An Elegant, Exuberant ‘Anastasia’ Is a Knockout for Tesseract Theatre Co.

An Elegant, Exuberant ‘Anastasia’ Is a Knockout for Tesseract Theatre Co.

By Lynn Venhaus

A zestful and exuberant “Anastasia: The Musical” is a crowning achievement for the Tesseract Theatre Company, which has crafted a big, bold production where every element is in harmony together.

Elegantly produced and seamlessly performed, this intriguing story centering on the legend of a Russian grand duchess is executed with remarkable skill by innovative creatives and a first-rate cast.

Impeccably staged as a swirling mix of constant motion, this adventurous blend of history, mystery and romance engaged from the jump. While this 2017 musical is not a flawlessly constructed show, the company’s determination and their lively interpretation propels it forward.

Using an abstract, intimate stage design at The Marcelle, director Brittanie Gunn, a Tesseract co-founder and creative director along with Kevin Corpuz, has focused sharply on the storytelling. The charming and well-cast 17-person ensemble’s hard work is obvious throughout this emotional journey that leads to a bittersweet finale.

The Press Conference. Photo by FF.

This ultimately is a tale of self-discovery. Gunn wanted Anya to be seen as a strong woman, and Sarah Wilkinson is believable as she works on herself – who is she and who will she become? But other characters find their purpose and their way, too.

Tesseract has been dipping its toe into musical productions for the past two years, with small-scale shows “Ordinary Days” in November 2022, “The Last Five Years” in February 2023, and “The Mad Ones” in November 2023, with its first large-cast splashy musical “Kinky Boots” in August 2023. This year, an original musical “Cascade’s Fire,” and another small-scale effort “My Heart Says Go” were previously performed.

With the ambitious “Anastasia,” they are taking a huge leap forward, and each component is impressive — Gunn’s thoughtful depiction, Zach Neumann’s vigorous music direction, choreographer Michelle Sauer’s graceful ballet and vibrant period dance numbers, and the superb technical team’s designs.

This all-ages show, which has been performed by schools, youth and community theaters in recent years but not yet by regional professional companies, features lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, whose best-known works are “Ragtime” and “Seussical.”

This grand-scale musical is adapted from the well-liked 1997 animated movie, which in turn was inspired by the 1956 “what if” dramatic film “Anastasia” that starred Ingrid Bergman in her second of three Oscar-winning roles.

The Czar’s Family Pre-Revolution. Photo by FF.

Fun fact: The animated musical’s music, composed by Ahrens and Flaherty, also featured music by David Newman, whose father, Alfred, was Oscar-nominated for the original 1956 film. This team earned two Oscar nominations for the film – musical score, and “Journey to the Past” for best song.

That power ballad is reprised in this stage musical, with a dynamic rendition by Sarah Wilkinson ending Act 1. There are five other songs from the movie, including the poignant “Once Upon a December,” and 16 new songs.

Playwright Terence McNally wrote the book, from the play by Marcelle Maurette, as adapted by Guy Bolton. While the late McNally is among the greatest, winning five Tony Awards, this result isn’t among his best. However, he shaped what could have been a too-sprawling complex narrative into several subplots that mesh well.

He has omitted the villain Rasputin and dropped the magic realism that were a major part of the animated tale, replacing the shady wizard with a formidable Bolshevik general Gleb, who seems as obsessed as Javert in “Les Miserables.” In fact, this show may remind you somewhat of “Les Miz,” only not as epic in scope.

Photo by FF.

The character Anastasia has always been enigmatic because she may or may not be who she thinks she is. The story arc begins at the twilight of the Russian Empire and moves to Paris in the 1920s, as this young woman tries to fit the puzzle together of her life.

The real story is that the royal family Czar Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra; son, Alexis; and four daughters, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia, were taken captive after he abdicated the throne on March 15, 1917. They were executed by a firing squad of Communist Bolsheviks on July 17, 1918, along with four of their servants, but no bodies were immediately found. Reports were so unclear that the dowager empress, then in Crimea, doubted the news of her family’s death.

The musical begins nine years after the Russian Revolution in 1918. Legend has it that Anastasia escaped her family’s murder, but hit her head while running away, causing her to lose all her memories.

Can she reclaim the magic of her childhood? In an interesting contrast, the show flashes back to Anya as a child, and 12-year-old Devynn Phoenix is luminous in her dance sequences as both the young Anastasia and Alexia. Ella Drake demonstrates superb dancing skills in ballet sequences, also.

Ella Drake. Photo by FF.

As the grown-up Anya, she meets two conmen, Dmitry and Vlad, who are looking for a girl to pretend she is the lost princess. Wilkinson easily slips into Anya’s skin, while new-to-professional theatre Aaron Fischer is revelatory as Dmitry, and Kent Coffel, an MVP when it comes to playing comedic sidekicks, works well with both.

The men hatch their imposter plan in “A Rumor in St. Petersburg.” They tutor her, a la “My Fair Lady,” in “Learn to Do It,” then take her to Paris and plan to meet with her grandmother, because they think the Dowager Empress will give them a substantial reward for recovering this long-lost member of the royal family.

Through this process, she slowly starts to regain her memory and believes she is indeed the real Anastasia. Wilkinson’s transformation is palpable, and you see her become more radiant.

Wilkinson, who has been memorable on local stages in “Nine” and “Into the Woods,” is an accomplished singer and dancer. With an opportunity to anchor this production, she grabs it with gusto.

She shines on her solo numbers. “Once Upon a December” is wistfully delivered, as is “A Secret She Kept,” and “In My Dreams” is a touching tribute to starting over. She also possesses considerable poise and carries herself regally on stage.

Danielle Feinstein, Kimmie Kidd-Booker and Lindsey Grojean. Photo by FF.

Act 2 opens with an ebullient “Paris Holds the Key (to Your Heart)” and the chorus also has fun with “Land of Yesterday” led by the intrepid Kimmie Kidd-Booker as the lady-in-waiting Countess Lily.

Anya and Dimitry are in a budding romance that’s straight out of a Hallmark movie template, but Wilkinson and Fischer have a genuine connection. He soars in his strong vocals, especially “Everything to Win” and with Anya in “My Petersburg” and “In a Crowd of Thousands.”

Vlad reminisces about hobnobbing with the aristocracy, and his wit comes through – as does his physical comedy.

In his role as Gleb, Donald Kidd stuns with his sturdy vocals and layered characterization. “The Neva Flows,” along with Anya, showcases his vocal command, and when he realizes he has feelings for Anya, “Still.”

As the Dowager Empress, dauntless Margery A. Handy is imposing, and has a terrific song, “Close the Door.” She is as stately as Lily is goofy. Kidd-Booker is hilarious hamming it up as Vlad’s former mistress, and she and Coffel know how to create an effective chemistry in “The Countess and the Common Man,” ramping up the physical comedy.

Aaron Fischer, as Dmitry, revs up the crowd. Photo by FF.

The ensemble is quite strong, with distinctive characterizations developed by each supporting player. Tielere Cheatem, Scott Degitz-Fries, Ella Drake, Danielle Feinstein, Julia Gilbert Gaglio, Lindsey Grojean, Jaelyn Hawkins, Stephanie Merritt, Jacob Schmidt and Kelvin Urday all blend well, but also stand out as different characters.

They harmonize beautifully, and the orchestra’s vitality is noticeable. Besides conducting, Neumann is on keyboards, joining Chuck Evans on violin, John Gerdes on brass, Lea Gerdes and Joseph Hendricks on reeds, Brad Martin on percussion, and Paul Rueschhoff on cello.

The musical’s costumes are an opulent showcase, with costume designer Sarah Gene Dowling assembling a bevy of beautiful gowns, flashy vintage party dresses, textured ethereal whites, working-class garments and heavy wintry outerwear. She collected over 100 looks for this show alone.

The craftsmen meet the moment, with noteworthy sound design by Phillip Evans, lighting design by Kevin Bowman, properties design by Rachel Puleo, and scenic design by Todd Schaefer.

Kevin “Kevlar” Sallwasser was the technical director, Sarah Baucom production manager, and Marisa Daddazio the stage manager, with Bella Lucero assistant stage manager and Hannah Lohmeyer the intimacy coordinator.

Donald Kidd as Gleb. Photo by FF.

The show’s lush qualities combine with the venue’s cozy ambience to create an enchanting experience. “Anastasia: The Musical” will linger for a while. Tesseract’s mission accomplished, and it was refreshing to see how well it all came together.


Tesseract Theatre presents the musical Anastasia Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., Nov. 14 – 24. Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.tesseracttheatre.com.

Lively Ensemble Ignites ERA’s Kooky ‘Romanov Family Yard Sale’

Lively Ensemble Ignites ERA’s Kooky ‘Romanov Family Yard Sale’

By Lynn Venhaus

It really is a yard sale and a play rolled into one kooky experience. A Masha! Masha! Masha! mash-up of absurd comedy and history, “Romanov Family Yard Sale” is another unconventional offering from ERA (Equally Represented Arts) Theatre, always pushing whatever envelope they think needs a prod.

All tchotchkes must go so that these survivors, pushed out of power during the Russian Revolution, can flee abroad. Explained as a “purgation play told in three demonstrations,” we travel back in time to July 1919.

These chapters identify the quirky focus: “Capeetalism,” “The Church of the Great Babooshka,” and “Independence Day.” Life, as they knew it, is over, and their future is scary, given the recent past and unmoored present.

This takes place exactly one year after the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, was executed, along with his wife, Empress Alexandra, and their children – grand duchesses Anastasia, Maria, Olga and Tatiana, and only son Alexei, a hemophiliac.

Their distant cousins want to escape to the U.S., with hopes of American filmmakers publicizing their plight. Chrissy Watkins, as very serious Dody, and John Wolbers, as a determined Kirk, arrive with their video cameras, and receive an enthusiastic royal welcome.

This part is fictionalized, but the House of Romanov really ruled imperial Russia from 1613 to 1917, until forced to abdicate and placed under house arrest by those Lenin-led Bolsheviks. That’s when the Iron Curtain came down as the Communist Party took over.

The play’s setting is in a former Tsar-sponsored theater wrecked by those revolutionaries. The loyalists warn us not to sit in a red chair, or we may be shot.

Frustrated by their predicament, they express themselves as people clinging to their old way of life. But they are also protective of each other, like families are.

You might feel like you are entering a reality TV zone. Prior to the performance, tables and racks are laden with goods that are later made available in the lobby. And the cast is already in character, hawking their wares and advising on what to do.

They are really pushing the ‘Baby Beans,” aka plush toy animals that look like the Beanie Babies popularized in the 1990s. There is no such Beanie Baby Bubble Burst in their world.

Ellie Schwetye as Little Yelena.

Using convincing thick Russian accents, aided by dialect coach Keating, an all-in repertory of regular ERA interpreters and other veterans dance, prance, bicker and sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” like they are putting on a pageant for their wannabe home in exile.

As part of this eccentric ensemble, they offer us bread, vodka shots, and Anastasia’s hand in marriage while trying to purge all their possessions.

They will collect tickets, and people do walk out with stuff (they even have a basket of plastic bags to carry purchases). Need a VHS copy of “Waterworld” or a well-worn romance novel?

It is not a prerequisite to brush up on Russian history to understand the story, but if you recall a basic outline, and recognize a Faberge egg, you’ll find Courtney Bailey’s clever original play even more amusing. And while the acting is mostly for laughs, their characters’ despair does peek through.

Adam Flores offers a touch of poignancy as bereaved Cousin Alexi, waltzing with his deceased wife, Cousin Katrina (a skeleton often guided by Bailey)..

Lucy Cashion, director and ERA mastermind, is adept at making classic literature structures fresh with unique twists and divergent perspectives.

She keeps the characters swirling so the action is swift, although a tad chaotic at times with 15 people on stage. Resourceful, she also designed the set and the sound and was the video editor.

She last tackled Russia in a Chekhov-inspired “Moscow” drinking game and one-act play produced for the St. Louis Fringe Festival in 2015, and again as a whimsical red-soaked Zoom play fundraiser in 2020.

Bailey, who wrote the imaginative “Bronte Sister House Party” for SATE in 2022, Best New Play Award from the St. Louis Theater Circle, has created another fertile playground for her latest effort.

Last year, the pair humorously combined the John Hughes Brat Pack comedy “The Breakfast Club” with a Bertold Brecht pastiche – and nod to Cold War spies in an East German political satire called “The Brechtfast Club.”

Inspired by Southern yard sales and pop culture touchstones, whip-smart Bailey has inserted references to the 1975 “Grey Gardens” documentary through very funny portrayals by Rachel Tibbetts as Big Yelena and Ellie Schwetye as Little Yelena, a perfect pairing.

She also credits the 1997 Dreamworks animated feature “Anastasia,” the “Independence Day” blockbuster movie from 1996, and Episode #822 of NPR’s “This American Life.” And apparently, Kate Bush’s 1980 song (also misspelled title) “Babooshka” was an influence.

Alicen Moser as Pigbat and Cassidy Flynn as Rasputin.

The spry large cast, some of whom were in “The Brechtfast Club” and The Midnight Company’s recent “Spirits to Enforce” that Cashion directed, includes characters you might recognize from their historical significance.

For instance, always hilarious Cassidy Flynn is Rasputin. He makes a dramatic entrance, in a stringy raven-haired wig with a shock of a silver streak, and black garb, as the controversial figure – charlatan or mystic, visionary and faith healer?

His sidekick, Pigbat, is played in disguise by Alicen Moser. I did not fully understand that character’s purpose, possibly only to add sight gags as she flaps her white Russian wings?

Ashwini Arora has fun toying with the public mystery of princess Anastasia – who may be dead or may be an imposter, or who might actually have escaped. That tale has been the subject of movies, plays and musicals, so the ERA collaborators incorporate the legend and surrounding confusion.

Three strong actresses play sisters named Masha like they are part of the Brady Bunch (of course!) – Celeste Gardner, Kristen Strom, and Maggie Conroy are engaging maidens, who can be kinda bitchy too, moving in unison.

They are outfitted in distinctive peasant garb, which displays the fine handiwork of costume designer Marcy Wiegert.

Exaggerating stereotypes, Miranda Jagels Felix is a hunched over and very worried Aunt Babooshka, wearing the traditional kerchief tied under the chin, and deep-voiced Anthony Kramer looks like a member of the politburo with a tweedy jacket and a thick mustache (that had trouble staying on) as Uncle Boris. He is obsessed with eggs, a running joke.

Multi-hyphenate Joe Taylor is this production’s Most Valuable Player, as he not only composed an interesting original cinematic-like score, but also plays the keyboard, and performed as “A Choir of Raccoons.”

He was the cinematographer for a black-and-white old-timey film called “The Last of the Romanovs” that is played at the conclusion. And added AV technician and music director to his chores, too.

As much as I enjoy watching this collective perform, and I consider their “Trash Macbeth” in 2016 one of the all-time treasures in local theatre, this play is too stretched out and would work better condensed into one act, not two.

A little nipping and tucking would heighten the ‘oomph’ that it achieves intermittently. As funny as Flynn is onstage, and the devilish Rasputin is in his wheelhouse, the middle “Church of the Great Babooshka” segment slumped when it went off on religious tangents, especially the communion.

Admittedly, the wedding ceremony, and plucking a game groom from the audience, was confidently handled, and the revelry was fun. Time for a daffy dance break!

The audience seemed to lean in to all the goofiness that ensues, even if it wasn’t always clear what was happening in this universe that teetered between fantasy and reality.

When you have that much assembled talent, it’s hard to find everyone a moment or two to shine, but they sure had a blast together as a tight-knit unit. These are swell collaborators who make the tiny but mighty ERA standout in the local landscape.

The show is co-produced by Cashion, Felix, Will Bonfiglio, and Spencer Lawton, who also effectively stage-managed. They are fully committed to surprising patrons and making sure their presentations offer something different.

Crisp work by Emma Glose as tech director and Denisse Chavez as lighting designer is also notable.

With their avant-garde experimental nature, inventive ERA always sparks ideas, and they gather the talent to pull off even the most peculiar material. No matter what, they are conversation starters.

ERA Theatre Presents “Romanov Family Yard Sale” from July 4 through July 20, Thursdays through Sundays, at 8 p.m. at the Kranzberg Arts Center (Blackbox theatre), 501 Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63104. It is recommended for audiences age 21+. For more information, visit www.eratheatre.org, For tickets, metrotix.com.