Duluth Playhouse Youth Theatre to kick off 2024-2025 season
This Fall, Duluth Playhouse Youth Theatre is excited to present ANASTASIA: THE MUSICAL (Youth Edition), running November 8-10 at the NorShor Theatre.
Starring 28 talented young performers from the Twin Ports community, this one-act adaptation of the Broadway hit is crafted specifically for young actors and audiences.
From the Tony Award-winning creators of Ragtime and Once On This Island, Anastasia is a spectacular new musical about discovering who you are and defining who you’re meant to be. The story follows Anya, a brave young woman determined to uncover the mystery of her past. Orphaned and living in post-revolutionary Russia with no memory of her life before age 17, she embarks on a journey to find her family and, more importantly, herself.
Along the way, Anya is joined by Dmitry, a charming con man, and Vlad, a lovable ex-aristocrat, who believe she may be the long-lost Grand Duchess Anastasia. Together, they hatch a plan to escape Russia and journey to Paris, where Anya hopes to find her family and reclaim her heritage.
“Through her journey to remember who she is, Anya discovers that family extends beyond blood ties,” says Duluth Playhouse’s Director of Education & Youth Programming, Denise Ruemping, who is directing the musical. “Audiences today can relate to her quest for identity. In our increasingly diverse world, we all embark on similar journeys, searching for our own sense of belonging and connection with others.”
With its opulent settings, dazzling costumes, and soaring score, Anastasia features songs from the beloved animated film, including “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December.”
Tickets are now on sale. To book seats, please visit the box office at the NorShor Theatre Monday through Friday 10am-5pm or call 218-733-7555, or visit duluthplayhouse.org
ANASTASIA: THE MUSICAL (Youth Edition)
Book by Terrence NcNally
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynne Ahrens
Inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox Motion Pictures by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical
From the play by Marcelle Maurette as adapted by Guy Bolton
Performances:
Friday, November 8 at 7PM
Saturday, November 9 at 2PM
Saturday, November 9 at 5PM (ASL Interpreted Performance)
Sunday, November 10 at 2PM (Relaxed Performance)
Sunday, November 10 at 5PM
Creative Team:
Director: Denise Ruemping
Music Director: Elizabeth Brophy
Choreographer: Karina Wyman
Stage Manager: Katie Pakkebier
Assistant Director: JJ McManus
Cast:
ANYA: Bea Martin
DMITRY: Ferris Buhler
VLAD: Mikah Erdmann
DOWAGER EMPRESS: Addy Wheeler
GLEB: Elsie Sather
LILY: Isabella Lampi
YOUNG ANASTASIA/ENSEMBLE: Norah Benedict
COUNT LEOPOLD/ENSEMBLE & GLEB u/s: Liam Neitzel
TSAR NICHOLAS II/ENSEMBLE & VLAD u/s: Berlin Johnson
TSARINA ALEXANDRA/ENSEMBLE & LILY u/s: Gabriella McDonald
COUNTESS IPOLITOV/ENSEMBLE & DMITRY u/s: Iris Mae Granger
LUDA/ENSEMBLE & SWING: Nola Senarighi
MARFA/ENSEMBLE: Jones Luoma-Mattson
PAULINA/ENSEMBLE: Eleanor Eichman
DUNYA/ENSEMBLE: Sadie Pollard
GORLINSKY/ENSEMBLE: Peter Boman
MIRA/ENSEMBLE & YOUNG ANASTASIA u/s: Olive Clark
GALINA/ENSEMBLE & ANYA u/s: Natylee Anderson
POLICEMAN 1/ENSEMBLE: Atlee Laurent
MIKHAIL/ANASTASIA’S BROTHER/ENSEMBLE: Carson Waldo
SASHA/ENSEMBLE: Grace Annis
NIKOLA/ENSEMBLE & SWING: Emma Schuyler
GOVERNMENT WORKER/ENSEMBLE: Azalea Nelson
ALEXEI/EXILED RUSSIAN/ENSEMBLE: Violet Fletcher
POLICEMAN 2/ENSEMBLE: Amelia Hietala-Cavanaugh
ANASTASIA’S SISTER/ENSEMBLE & DOWAGER EMPRESS u/s: Hayden David
ANASTASIA’S SISTER/ENSEMBLE: Violet Granger
ANASTASIA’S SISTER/ENSEMBLE: Olivia McKenna
Duluth Playhouse offers exceptional entertainment, training, and performance opportunities in theatre arts that inspires, challenges, and engages the region we serve. Founded in 1914, the Playhouse is one of the nation’s oldest non-profit theatres. Producing year-round seasons packed with plays and musicals, Duluth Playhouse also provides the community with year-round programming within our School of Performing Arts for youth and adults alike.