Journey to the Past: Watch Anastasia at the Fulton Theatre

The Fulton Theatre is the oldest continuously operating theatre in the United States. The theatre has been host to numerous productions since 1852. Its elegant opera boxes and morbid history make it the prime setting for the musical Anastasia. The musical delves into post-revolutionary Russia and Paris during the Roaring Twenties. Learn about the performance, the difference between the musical and the movie and the history behind the musical.

See Anastasia at the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA

I received tickets in order to write this review. I am an affiliate for Amazon, Stay 22 and Travel Payouts.

Anastasia Nikolaevna is the focal point of this historical fiction musical. It is inspired by the 1997 animated movie of the same title. Its music and lyrics are by Stephen Flaherty. Terence McNally was the author of the book for this musical. It is currently running at the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster from April 11th to May 11th, 2025. This riveting production will astound audience members with its rousing score, phenomenal singing, strong acting, haunting melodies and romanticized depiction of historical events.

Premise of the Musical

This musical is based on the premise that Anastasia Romanov survived the execution of the Romanov family. A young woman named Anya is suffering from amnesia. She embarks on a journey to the past to discover her true identity in post-revolutionary Russia and Paris in the 1920s.

Anya joins up with two scoundrels named Dmitry and Vlad in her endeavor to leave Russia and head to Paris. Along her travels she is also pursued by a Deputy Commissioner named Gleb Vaganov.

Ways in which the Fulton Theatre resembles the story of Anastasia

Watching the musical in this theatre really took the backdrop of the play to the next level. The theatre was reminiscent of opulent Russian theatres such as the Mariinsky Theatre that was often visited by Czar Nicholas I. It is also similar to the Paris Opera House that is seen in the musical. There were even opera boxes adorned with elegant designs near the stage!

The original site location was a jail in 1737. A workhorse had recently been built next to the jail in 1763 where the last of the Conestoga Indians were being held for their protection. The Paxton Boys had recently destroyed the Conestoga Town and murdered some of the people there. Unfortunately the Paxton Boys returned to the workhouse on December 27th and a horrific massacre took place. This story eerily mirrors the imprisonment and execution of the Romanov family.

My Impressions from watching Anastasia

This was my first visit to this theatre. I saw the first matinee performance of Anastasia that was performed. There was music played before the show on a Steinway, a scavenger hunt that people could participate in throughout the town of Lancaster and a signature drink being sold for the show. It was called Together in Paris. There was also an alcove where audience members could learn about some of the history behind the show.

I was blown away by the opulence inside of the theatre and the lobby area. Our seats were in the fourth row. The orchestra was situated under the stage so we were actually closer to the stage than times we had seen other shows. We had an amazing view of the entire production. They delivered an impressive score, with the music ebbing and flowing all around us.

The theater was arranged in a manner in which I doubted there would be a bad seat at the house. Prior to the performance we had lunch at the Lancaster Central Market. We met two men there who had season tickets to the Fulton Theatre for the past twenty years. I can understand why after seeing the theatre and incredible performance.

The show Anastasia had an amazing production value. The costumes were period specific. The ones of the Imperial Family had great grandeur and they really made you feel like you were in their ballroom. They were dripping with jewels and brocade fabrics. The hats throughout the show were in a variety of styles such as the Ushanka, Papakha and cloche hats. When Anastasia was dressed in a regal gown this contrasted starkly with Dmitri’s threadbare outfit and worn down satchel. It was easy to distinguish the Soviet military officers with their green uniforms and red stripes.

The sound and lighting for the show were all done to perfection. Every actor was clearly able to be heard and the lighting added to the ambiance of each scene. There was also a digital projector used for the backdrop of the different scenes. It was most impressive when the actors were biking through a map and when they were changing locations such as when they stopped in Moscow. It really led to the feel that we were all traveling to different time periods and locations.

There were some interesting props and set pieces used. My favorite was the train car that actors actually “rode in” across the stage. I also liked the trash can that had a “fire” inside of it. Difference scenes had upholstered chairs and silk sheets on beds whereas others had barrels and cans for cups. This highlighted the disparity in wealth of that time period.

The actors all delivered their lines flawlessly and stayed in character throughout the show. The empress’s disdain for her new lifestyle and some of the other characters seemed similar to Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey. Dmitri’s impatience with Anastasia and struggle to make a living resembled the feelings of many people in Russia at that time. Vlad’s squirrelly manner and bombastic line delivery really helped to make his jokes land on the audience. Anastasia’s persona change between self-doubt and imperiousness in various scenes was a subtle way to depict her slowly returning memory. Count Leopold’s petulance and fury towards Anastasia (so much that his face turned red with veins bulging out of his neck) was reminiscent to the butler with the cats in the Aristocats.

Dmitry was played by Coleman Cummings, who had excellent line delivery and an array of emotions on his face during the show. Anastasia was played by Lila Coogan who really shone in the fight scene. Nick Gaswirth played the role of Vlad. His dramatic lines were entertaining. Mary Ernster played the Dowager Empress whose disdain for the Anastasia imposters clearly showed through her performance. Amanda Rose really stole the show in the Second Act with her role as Countess Lily. Her sarcastic humor and banter with Vlad were prominently featured in this portion of the musical. Members of the ensemble such as Noah Bloom did an excellent job performing multiple roles with costume changes such as being townspeople and Parisians. All of the cast and crew worked well together. This made the audience really feel that they were traveling through time and countries during the show.

All of the actors were phenomenal singers. I most enjoyed some of the songs that had a blend of their voices such as the “Traveling Sequence” with “Still”. The medley of singing and dancing at the “Quartet at the Ballet” was also magnificent. I also really enjoyed the “Land of Yesterday” since it bore some resemblance to when I was in “To Life” during Fiddler on the Roof in Middle School. The dancing and lively atmosphere seemed very similar. Deputy Commisioner Gleb Vaganov held out his notes well and kept the story moving with his hunt for Anastasia. One of the reasons I love to watch musicals is the awe-inspiring wave that washes over me in different numbers. It is also often combined with goosebumps. This performance was an anomaly since I had goosebumps after almost every number! After the show many of the other audience members were also commenting on the impressive job that everyone had done in the show. There were many people humming to different music from the show in the lobby as well.

A digital program for the production at the Fulton Theatre can be found here: Anastasia Program. This is a great way to learn about all of the people involved with this marvelous production.

I will now delve into the differences between the musical and the movie as well as the history behind the musical. At the end I will also go into details about each act of the musical that was performed at the Fulton Theatre.

Anastasia: the Musical vs. the Movie

In both the movie and musical the protagonist is a girl named Anya. During each of these we are led to believe that she is likely the Grand Duchess Anastasia.

The main difference between the movie and the musical was that Rasputin was not a character in the musical. In the movie he is seen being banished from the palace for being a traitor by the Czar. After this is done he sells his soul in order to curse the Czar’s family to death. Throughout the Disney movie Anya was hounded by Rasputin (from beyond the grave), Bartok (the bat) and spirits in different ways. In lieu of this in the musical we see Gleb (a Soviet military officer) chasing after Anya. This seemed like a much more likely scenario. I do think it may have been good for Rasputin to at least have been included at the beginning of the musical. He was an important historical figure who greatly contributed to the events leading to the tragic demise of the Romanov family.

Towards the beginning of the movie Anastasia escapes with her grandma through the help of Dmitri, a kitchen boy. She and her grandma get separated as her grandma boards a train and she hits her head on the pavement at the train station (likely contributing to her amnesia). During the musical Dmitri was not working at the palace but he had seen Anastasia in the past during a parade. In this it is shown that the Empress had already departed for Paris on a train before the family was executed. The execution scene was done similarly in both cases with the family running off the screen and fire and soldiers being shown.

The movie and musical both show Anastasia, Vlad and Dmitri on a train heading for Paris. In both cases they leave the train early to evade Soviet agents. The characters in the movie also travel by boat which is not seen in the musical. The end of the movie and play are different with the climax being between Anastasia and Rasputin in the movie. In the musical we see the climax between Anastasia and Gleb. Both the movie and musical show her inner struggle to decide if she wants a life as a royal or with Dmitri.

As a kid the song “Once Upon a December” was my favorite part of the movie. Luckily this song was not only sung but reprised in different ways during the theater production. One of my favorite sequences during the musical was when the song was being sung while the ballroom dancers were dancing in the background. This gave a strong depiction of a beautiful memory.

The musical had most of the famous songs from the Anastasia movie aside from a couple such as “In the Dark of the Night.” There were lyrics to some songs that were slightly changed such as “A Rumor in St. Petersburg.” There were also a whole host of new songs that you can see in the musical production! They were all very catchy.

Which did I prefer? The musical. It really blew me away. It had a higher number of musical performances as well as more scenes related to real life historic events at the time. I was interested to see a greater number of scenes depicting the way of life in Russia and France.

The History behind Anastasia

I have always loved reading historical fiction books since they drive me to do my own research into historical events. This musical was the same in that it left audience members wanting to dive deeper into the true history behind the events unfolding in the play. I have included some of the research I have done into historical events at the time below as they pertain to the musical and movie. The tragic execution of Anastasia’s family is the dark cloud that hangs over the entire story. What happened for events at the time to reach this conclusion?

Czar Nicholas II, the Bolsheviks and Vladimir Lenin

The Romanov family ruled Russia from 1613 until 1917. The musical focuses around Czar Nicholas II and his family. The Czar was the ruler of Russia from 1868 until 1918. While the Czar had a strong education, politics and economics were not among his strengths. He was often ignorant to the suffering of others such as the stampeding to death of thousands of people during his coronation ceremony. During his reign he was also often resistant to change.

His push for expansion led to a war with Japan in 1904 that Russia lost. There was also a poor harvest that year. Things reached a boiling point on Bloody Sunday. Workers led a demonstration to try and improve their working conditions. They were fired upon by troops on January 5th, 1905. This led to a plethora of strikes and rebellions throughout Russia.

Russia also did not do well during World War I. At first things were going well until Nicholas II appointed himself as commander-in-chief of the army. His wife replaced many military advisors with picks from Rasputin that were greatly disliked. Russians were greatly chagrined at their loss after World War I as well as their poor economic status. They were also distrustful of Tsarina Alexandra since she had been born in Germany and her increasing reliance on Rasputin’s advice. Rasputin was murdered in December of 1916. During the February Revolution there were industrial workers on strike that were fighting with police. Many people were also calling for the czar to be overthrown. The Duma formed a Provisional Government on March 12th. Nicholas was forced to abdicate the throne on March 15th, 1917

Alexender Kelensky was a leader in the Provisional government who helped continue the war efforts. This led to further shortening of food supplies and more civil unrest. The Bolshevik October Revolution began in November of 1917. Vladimir Lenin seized control and turned Russia into a one-party state that was theoretically a socialist state. This is evidenced in the musical through song lyrics and jokes told by cast members.

Nicholas and his family were placed under house arrest until July 16th, 1918 in Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg. They were murdered by the Bolshevik secret police guards that were holding them captive. They were likely ordered to do so by Lenin. At the time there was a civil war between the “White” party and the Bolshevik “Red” party. The “Red” party was worried that the “White” party may try to free the Romanov family, so their execution was ordered.

What medical condition did Alexei have?

Alexei had been born with Hemophilia B (aka Christmas disease). Having Hemophilia B meant that he had a deficiency of Factor IX. This is part of the clotting cascade. Due to this he had frequent bleeding that could easily become life-threatening. The family had been told he may not live past his 16th birthday.

The disease is X-linked recessive and was known as the royal disease. This is due to the fact that many members of royal families had it. The Tsarina had been worried that she may have a son that could have it.

Grigori Rasputin purportedly helped to “cure” Alexei. The Romanov family tried to cover up the health of Alexei. This led to public distrust and an increase of rumors swirling about Rasputin.

Why did Tsarina Alexandra trust Rasputin?

Grigori Rasputin was a holy man, healer and mystical advisor. He was also known for making prophecies such as that the entry of Russia into World War I would result in calamity. He gained trust within the family through his help of the Romanov’s son Alexei. One of the ways he did this was by telling them to not give him aspirin (a common remedy at the time which would have caused more bleeding in Alexei).

Rasputin gained a lot of influence with his claims that he was advisor to the Tsarina. In reality a lot of his influence was mostly related to her son. Many officials did not trust him since the Tsarina dismissed many ministers who were suspicious of his motives. He was murdered on December 29th, 1916. Shortly before his death he wrote the Czar telling him that if he was murdered by the government then the whole imperial family would be murdered as well. This was very similar to the Anastasia movie as well as what happened subsequently in real life with the murder of the Romanov family .

Why did people think Anastasia may have survived?

When Czar Nicholas II and his family were murdered only the death of Czar was widely publicized by the Bolshevik party. They falsely reported that his family was still being taken care of in a secret location. Many people associated with the Romanov family went underground. Over the years many imposters claimed to be different members of the family.

The grave of the family was finally discovered in 1979. In 1991 the bodies were exhumed. It was noted that two of the bodies were missing. The DNA of Maria and Anastasia were so close that it was unable to be determined if the body of Anastasia or Maria was missing. The other missing body belonged to Alexei.

Over time many people wondered if one of the daughters was still alive. Many women claimed to be Anastasia. The most famous one was Anna Anderson. She had been taken out from a canal in Berlin in 1920 and not told anyone her identity. In 1922 she claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia.

A Bolshevik soldier helped her to escape to the West. She grew close to Gleb Botkin, the son of the family doctor who had been killed. She also seemed to know details about the Romanov way of life. She still did not remember important events from her life. The Grand Duke of Hesse had an investigation done where he learned that she was Franziska Schanzkowska. Her DNA was compared to the royal family in 1994 and it was determined that she was not a Romanov.

Who was Gleb working for in the musical?

He was likely working for the Cheka, or Secret Police. They had been allowed to arrest and shoot counterrevolutionaries. He is a Bolshevik officer who is in turmoil over the task he is given. His Communist ideals are evidenced by his disdain for Russians who are extravagantly partying at a club in Paris.

Why was the name St. Petersburg in 1906 later seen as Leningrad when the show moved forward in time to 1927?

St. Petersburg name was given to the city in 1703 by Peter the Great. It was named after Saint Peter, one of the apostles. The name was changed to Petrograd in 1914 during World War I. This was to avoid the name sounding too German. Then in 1924 the name was changed to Leningrad after the death of Vladimir Lenin. The city has been known as “The Venice of the North,” similarly to Stockholm. This is due to its many canals.

Did the Dowager Empress really go to Paris?

Maria-Feodorovna first went to London in 1919. After that she returned to Copenhagen, the city in which she had been born.

Was Lily a real person?

Lili Dehn was a friend of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. She would often associate with the Romanov family.

Overview of each Act in Anastasia: The Musical

Be aware that this next portion contains spoilers from the show.

Act 1

The play began in St. Petersburg in 1906. Anastasia is a little girl who is with her grandmother in her bedroom. It is clearly one of a wealthy family with its satin sheets and plush chairs. Her grandmother is about to depart for Paris and she leaves Anastasia an ornate green music box that plays the tune for “Once Upon a December”. The song is then sung as the time now jumps ahead to 1917 where there is dancing in a ballroom scene. There is great attention to detail with things such as monocles, headresses and even a more elegant curtain adorning the sides of the stage.

They even showed Alexei falling in this scene which would make sense due to his hemophilia. The family is gathered together for a photograph, which is what happened before their execution in real life. The execution of the family is then implied through the images of fire with smoke and the sound of shots.

Next we are in St. Petersburg in 1927 which is now Leningrad. This is or first introduction to Dmitry and Vlad with the song “A Rumor in St. Petersburg.” This was showing the formation of a new Russia. It was an entertaining way to depict how even with a new regime people were still hungry in the streets. This was vividly shown when Dmitri was able to get a music box in exchange for giving two cans of beans.

Dmitri and Vlad are two swindlers who are currently interviewing candidates to “be Anastasia.” Most of these consist of street workers. They are trying to find one that they can take to see the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in Paris. They want to convince her that they are bringing her Anastasia herself, her missing granddaughter. They see this as their ticket to a better life.

A girl named Anya is shown with the rousing song of “In My Dreams.” She had been found by the side of a road in the snow and had amnesia. Her past includes working as a street sweeper and washing dishes.

Unwittingly Anya walks in asking for papers to go to Paris. They soon realize she can be the answer to their prayers. The animosity between Dmitri and Anya is palpable. The song “Learn to Do It” is sung while Vlad is instructing Anya in different things such as walking with a book on her head. This seemed reminiscent of Colonel Pickering’s instruction of Eliza in the Sound of Music. She was also taught about things such as using the proper dinnerware and dance lessons. She and Dmitri seem to have a momentary lapse into love during their dance, similar to the movie. Dmitri and Anya once again open up to each other during the musical number of “My Petersburg.” In this he tells her more about his past. We learn his father had died in a labor camp and he has been on his own, similar to Anya.

The trio go to Paris via Budapest by taking a train on Track 4. They leave in a rush since they hear the borders will be closed soon. They are able to do this by hawking a diamond Anya had sewn into the lining of her clothes. This was a common thing that was done by nobility at the time. The ensemble cast are also seen about to leave on a train. They do a great job with their costumes and accessories that even include a stick and bindle. During the train ride when Count Ipolitov, a fictional Russian noble, is seemed to have been shot on the train they hurriedly debark.

Act 1 closes with a rousing rendition of “Journey to the Past.”

Act 2

At the beginning of Act 2 we are greeted by Paris in the Spring with cherry blossoms. “Paris Holds the Key” is sung while images of famous Paris landmarks are shown by such as The Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

This act is largely about the trio trying to meet the Dowager Empress and trying to convince her that Anya is really Anastasia. In order to do this they also have to go through Lily, the love interest of Vlad. The empress does an impressive job with the song “Close the Door.” Many Russian exiles are shown fraternizing in a club. There were many who were in Paris during that time period.

The Roaring Twenties is evidenced by Flapper dresses, cigarette holders and dancing. Famous people of the time such as Coco Chanel were shown in one musical number. The “Quartet at the Ballet” was one of the best scenes with the Dowager being seen in a box at a ballet on the stage similar to the boxes at the Fulton Theatre itself. The climax in this act was done well with a lot of build-up. The finale sung by the company was “Once Upon a December.” The end of the show led to a standing ovation by the audience.

Do you want to learn more?

See the show! You will not be dissapointed. There is also an annex near the lobby that has some signs related to the history behind the musical. This PDF Anastasia Study Guide for the Musical is another great resource: Anastasia Study Guide.

Check your knowledge by filling out these worksheets that I made. The answers for the worksheets can all be found within this article.

Where to stay?

If you are spending the night in Lancaster my husband and I have stayed at the Lancaster Arts Hotel before and really enjoyed it. The hotel has lots of exposed brick and artwork. Breakfast is also included with your stay. Here are some other options as well:

Sources: Fulton Theatre History, Uncharted Lancaster: The Massacre of the Conestoga Indians, Biography Czar Nicholas II, BBC Nicholas II, National Archives: Murder Rasputin, History Romanov Family Bodies, Biography Rasputin, Anastasia Arrives in the United States, The Romanov Family, Brest-Litovsk, Russian Revolution, St. Petersburg Name Change, Dowager Empress Maria-Fedorovna, The Real Tsaritsa and Hemophilia in the Romanov Family