Alden Walcott

Langley High School

Snow gently drifted down through the deep purple light, surrounding the canopy bed of a little girl’s room like a fantasy. The opening strains of a haunting melody rang out as if from a time gone by, while the lights rose on a young princess and her grandmother. With that, Fairfax High School’s production of Anastasia: The Musical had begun.

Inspired by the 1997 animated feature film of the same name, Anastasia: The Musical opened on Broadway on April 24, 2017, with book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Anastasia follows the story of a street sweeper named Anya, suffering from amnesia, as she sets out to discover her past with the help of a hilarious conman and lovable former aristocrat who are hoping to strike it rich, all the while being pursued by a Soviet officer tasked with silencing her as she journeys to Paris. With heart and charm, Anastasia explores what it means to discover who you are and choose who you will become.

Kaylee Williams was captivating as Anya, with vocals as powerful as they were evocative of the different layers of Anya’s character. With flawless diction and palpable emotion, Williams skillfully portrayed Anya’s optimism in songs such as “In My Dreams,” while finding note-perfect harmonies with partner-in-crime turned love interest Dmitry (Alejandro Cahoon). Cahoon’s Dmitry satisfyingly matured from a streetwise boy to a man who had smoothed off his rougher edges, but it was his vocals, simultaneously effortless yet strong, that really drew audiences in.

As with any epic adventure, there were plenty of moments of lighthearted fun. Vlad (Tristan Farmer) embodied a down-on-his-luck aristocrat, with a bit of a slouch and a gravelly Russian accent making his gift for physical comedy all the more surprising. When Vlad ran into his former flame Countess Lily (Kathryn Whitis), her crisp vocals and command of a room were a lovely reflection of Russian high society, and the pair’s connection lit up the stage.

Every story needs an antagonist, and the intimidating Soviet officer Gleb (Nate Wheeler Smith) was more than up to the task. With an impressive belt and wide emotional range, Wheeler Smith’s Gleb seemed to radiate the intensity of his internal conflict (Does he kill Anya or let her go?) and his physical presence was intentionally aggressive, reflecting the tone of the vengeful Soviet Union.

While the acting and vocals brought down the house, the production was elevated by the outstanding lighting and costumes. The lighting design (by Nikolai Crowl, Luis Campos, Lilou Shaw, and James Conron) included a fully lit back wall which glowed in jewel tones to complement the different time periods and moods of the show. This wall also served as a canvas for an incredible array of projections - from the arched windows of a St. Petersburg palace to the nature of the French countryside - adding dimension to the already intricate set. Likewise, the exquisitely detailed costumes (by Gaby Adumua, Lilly Kyle, and Caitlin Grycewicz) included 300 fabric garments, many custom made by hand, and 30 hand-crocheted pieces, bringing authenticity to time periods ranging from the ballgowns of Czarist Russia to the drab, dark layers of the early Soviet Union. These detailed choices emphasized both the sparkling decadence of the Romanovs’ rule and the grittiness of life on the streets, and added to the immersive nature of the production.

With a strong ensemble of talented performers and standout production quality, Fairfax’s Anastasia: The Musical took audiences on a nostalgic “Journey to the Past” that they won’t soon forget.

Kayla Katounas

Centreville High School

Welcome to Leningrad, comrade! The home of rations and rumors, citizens are growing curious about the whereabouts of a missing princess in Fairfax High School’s Anastasia.

Anastasia is based on the 1997 animated film of the same name. It ran on Broadway from 2017 to 2019 and follows a fictionalized story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, who some believe escaped when the rest of her family was executed in 1918. Anya does not remember her past, but finds herself drawn to Paris. She joins Dmitry and Vlad, two con men who hope to use her resemblance to the missing princess Anastasia in hopes of getting money from the dowager empress in France, and discovers missing pieces of herself along the way.

It was impossible to find a single weak link in the cast and crew. Every performer was both a strong actor and vocalist, and every tech element immersed the audience deeper into the world of Anastasia.

Kaylee Williams led the cast as Anya, delivering a heartfelt, wistful performance and powerful vocals, particularly during the show stopping act one closer “Journey to the Past.” Alejandro Cahoon not only showed off impressive vocals as rough-around-the-edges Dmitry, but also navigated the characters slow character growth throughout the show with skillful acting. Tristan Farmer’s Vlad completes the trio as the necessary comic relief, able to handle this with ease while also showing off expert vocals, and showed particular skill in playing a character much older than high school. Complete with a weathered voice and an aching back, Farmer took Vlad from a con man a touch too old for his job and turned him into a scene stealer.

Vlad’s former flame, Countess Lily, was played by Kathryn Whitis. Whitis shone brightest during “Land of Yesterday” an energetic song complete with no shortage of dancing on tabletops, but later found a balance between fun and serious in the nostalgic “The Countess and the Common Man,” alongside Vlad. Often accompanying Lily was the Dowager Empress (Matillda Awad), who deals with imposters claiming to be her lost granddaughter as she tries to reckon with the fact that she may be the last living member of her family. Awad pulled at heartstrings in a sorrowful performance of “Close the Door” and consistently performed well throughout the rest of the show. Gleb (Nate Wheeler Smith), is a villain, and Smith was a scary one at that. Silhouetted in red and staring down the audience, the actor simultaneously inspired fear and pity for the soldier conflicted between serving his own wants or avenging his father. With a deep, commanding voice and the clean cut movements of a military man, Smith naturally embodied this role in a way that made even those who knew the ending fear for Anya.

Boasting 300 costumes, including hand crocheted pieces, the costumes team (Gaby Aduma, Lilly Kyle, Caitlin Grycewicz) elevated the performance tremendously, adding a professional edge to the show. The sets (by Maya Gijon, Griffin Reinsel) were also very well done, perhaps the most impressive piece being a train car that was spun around the stage with several actors on it during “We’ll Go From There.” The performers were also accompanied by an orchestra, led by student conductor Berkcan Bayram and featuring Clementine Worshek, Isak Schwille, and Cedric LeFloch. The orchestra kept up perfectly with the cast, able to speed up and slow down when necessary to tie together an already tight show.

Fairfax High School’s Anastasia had its audience wishing it could take a “journey to the past” to see it again and again.