“Anastasia" at the Spotlight Theatre -- April 12 through 21.
Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 21
Spotlight Theatre, 1800 Seventh Avenue, Moline IL
A 2017 Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner, as well as a work by the masterful composing team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Broadway's Anastasia makes its local-theatre debut with an April 12 through 21 run at Moline's Spotlight Theatre, the musical lauded by Time Out New York as "a sweeping adventure, romance, and historical epic whose fine craftsmanship will satisfy musical-theatre fans beyond the show's ideal audience of teenage girls."
Based on 20th Century Fox's beloved animated movie from 1997, Anastasia is both a heartwarming and heart-wrenching dive into one of history’s biggest unanswered questions: What happened to Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov? Set amidst the turmoil of the Russian revolution with the Bolshevik regime on the rise, Anya, an amnesiac orphan stranded in what was once the Russian capital, St. Petersburg, is on a quest to rediscover her past which she believes lies in Paris. Joined by a dashing conman, Dmitry, and an ex-aristocrat, Vlad Popov, who want to use Anya to bamboozle the only remaining Romanov, Dowager Empress Marie, into believing that Anya is the lost Anastasia, she escapes to Paris with a determined Soviet officer on their heels. Including classic songs from the motion picture including “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December," Anastasia explores one determined girl’s journey to find home, love, and family as she discovers who she was and embraces who she is meant to be.
Making his Spotlight Theatre directing debut with Anastasia is Aaron Baker, who has performed in a number of previous Spotlight musicals including School of Rock: The Musical, All Shook Up, and Tuck Everlasting. Laura Hammes, lead singer with area band Fair Warning, serves as the production's music director, with additional members of Baker's creative team including: choreographer Ellie Allen; stage manager Craig Gaul; costume designer Heather Blair; props designer Sarah Greim; and set and sound designer Brent Tubbs, who is also the venue's co-owner alongside his wife Sara.
In her Spotlight Theatre debut, Claire Sattler portrays the titular Anastasia opposite Caleb Swinney as Dmitry, Chris Tracy as Vlad, and Dolores Sierra as the Dowager Empress. Additional members of Baker's large cast include: Doug Alderman; Abby Bastian; Ben Bergthold; Brianna Call; Steven Catour; Christianna Crosby; Matthew Downey; Harmony Eiland; Erik Finch; Gordon Finley; Noah Hill; Josiah Hoffman; Melodie Hoffman; Kat Jecklin; Jolene Kittrick; Kristen Marietta; Joseph Nguyen; Marissa Pedersen; Grace Ronnebeck; Dace Sommer; Keegan Walker; Amber Whitaker; and Grace Wiborg. The show's ensemble is completed by Anastasia's two featured ballet dancers:Dorothy Turner as Odette, and Ellie Allen as Odile/The Black Swan.
Anastasia will enjoy its Moline run from April 12 through 21, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $20-25, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)912-7647 and visiting TheSpotlightTheatreQC.com.
