Little Orphan Anya: “Anastasia,” at the Spotlight Theatre through April 21

I was excited when I heard the Spotlight Theatre was producing Anastasia, though I’m quite certain I haven’t seen 1997's movie version since I was a kid. And director Aaron Baker-Loo created a memorable musical production – though, admittedly, I found the whole saga more depressing than I remembered. Luckily for the Spotlight, their presentation is also an enchanting spectacle that is more than enough to keep even the youngest viewer interested.

Telling the fictionalized tale of the Romanov family and their daughter who supposedly escaped their brutal murders, Terrence McNally’s script has been updated from its children’s-film precursor. This production feels slightly more historically accurate than the animated tale but retains much of the magic that kept children entranced by the storyline in the first place. An amnesiac street sweeper who might be the lost Duchess Anastasia? A nefarious Bolshevik general who strives to be his father’s son? A handsome con man with a heart of gold? These things certainly add up to be a recipe for success.

Right from the opening scene showing us Little Anastasia (Dace Sommer) singing sweetly with her grandmother, the Dowager Empress (Delores Sierra), you could tell Baker-Loo’s production was going to have something special; it didn’t take long for the gorgeous ball to be overtaken by revolutionaries and for the Romanov’s to fall. This opening had some truly fantastical lights designed by Brent Tubbs, although it appeared that Tsar Nicolas II’s face was in shadow for much of the scene – a choice that, in the moment, seemed odd to me. Many years later (the passage of time is clearly indicated by way of a background projection), St. Petersburg is now Leningrad but a rumor persists that Anastasia survives. Wanted men Dmitry (Caleb Swinney) and Vlad (Chris Tracy) decide to find a young lady to pretend to be Anastasia so they can go to Paris and collect the reward money offered by the Dowager Empress.

After interviewing some sketchy strumpets for their con, Anya (Claire Sattler) finds her way to the guys; she has always believed someone is waiting for her in Paris, and this is her way out of Russia. Too bad the aforementioned women turn them in to the town's general Gleb, a more sympathetic than antagonistic (in a good way) Noah Hill, who has orders to kill Anastasia or anyone even claiming to be her. Who cares if Anya is Anastasia for real … will they make it out of Russia? The entire production artfully dances around the feeling of nostalgia, with Anya’s lost memories resonating with the adults in the audience who vaguely remember the story.

With 16 musical numbers before intermission, and another 16 after, those onstage were singing more often than not, so musical director Laura Hammes had her work cut out for her, and the entire cast more than rose to the occasion. Luckily, the sound at the Spotlight, with one notable exception on Saturday, held up its end of the bargain so that each song was intelligible and crisp. What was intriguing to me was that the music by Stephen Flaherty truly drove the plot along, and Lynn Ahrens' lyrics consequently became quite important to follow. Yet somehow, other than the songs taken straight from the animated version, I found Anastasia's score entirely forgettable. Admittedly, some of that reaction might've come from the extreme volume and irksome frequency of patrons coming and going mid-song that evening. Anastasia isn’t necessarily short, but the Spotlight does have a generous 20-minute intermission between acts.

Meanwhile, Heather Blair’s costumes were across-the-board elegant and lovely. The standout pieces for me were the white outfits for the Tsar and his family, which were perfect for both their initial party scenes (with a tasteful hint of sparkle) but also stood out in their ghostly appearances. I especially loved the way the women’s veils were swept up along into Ellie Allen’s choreography. I wouldn’t have necessarily foreseen that Anastasia was a dance-heavy musical, yet charmingly, the show features an array of complicated ballroom scenes, a sultry tango number, and a full-on mini ballet. Because why not?

Swinney and Sattler were marvelous to watch together. Anya’s “Eliza Doolittle” moments were particularly fun, and late in the second act, when their characters realize they had seen each other as children during “In A Crowd of Thousands,” the duo’s chemistry truly shines. These two aren’t the only pair with passion, however: Vlad and his former lover Lily (Kat Jecklin) also find themselves reconnecting and share an embrace that Saturday’s crowd heartily approved of, at least based on the audible hoots and hollering.

With its large cast dancing and singing with great aplomb, Anastasia is a complete visual delight. Whether you want to reconnect with your childhood memories of the movie or share the story with someone unfamiliar, the Spotlight’s production is sure to leave both young and old(er) feeling royally entertained.

Anastasia runs at the Spotlight Theatre (1800 Seventh Avenue, Moline IL) through April 21, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)912-7647 and visiting TheSpotlightTheatreQC.com.