Journey to the past with ‘Anastasia’ at Little Theatre of Fall River: Show, ticket info

Have you heard?

No, there’s not a rumor in St. Petersburg, but there is a buzz around Fall River, because “Anastasia” is coming to the city.

Little Theatre of Fall River’s production of “Anastasia” will premiere on May 3 at the Firebarn, 340 Prospect St., Fall River.

“Anastasia” runs May 1 to 3, and 7 to 10, at 7:30 p.m., and May 4 and 11 at 2:30 p.m.

This musical is inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox animated movie musical. Anastasia Romanov, the last of her line, survived the massacre of the royal family, and the Russian Revolution of 1917, but does not remember who she is. Her grandmother the Dowager Empress is still alive, and living in Paris, missing her beloved granddaughter but not really daring to hope that she could still be alive. Anastasia teams up Vlad and Dmitry, and the trio make their way to Paris, where everyone discovers that she is in fact the missing grand duchess, and she regains her memory.

Little Theatre of Fall River’s production of “Anastasia” will premiere on May 3, 2025, at the Firebarn, 340 Prospect St., Fall River.

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On Broadway, the villain of the story evolved: they’re no longer being chased by Rasputin, but a young man named Gleb, working for the new regime in Russia.

Though some new songs were added for the musical production, the classic songs from the movie remain present, and the story itself hits many of the same notes that fans of the animated film loved in the first place.

In a media release by Heather Gaffney-Hsu, provided by Little Theatre of Fall River, production director Aaron Gendreau-Visco said “From the brutal massacre of the royal family comes a story of a strong young woman, who against all odds, finds love and the family that she has forgotten exists. This telling of the decades-old story of Anastasia, the lost Romanov princess, is much more realistic than other retellings. Many of its themes are relatable to the state of the world we are living in today.”

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Assistant director David Allen Jeffrey said in the release, “This monumental retelling of the story tries to balance what audiences know of the animated film and the true story of the assassination of Tsar Nicholass II and his family with the story of the fictional Anastasia that came forward in the decades following the Russian Revolution.”

The book for the musical is by Terrence McNally, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

This production is directed by Aaron Gendreau-Visco, assisted by David Allen Jeffrey. Set design is by Jeffrey, with choreography by Elle Gendreau, music direction by Bobby Perry, and stage management by Kerie Gendreau, assisted by Tyler Souza.

Jeffrey’s set designs are meant to have the audience see and feel “the grimness of Leningrad as well as the optimistic romance of Paris in the 1920s,” Gaffney-Hsu’s release said.

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In the release, Gendreau-Visco also voiced a hope that “audiences walk away with a renewed appreciation for the work and dedication LTFR puts into producing these works …. This is a story about hope, love, and family. It’s about believing in who you are as a person no matter what; it is about the power of the past and tradition, as well as the reality that change is constant; and finally, it is about the power of peoples’ voices to enact change – both large and small.”

Little Theatre of Fall River’s production of “Anastasia” will premiere on May 3, 2025, at the Firebarn, 340 Prospect St., Fall River.

The cast includes:

Costumes for this production were created by Emerald City Theatrical Costumes.

For tickets, and more information, visit www.littletheatre.net.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Little Theatre of Fall River bringing to life ‘Anastasia’ in May