ADRIAN — The Croswell Opera House’s 2025 Broadway Season opens on May 9 with the musical “Anastasia.”
Based on the 1997 animated movie of the same name, “Anastasia” is a fictionalized version of the story of the Duchess Anastasia, who was rumored to have survived after her family was overthrown in the Russian Revolution.
In the show, a young woman named Anya is living in the newly renamed Leningrad with no memory of her past. She falls in with a pair of con men who hope to take advantage of her resemblance to the Duchess Anastasia to extract money from the Dowager Empress, now living in exile in Paris.
The show features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the team that also wrote the musical “Ragtime.”
The director of “Anastasia” is Stephen Kiersey, the vocal director is Gabriel Hagedorn, the choreographer is Sarah Nowak, and the live orchestra will be led by Ray Novak.
The role of Anya is played by Aubrie Lauren of West Unity, Ohio, a graduate of the Austin Peay State University musical theater program who was previously seen in the Croswell’s productions of “Cabaret,” “Jersey Boys,” and “The Prom.”
Dmitry, one of the con artists and Anya’s love interest, is played by Maxwell Lam of Adrian. Vlad Popov, his partner in crime and surrogate father, is played by Jeffrey King of Temperance. Gleb Vaganov, the show’s main antagonist, is portrayed by Brian Jones of Maumee, Ohio.
The dowager empress is played by Mary Rumman of Milan, a veteran of many Croswell productions. Love Ruddell plays Countess Lily, the dowager empress’ lady-in-waiting.
Filling out the 38-person cast are Haylie Blohm, Cassidy Giddens, Everett Hanley, Meg Lam, Libby Pifer, Bryan Shane, Daisy Solis, Josiah Torrence, Ja’Vaughn White, Briella York, and Hallie Yuen, all of Adrian; Keith Rikli of Belleville; Mitchell LaRoy of Blissfield; Serenity Sanders Gerrild of Jackson; Joanna Bacarella and Olivia Bacarella of Monroe; Jonah Hiatt of Palmyra; Sami Chandler and Tim Chandler of Tecumseh; Jerold King and Emily Smith of Temperance; Ashley Thornton Murdock of West Bloomfield; Miriam Roth of Ypsilanti; Madeline Stewart and Hobbes Treynor of Holland, Ohio; Joshua Egnatuk of Luckey, Ohio; Maddie Burnham of Maumee, Ohio; Bella Bradbury of Monclova, Ohio; Kayla Garlick of Swanton, Ohio; and Will DuPuis and Abby Rose Hagedorn of Toledo.
“Anastasia” opens on May 9. The first weekend will have performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The second weekend will have performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets range from $26 to $46 for adults and $16 to $26 for students, and may be ordered online at croswell.org or by calling 517-264-7469.
The Croswell reminds patrons that it will never sell tickets for more than the advertised price, so any website offering tickets for a higher price is a scam.
Dates and times:
- Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 10 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, May 11 at 2:30 p.m.
- Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 17 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, May 18 at 2:30 p.m.
