Since September, hundreds of BC students have been rehearsing for this year’s musical: Anastasia. Whether a part of the cast, crew, costume department, or pit orchestra, students have dedicated countless hours towards this production. The musical took place at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center from Friday, November 22nd to Sunday, November 24th, with the cast performing to nearly sold out crowds every night of its run.
The musical is an adaptation of the 1997 film which is based on true events from the Russian Revolution of the early twentieth century. It follows Anastasia Romanov, the only surviving member of the Romanov family. SInce the execution of her family and the rise of communist rule, Anastasia no longer remembers her past. When encountering two gentlemen, Dmitry and Vladimir, who plot to bring a fake “Anastasia” to her grandmother in Paris in order to receive a cash prize, Anastasia is taught her past and realizes that the story of this supposed “Anastasia” was truly her old life. The musical is filled with extravagant numbers throughout, showcasing the dancing, singing, and acting talents of the cast. We get a further look into the communist regime that schemes to take down Anastasia in songs like “The Neva Flows”, sung by Deputy Commissioner Gleb Vaganov. In a trio between Anastasia, Vladimir, and Dmitry, “We’ll Go From There”, we learn their motives for their venture to Paris. The repeating motif of the hauntingly beautiful “Once Upon a December” also plays throughout as Anastasia comes closer and closer to revealing her true self. The talent of those who sing these songs only helps to bring the story to life.
Bella Krynicka (‘25) plays the lead role of Anastasia, and does so flawlessly. Her ability to bring characters to life is incredible and has also been exhibited in past musicals such as Matilda, where she played Ms. Honey, and Mary Poppins where she played the title character. Krynicka’s acting and angelic voice made her the perfect pick for such an important character. Other seniors, Luke Field, Scotty Deskins, and Katelyn Kormenos also take on vital roles as Vladimir, Dmitry, and Countess Lily Malvesy-Malevitch, respectively. This combination of talented seniors makes for a lead cast like no other. Underclassmen, Addi Brennan (‘27) and Jacob Brunner (‘27) also took on lead roles and lived up to the expectations. The ensemble as a whole also proved to be incredibly talented, performing complex choreographies and chilling background vocals. The visuals of the musical were also stunning; the costumes were colorful and perfect for the story, and the props and backdrops worked perfectly for every scene and the stage crew did an incredible job managing them. Lastly, the pit orchestra provided instrumentals that sounded as if it was straight from the Broadway recording. All in all, Anastasia was an incredible pick for the 2024 musical and proved to be my favorite yet.
