REVIEW: Anastasia (Fauquier Community Theatre)
Journey into an enchanting and weighty past with Fauquier Community Theatre’s production of Anastasia the Musical. Based on the 20th Century Fox film with original and additional music by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and a book by Terrence McNally, it follows the story of Anya—a young Russian woman who just may be the long-lost grand-duchess, the lone royal survivor of the Bolshevik revolution in St. Petersburg. She becomes wrapped up in a scheme with conmen Dmitry and Vlad to trick the ex-pat Romanov Dowager Empress into recognizing her as an heir and to swindle her of the money and opulence, but Anya discovers along the way that the three of them are in for an extraordinary revelation.
As Anya, Jennifer Ayers is bright eyes and full of sweet curiosity, looking every inch the Don Bluth heroine (props to costume designer Cade Mac Aodhagáin and hair and makeup designer Ryan Kincade). Cautious and hesitant to trust even herself, she invited the audience to uncover her true self along with her, finding joy and fear in each discovery. The act one closer “Journey to the Past” was especially endearing, earning cheers before her last one even concluded. Her un-trusty travelling companions Dmitry (Noah Sariñana) and Vlad (Ryan Lucius Schaffer) create a dynamic trio that charms throughout the show. Sariñana’s easy smile and friendly demeanor complemented Ayers’ Anya, a clear comfort in her character’s anxious moments. Their “In A Crowd of Thousands” was especially tender, a quiet heartfelt moment in a play replete of large company numbers and impressive vocals. Schaffer’s Vlad is a ham with a heart of gold, knowing when to put on the airs of a faux aristocrat and the knowing sweetness of a favorite uncle. His Parisian tap dancing delighted, and his grandiose “Your Majesty” lines earned lots of laughs.
As Countess Lily, Vlad’s love interest and star of the Russian ex-pat social sphere in Paris, Rachel Donders sparkled. Her rich vocals and bubbly performance were an audience favorite. Put her together with Schaffer in “The Countess and the Common Man,” and you have a true crowd-pleaser. Lily’s companion, the grieving and increasingly bitter Dowager Empress (played by Hilary Pierce), also captured audience attention. Her gravitas and grace was palpable, so much so that when Dmitry placed an impertinent hand on her arm to get her attention, the audience gasped as the breach of decorum. Her reconciliation with Anastasia brought the emotional payoff in spades.
The film’s cartoonish zombie Rasputin and his bat sidekick have been replaced by the perhaps even more threatening Gleb (YAM member Spencer N. Pilcher), a Russian government agent tasked with finishing off Anastasia and the Romanov line. Pilcher’s full vocals shone in “Still” while his near finale “Still/Neva Flows (Reprise)” brought the intensity along with the cracking of his firm and by-the-book façade.
The production boasts a large ensemble, used to great effect. The boisterous “Rumor in St. Petersburg” teemed with immediately distinguishable world-building. The eager reporters, the sharp government workers, the elegant opera goers, the vibrant ex-pats all shown in their scenes. Particularly stirring was the largely a cappella “Stay, I Pray You.” Music director Nick Villacorte created a tapestry of voices that never faltered.
The great weight of possibly being one of the last of the Romanov dynasty loomed large in the production (courtesy of some impactful and haunting directing choices from Camden Gillespie), and it brought the risk to the forefront in the especially lovely reunion between Anya and the Dowager Empress and in the desperate, final confrontation between Gleb and Anya. Additionally, Gillespie used a creative alternative to the show’s famously large train set piece, opting for perfectly executed bench-ography that fit the smaller stage and brought more than a couple grins to the audience.
Another unique feature of this play is the visit to the Opéra Garnier for a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Three expert dancers took on this production’s rendition, pulling out perfect développés and fouettés with ease. This level of classical ballet is a rare treat in community theatre and, paired with the quartet of singers, was well-deserving of its longer applause break.
Hannah Correll’s sound work (including many mics and recorded musical tracks) was consistently clean. Abby Chaumont’s lighting design was solid throughout, especially strong in the spooky nightmare sequence along with choreography also by Chaumont. The hero prop of this show is the golden music box, cleverly done here in two styles (perfect and glittering when new and tarnished and de-jeweled in the years since) by Linda Correll.
Aodhagáin’s costumes featured many layers and textures to create the bundled up world of St. Peterburg and then the opulent Paris. The Romanov’s sparkly tiaras and white, full ball gowns stood in deep contrast to the more reserved silhouettes and practical fabrics of the common folk. Elegant wigs and hair designs from Kincade neatly complete the Romanov look, fashionably displayed in the opening photograph session. Lily’s gorgeous platinum wig and indulgent green dance-wear in act two established the lavish 1920s in an instant.
FCT’s Anastasia delivers on the magic of the original movie, with a sentimental look at the famous historical story. It’s full of refugees, longing, love, hope, and affection and understanding for these people leading good lives even in tragic circumstances. It really does invite the audience to stand tall and find the good they can control, just like its beloved Anya. It’s nothing short of “safe and warm” and enchanting.
Anastasia runs September 18 through October 4, 2026 at 4225 Aiken Drive, Warrenton, VA 20187. Tickets are available for purchase online: https://fauquiertheatre.org/
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