the role of the Russian princess Anya, the leading role in the musical that opens on October 4th at the Coliseum Theatre on Gran Vía in Madrid.
The musical is based on the animated film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman and produced by 20th Century Fox in 1997. A book under the same title was also written by the award-winning Terrence McNally. Stage Entertainment, the company behind the Spanish production of The Lion King, Mamma Mia, Los Miserables and The Bodyguard, is also managing Anastasia in Madrid.
Anastasia opened at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York on April 23rd last year and is still running today as it received great reviews from the critics.
The musical producer, Stage Entertainment, has announced that Madrid will be the first European city to premiere the musical that’s currently achieving great success on Broadway. “As soon as we saw it in New York, we knew it would suit the tastes of the Spanish public,” said Yolanda Pérez, General Manager of Stage Entertainment.
Anastasia gives life to the Romanov’s youngest daughter, who according to legend, escaped the Bolshevik revolution under Vladimir Lenin and travelled from St. Petersburg to Paris, where she found herself and love. The musical Anastasia is romantic and full of adventures, and an authentic delight for the senses.
The presentation of the musical took place at the Palace of Santoña in Madrid on April 19th and counted on the presence of the original composer of both the movie and the musical Stephen Flaherty, who together with Jana Gómez performed two of the more well-known songs from this beautiful story live.
Moments before the presentation began, the composer and the general manager of Stage Entertainment, Yolanda Pérez, spoke about the production and why their reasons for choosing Madrid for the European premiere. They also presented Jana Gómez, the Spanish Anya, and the others performing in the Spanish capital. Iñigo Etayo (Dimitri), Carlos Salgado (Gleb) and Angels Jiménez, who plays the role of the Empress, Anya’s grandmother.
The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Variety, and others all complimented the quality of this super production.
This large-scale production includes two great songs from the movies Journey to the Past and Once Upon a December. Stage Entertainment will now have two big productions running simultaneously on Gran Vía in Madrid, confirming its strong position as the undisputed leader of musical productions in Spain.
