Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:44pm
Christy Altomare as Anastasia, Derek Klena as Dimitriy, and Mary Beth Peil as the Dowager Empress.
http://www.courant.com/entertainment/behind-the-curtain/hc-stage-note-0313-20160313-story.html
Updated On: 3/9/16 at 03:44 PM
Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:50pm
It's fine.
Not bad at all, but not that great either.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:52pm
I do like Manoel Felciano a lot though.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:54pm
I do love Caroline O'Connor.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:56pm
I'm really happy about Derek Klena, Mary Beth Peil & Christy actually.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 4:09pm
The last time I enjoyed a Derek Klena performance was... never?
Posted: 3/9/16 at 4:15pm
I'm feel somewhat indifferently toward the 2 leads, but I LOVE this supporting cast! I hope this makes it to New York.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 4:20pm
I'll take any chance to see Mary Beth Peil on stage. And I love Ahrens and Flaherty so much. I hope this'll be good.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 4:35pm
I was hoping for Arielle Jacobs.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 5:12pm
Miranda sings will not be okay with the casting of Derek klena. He was her worst client.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 5:28pm
I'm a little sad Elena Shaddows is gone but going with Klena obviously means they're casting younger. The casting of Gleb gives me no read on that character. John Bolton was great in Dames at Sea but casting him as Vlad confuses me. I guess they have a vision...
Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:18pm
I saw Christy Altomare in Spring Awakening's national tour in 2009 (with Jake Epstein). I thought she was good but in a boring way. Safe, ya know? But I guess that works for this.
Updated On: 3/9/16 at 06:18 PM
Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:20pm
I'm not at all familiar with O'Connor, but for some reason I was expecting the role of Sophie/Lily to go to a bigger "name." Maybe it's because Bernadette Peters voiced the animated character. Or maybe it's strictly me...
Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:22pm
If this comes to Broadway I'm sure they'll get a more well known theatre name for Anastasia.
Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:30pm
Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "I'm not at all familiar with O'Connor, but for some reason I was expecting the role of Sophie/Lily to go to a bigger "name." Maybe it's because Bernadette Peters voiced the animated character. Or maybe it's strictly me..."
Caroline is fantastic but has done basically all her stage work in the UK. I think she's from Australia though. She was one of the Diamond Dogs in Moulin Rouge! (and I think the only one with any lines, which she says to the "Duc" near the end of the film) and also played Mabel in the 1995 London production of Mack & Mabel opposite the splendid Howard McGillin.
Updated On: 3/9/16 at 06:30 PM
Posted: 3/9/16 at 10:53pm
Caroline O'Connor is extraordinary; I've always thought it was a tad disappointing she hasn't been showcased better on her projects in the states.
This is, keep in mind, just a regional theatre staging. It's not "pre-Broadway" so this casting all seems appropriate for something at that level.
i can't wait to hear how much of the story returns to the roots of the original Anastasia play (And Bergman film).
Posted: 3/9/16 at 11:34pm
This is ver safe, bland casting. Klena provides no performance. There's no subtext to anything he does. He's just bland and makes the boring choice. And given the boundaries of Hartford Stage. This sounds like a total yawn.
Posted: 3/10/16 at 12:04am
Christy will be great, she has a terrific voice and remember DISNEY does not cast Stars to save $.
Think Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Tarzan and that Mermaid girl, all unknowns.
Posted: 3/10/16 at 12:05am
This is not Disney though.
Posted: 3/10/16 at 8:51am
I saw almost every actor who played Wendla in Spring Awakening and Christy was the best. So I'm not sure what you mean, gypsy.
Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:19am
I'm not familiar with most of these people, except John Bolton & Mary Beth PeilI so I can't judge there talent.
But I think it's very likely they will want to add at least one big name somewhere in the cast. I could see them going with "unknowns" for Anastasia and Dimitri but maybe cast a star in one or more of the featured roles.
And like someone said, at this point it's just a regional theater production, not a try-out. This might make it easier to recast it later on?
(And yes, this has nothing to do with Disney, the animated movie wasn't done by Disney)
Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:41am
Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "I'm not at all familiar with O'Connor, but for some reason I was expecting the role of Sophie/Lily to go to a bigger "name." Maybe it's because Bernadette Peters voiced the animated character. Or maybe it's strictly me.."
how is this even possible?>?? Caorline is incredible. she just appeared on Broadway in 2012 with A Christmas Story and then performed on the 2013 Tony Awards. video below
Posted: 3/10/16 at 10:00am
JM226 said: "Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "I'm not at all familiar with O'Connor, but for some reason I was expecting the role of Sophie/Lily to go to a bigger "name." Maybe it's because Bernadette Peters voiced the animated character. Or maybe it's strictly me.."
how is this even possible?>?? Caorline is incredible. she just appeared on Broadway in 2012 with A Christmas Story and then performed on the 2013 Tony Awards. video below
She was also brilliant as Phyllis in the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's production of "Follies" I am a huge fan of hers.
It's also nice seeing Max Clayton in the ensemble. He was wonderful as Riff in the much heralded "West Side Story" at Signature Theatre.
Updated On: 3/10/16 at 10:00 AM
