top of page

Anastasia

by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally

Timpanogos Arts Foundation, 2024

Director - Andrew Jefferies

Music Director - Chari Bennett

Choreographer - Stephanie Cole

Stage Manager - Nicole Madsen

Scenic Design - Sara Payne

Costume Design - Rebecca Fenton

Lighting Design - Caleb Wallengren

Sound Design - Chari Bennett

Props Design - Cindy Andersen

“It is rare to find a local production so beautifully executed that it rivals its Broadway and West End originations. Timpanogos Community Theater’s Anastasia manages to do just that. Every set detail, costume, actor, song, dance, and moment is pure perfection…Director Andrew Jefferies gave this piece a heart, a soul, and a feeling of hope that lasts long after the curtain closes.” Read full review here.

“The upstage area is dominated by a gilded marble archway from an imperial ballroom that is covered by white sheets, which are removed one by one as we learn more about Anastasia, and this is very effective at portraying a lost way of life that is rediscovered by Anya. I admit that I really liked this, maybe even more than the Broadway version, because it is less distracting and lets the story shine on its own with a lot more emotion…It has fewer bells and whistles than the Broadway version, but it is all the better for it.” Read full review here.

Anastasia, adapted from the popular 1997 animated film, explores what might have been if Anastasia Romanov had indeed survived the execution of her family in 1918.

 

For this production, I highlighted Anya's relationship with her past and perspective on her future. I wanted to create a visceral experience that would allow the audience to step into Anya’s world and see through her eyes.  I further integrated the Romanov family into the staging throughout and worked with the scenic designer so the arches of our Russian palace would start covered with cloth, which would gradually get removed as Anya's shrouded memories became clearer and clearer. 

“In almost seven years of reviewing shows across Utah, I’ve rarely come across both the level of talent and the production quality that the Timpanogos Community Theater offers with its rendition of Anastasia, directed by Andrew Jefferies.” Read full review here.

© 2024 by Andrew Jefferies.
 

bottom of page