‘Anastasia,’ Musical Based on 1997 Film, Transports to Broadway Next Year

Anastasia, the musical based on the 1997 animated film from director Don Bluth, will debut on the Great White Way next spring. The stage adaptation, which launched this year at Hartford Stage in Hartford, Connecticut, comes to New York's famed Broadhurst Theatre in April 2017.

The musical's Broadway transfer, directed by Tony Award winner Darko Tresnjak (A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder), will include the originating Hartford cast of Christy Altomare (as Anya), Derek Klena (Dmitry), John Bolton (Vlad) and Caroline O'Connor (Lily).

Playbill describes the musical's storyline, tailored from the successful mid-'90s movie that featured stars like John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd and Angela Lansbury in voice roles:

"From the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, the new musical, Anastasia, is the romantic, adventure-filled story of a brave young woman attempting to discover the mystery of her past."

Anastasia's story is loosely based on the legend of real-life Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, daughter of Nicholas II of Russia, who was executed along with her family in a 1918 extrajudicial killing by Lenin's "Cheka" secret police. Rumors circulated for years after her execution that Anastasia, then 17, had somehow escaped the slaughter.

Anastasia's theatrical producers released a statement upon Tuesday's announcement of the impending Broadway premiere, picked up by Entertainment Weekly:

"After finishing a record breaking run in Hartford, we look forward to bringing the magic of Anastasia to Broadway audiences next spring," producers Bill Taylor and Tom Kirdahy said. "In Hartford, we saw people ages 8-100 travel from all over the world to enjoy Anastasia's enduring story. We are thrilled to have Christy, Derek, John and Caroline leading our company again for the Broadway premiere."

Below, watch the trailer for the original 1997 film from Phoenix, Arizona's former Fox Animation Studios:

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TagsAnastasia, Darko Tresnjak, Don Bluth, Hartford Stage, Broadhurst Theatre