With all the elements of a Shakespearean drama – families separated by war, loved ones gone missing, epic journeys to far-away lands and a long-dreamed of reunion and happy ending, “Anastasia The Musical” is a sweeping saga of royal intrigue and a bittersweet hero’s quest for self-discovery.
The story unfolds in Russia during the aftermath of the October Revolution in November of 1917, in which many of the imperial Romanov family who had ruled Russia as a dynasty for more than 300 years, were executed by Bolshevik revolutionaries and the Communists seized power.
The dramatic story of “Anastasia The Musical,” part of Slow Burn’s 2024/2025 season, opens at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Dec. 21 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
Based on the 1997 film of the same name, it opened as a play on Broadway in 2017 with the Tony-nominated team of playwright Terrance McNally, and a new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics).
Anya, a young woman suffering from memory loss (played by Mikayla Cohen) sets out to discover the mystery of her past.
Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of Dimitry, played by Jarod Bakum, a con man and Vlad, played by Aaron De Jesus, an ex-aristocrat, in the hopes of securing reward money offered by the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova (played by multi-Carbonell winner Laura Turnbull) for finding the Romanov princess, her missing granddaughter.
Supporting actors include Gail Bennett as Countess Lily and Sean William Davis as Gleb.
The trio set out on a journey to Paris to convince the Grand Duchess that Anya is the long-lost granddaughter and the only one to survive the massacre in Yekaterinburg, in hopes of finding home, love and family.
Directed by Slow Burn Theatre artistic director and Carbonell Award winner Patrick Fitzwater (who also created the props), the musical spotlights the end of an era — the twilight of the Russian Empire and the contrasting euphoria of Paris in the 1920s.
Expressing the energy and feel of 1920s Europe through scenery and set design challenged Fitzwater to capture the grandeur of both the past and the characters’ journey forward.
Attention to detail is a must and mining the emotional depth of the characters demands a nuanced portrayal, he says.
“I chose ‘Anastasia’ as our holiday title this season, as it’s a story that beautifully intertwines themes of hope, resilience and the magic of new beginnings,” says Fitzwater.
He says the story resonates for its timelessness, beautiful music, stunning scenery and elegant period costumes as well as messages of hope, redemption and dreams fulfilled.
“As we celebrate the spirit of family and the joy of dreams realized, “Anastasia” serves as a poignant reminder that, no matter the challenges we face, there is always a path to find our true selves and create a brighter future,” he says.
Cohen, 26, a South Florida native, knew at the age of three she had a passion for music. And, at the age of 8, after seeing Elphaba in “Wicked” at the Broward Center, she turned to her mother and said, “I can do that.”
And “doing that” she is.
It’s not her first time appearing in a Slow Burn production. She played Sister Mary Robert in the Slow Burn production of “Sister Act” last February, and also played the role of Rapunzel in “Into the Woods” in October of 2023.
She was drawn to the role of Anya in “Anastasia,” one of her favorite musicals.
“Anya is special to me,” says Cohen. “Hers is a universal experience that I can relate to. She’s a strong woman who yearns for love, acceptance, family and belonging. She’s a powerful figure with many layers. She’s rough, tough, sassy and spirited and along the way becomes more confident in who she is.”
Cohen says she’s learned some life lessons from her stage counterpart.
“Anya has helped me realize my inner strength,” she says. “Playing this role has made me realize the power and resilience I have.”
The most significant moment in the play for the actress is the rendition of “Once Upon a December,” not only because she grew up with the song, but because she gets to share the stage with almost the entire cast in that moment.
The song is sung by Anya after she enters the now derelict Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg. Repressed memories surface from her past as she remembers singing the tune with her grandmother, the Grand Duchess, as a child.
“During that number, I can feel the passion and love for the show,” she says.
First time Slow Burn actor, Bakum, 25, was performing on a cruise ship in French Polynesia when he answered an ad for the role of Dimitry posted by Fitzwater on Playbill.com.
He prepared a video submission and sent in a tape and was in India by the time he received the call-back and in the United Arab Emirates when he received the official job offer in his in-box.
Bakum, from a musical family in Western Massachusetts, “pleads the fifth” when asked if he is anything like the con-man character he plays.
“Actually, we are a lot alike,” he says. “We’re both scrappy, find work where we get it and are not afraid to get up and go and do what has to be done.”
“Dimitry is not afraid of the world,” he says. “And, I relate to that.”
In a bit of a full-circle moment, Bakum, in 2016, while still in high school, drove to Hartford, Conn., to see Derek Klena perform as Dimitry in the pre-Broadway try-out of the musical.
Besides traveling, other career highlights include playing in Boy Band Evolution, a cover band of boy bands from the 1990s to 2000s (and, some Temptations) and appearing in productions of “Mamma Mia” (“my guilty pleasure”) and in one of his favorite shows, “Kinky Boots” at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera in 2022.
And, with true Dimitry charm, when asked what the most gratifying part of playing Dimitriy in this production of “Anastasia” is, Bakum says, “Playing opposite Mikayla. She’s a true professional. She’s the perfect Anya,” he says.
IF YOU GO
WHAT :
Slow Burn Theatre Company’s “Anastasia The Musical”
WHERE:
Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
WHEN:
Performances are 1 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m., Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday; 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Opens Saturday, Dec. 21 through Sunday, Jan. 5.
A sensory-inclusive performance with a post-show meet and greet is at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 and an open captioned performance is at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 29.
TICKETS:
$54, $72.50, $77, $80, and $85. Student and teacher rush tickets are $29 available at the box office with ID the day of the show.
INFORMATION:
(954) 462-0222 or
BrowardCenter.org
