Moonlight Stage Productions’ “Anastasia” offers a glittery train ride through royal rumors, sweeping ballads, and animated-movie nostalgia, with just a few detours into brooding Soviet angst. Based on the 1997 animated film (and borrowing a little inspiration from the 1956 Ingrid Bergman version), the musical follows an amnesiac street sweeper named Anya, who may or may not be the last surviving Romanov. Along the way, she picks up a pair of scheming companions, dodges a handsome revolutionary, and belts some very high notes under very dramatic lighting. “Anastasia” is playing through July 26th at the Moonlight Amphitheatre.

Lena Ceja as Anya Photo Credit: Karli Cadel

Lena Ceja is a strong and sincere Anya, with vocals that soar from the streets of St. Petersburg to the twinkling lights of Paris. Sittichai Chaiyahat is a charming Dmitry with just the right amount of swagger. At the same time, Richard Bermudez lends gravitas and vocal power to Gleb, a Soviet officer haunted by his past and maybe just a little too into the girl he’s supposed to apprehend.

But this is no dark historical tragedy, at least not entirely. The musical has replaced the original film’s sorcerer Rasputin (and his hilarious sidekick bat, Bartok) with the much more grounded and serious Gleb, but the tone still leans theatrical fairy tale.

That tonal tension is baked into the musical’s structure. Adapted by Tony-winning writer Terrence McNally with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (“Ragtime,” “Once on This Island”), “Anastasia” blends whimsical adventure with historical trauma. The jokes land, the songs dazzle, but gunshots, guilt, and political repression creep in around the edges—sometimes uncomfortably so.

Director Larry Raben keeps the pacing tight and the emotions big, supported by Randi Rudolph’s lush musical direction and choreographer Bill Burns’ buoyant period dances, as well as a lovely Swan Lake ballet featuring Emma Park, Lester Gonzalez, and Ryan Perry Marks.

Bets Malone and Michael Paternostro bring welcome comic relief as Countess Lily and Vlad, especially in a champagne-soaked cabaret number that’s all feathers, flirting, and frothy fun. Valerie Perri brings dignity to the role of the Dowager Empress, giving the show some grounding amid the glitter.

There’s also a lot of digital scenery conjuring up snowy landscapes, train rides, glittering chandeliers, and a very helpful map of Europe. Now a signature of Moonlight’s tech-forward productions, it creates palaces, trains, and Parisian skylines with cinematic flair. At times, the ghostly white figures swirling across the screen feel more like the Haunted Mansion than haunting memory, but the overall impact is effective.

Valerie Perri as the Dowager Empress with ensemble Photo Credit: Karli Cadel

“Anastasia” is not quite a kids’ cartoon come to life, nor is it full-on historical drama—it’s a theatrical hybrid, somewhere between Broadway epic and fairy tale fantasy. For fans of the film, it’s a nostalgia-fueled treat with enough new material to feel fresh. For newcomers, it’s a beautifully sung and mostly charming ride through history-that-never-was.

Still, it’s hard not to miss the supernatural shenanigans—and one small, snarky, karate-chopping bat. No shade to Gleb, but let’s be honest: Bartok would’ve had a lot more fun in Paris.

How To Get Tickets

“Anastasia” is playing at Moonlight July 9-26, 2025, at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. for dining and picnicking. The Moonlight Amphitheater is located at 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista.

For ticket and showtime information, go to www.moonlightstage.com