by Lorie Lewis Ham
The musical Anastasia will open this weekend at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia. We took a moment this week to chat with the show’s director, James McDonnell, Professor of Theatre and Resident Costume Designer, about the show.
KRL: Can you tell us what this show is about?
James: Inspired by the beloved Twentieth Century Fox films, Anastasia will transport our audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. The story revolves around a brave young woman who – pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her – enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat to solve the mystery of her past. Featuring beloved songs like “Once Upon a December” and “Journey to the Past” we think that this production will be spectacular treat for the ear, the eye, and the heart.
KRL: Why was this particular show chosen?
James: I have always been an enormous fan of this story, beginning with the 1956 film starring Ingrid Bergman, continuing through the 1997 animated feature, and culminating in the 2018 Broadway production. I have been waiting for amateur rights to become available since I first saw the show in 2019, so as soon as I saw them posted on the Concord Theatricals website, I jumped at the chance to bring this musical to life for our community. The songs are lovely, the book is charming, and the scale is enormous! We have a 53-person cast, 20-piece live orchestra, and a sumptuous costume, scenic, and lighting design. We are also excited to unveil a brand-new digital projector that will provide us with animated projections rented from the Broadway national tour.
KRL: Will we be seeing any familiar faces in the cast?
James: We have so many new students making their COS Theatre debut with this production, but we are delighted to welcome back two talented alumna, Brittney Martorana, who has played multiple roles in our productions, as Countess Lily, and Mattie Cole, who starred as Lucy in last year’s Jekyll & Hyde, as Anya, the heroine of this production.
Mattie Cole as Anya
KRL: What was the hardest part about directing this show?
James: Like I said before, the scale of this show is enormous, and we are working hard to honor our audience’s expectations for beautiful singing, dancing, acting, and true spectacle!
KRL: What was the most fun?
James: I have loved working with my friends and colleagues on this challenging production, but it has been delightful to see McKenna Friend-Hoffman, our choreographer, work with our soon-to-be graduating student Lyra Paez, the co-choreographer, to bring so many wonderful production numbers to life. They are a wonderfully talented team, and I can’t wait for our audiences to see the magic they have created with our student performers.
From left to right, Roxie Cole, Lauren Crawford, Lillyanna Crawford, and Lyra Paez as the Grand Duchesses
KRL: What will the set and costumes be like and are those being done by COS students?
James: The set is a beautiful collection of neo-classical pillars and arches, designed by my colleague Chris Mangels and built by our talented stagecraft students, that frames an enormous 26’ by 16’ projection screen. Getting to design the costumes has been another dream come true for me, as well, as I have always been in love with the grandeur of this period. Our students, faculty, and staff have worked tirelessly to bring the world of Anastasia to life on our stage.
KRL: What are the dates and times of the performances and location?
James: April 25, 26, 27, May 2, 3, 4, at 7 p.m. May 4 at 1 p.m. Anastasia will be performed in the COS Theatre, at the corner of Mooney Blvd. and Kaweah Ave. on the College of the Sequoias Visalia Campus.
KRL: How much are the tickets and how do you purchase them?
James: Tickets are $20 for students of all ages, $22 for seniors, and $24 for the general public. On Thursday, May 2, we will also have our traditional Student Discount Night with tickets available for only $10 to students of all ages. That performance will also feature an audience talkback following the performance with our production team, cast, and crew. Tickets are available at cos.ticketleap.com/anastasia. Because seating is reserved for this production, we encourage our patrons to use a desktop or laptop computer to select their tickets. Orders submitted on mobile devices are assigned seats based on ‘Best Availability.’
KRL: Anything else that you would like to share?
James: We are so excited to share this production with our community! It is appropriate for all ages so we encourage you to bring your entire family for an evening of live musical theatre.
If you love theatre, be sure to check out Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and also on podbean.
Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. You can also find more theatre coming up on KRL’s Local Theatre event page.
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