Review: A Beautiful Journey to the Past with ANASTASIA at the Valentine Theater

It was a packed house on opening night at The Valentine Theater, and with good reason.

This may be a community theater, but this is no amateur production. 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 Jeffries.

ANASTASIA, (Book by Terrence McNally, Music by Stephen Flaherty and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens) is a musical based on the 1997 Disney movie of the same name. It’s the tale of a young royal in 1920s-era Russia whose life is somehow spared when her family is killed by the Bolshevik regime. Her memories are erased by the trauma, so she spends her life trying to discover her past and finally begins to do so with the help of a couple of reward-seeking con artists, who are actually quite lovable and just doing what it takes to find freedom in Paris. 

Anya (the name given to young Anastasia at the orphanage), is played by Sierra Livermore, who is an absolute delight. Those fond of the well-known songs from the movie, like “Once Upon a December” and “Journey to the Past” will be whisked away to their childhood while listening to her exquisite voice, which is both sweetly melodic and equally powerful. Livermore absolutely shines in this role that was seemingly meant just for her. 

The two con artists who take Anya in and teach her the ways of being Anastasia in hopes that she’ll convince her wealthy grandmother that it is in fact her, are Vlad, played by William Gardner, and Dimitry, played by Tanner Tate. Tate and Gardner are the perfect combination of humor and talent, bringing playfulness and fun to the show while still expertly delivering lines and songs that are incredibly poignant to the story. Their vocals are top not notch and their acting chops are equally great. 

One of the most powerful performances is that of Dylan Bradford in the role of Gleb, the son of the man responsible for killing Anastasia’s family. His intensity, raw emotion and powerhouse vocal performances brought the audience to an uproarious applause on multiple occasions. 

The entire cast is unbelievably gifted, which is highlighted by the impressive ensemble numbers, the thoughtful and intricate choreography by Stephanie Cole, and the music direction of Chari Bennett. Other notable performances include a beautifully haunting number by Tyler Hinton as Count Ipolitov, the fun-filled song and dance of Serene Parker as Countess Lily at the Neva Club, the stunning ballet scene performed by three members of the ensemble, and the moving performance of Nicole Tupuola as the Dowager Empress, Anastasia’s grandmother. 

Not only is the cast phenomenal, but so, it’s undeniable, is the crew behind the scenes. The set, lighting and sound was perfectly on point. And the costumes, designed by Rebecca Fenton, were absolutely off the charts. The Neva Club scene was especially fun. It was hard to say which dazzled more - the performance or the costumes! From early Russian royalty, to early Russian street clothes; from daywear in Paris to ballet ball gowns; and even flapper-style club attire; each costume was perfection and elevated every cast member wearing them. 

From start to finish, I truly couldn’t have enjoyed this production more. It’s fun, moving, and emotional, and I highly recommend getting your tickets now and catching this show before it closes July 6! 

For a list of show times and to purchase tickets, visit TAFtix.com, or click https://americanforkarts.com/theater/.

Photo Credit: Dylan Bradford as Gleb and Sierra Livermore as Anastasia, photo by Jane Smith with Smithfield Photography
 

To post a comment, you must register and login.