Ingrid Bergman News

The first clue that ANASTASIA was going to be different than what I expected was a note on the title page reading, “Inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox Motion Pictures.” Plural? A savvy journalist, I quickly asked Siri to bring up the imdb page for “Anastasia”. Turns out Fox made ANASTASIA twice, the 1997 animated off-brand Disney princess movie and a 1957 film that scored Ingrid Bergman's second Oscar and marked Helen Hayes' transition to the big screen. And it turns out the musical version has more in common with LES MISERABLES and RAGTIME than BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Gone is the hell-wizard Rasputin, his talking fruit bat sidekick, and the singing demon caterpillars. At intermission, I asked my third grade niece, Adalyn, how she was liking it. “It's awesome…it's real people, like no Beast or anything. No animals.” We decide that Disney staged musicals are great but more it's more impressive when you can achieve the magic without a story that departs from reality. ANASTASIA is historical fiction hypothetical. It poses a “what if…?” that a daughter of the last czar of Russia (The Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna) escaped when the czar's family was executed in 1918. Rumors persisted for decades that Anastasia did, in fact, escape. In 2007, DNA testing confirmed the remains of all four Grand Duchesses were in the Imperial grave. In this version, Terrence McNalley's book follows Anastasia's rediscovery of her identity after surviving the attack on her family and sustaining some plot enabling amnesia. Renamed “Anya” she grows up and makes a life in post-Revolution Russia. Anastasia's grandmother, the Dowager Empress (in a staggeringly moving performance by Joy Franz) has fled to France and offered a cash reward for anyone escorting the rumored alive Anastasia to Paris. The wily duo Vlad (Edward Staudenmayer) and Dmitry (Jake Levy) pull a My Fair Lady style makeover on Anya to collect the Dowager's prize. They are pursued by Gleb (Jason Michael Evans). A Soviet officer drawn to Anya romantically but tasked with finding and eliminating the last Romanov. Anya's memory becomes somewhat coaxed back, but the Dowager has stopped seeing Anastasia claimants after too much heart-break from countless frauds. It sounds dark, but with high-tech digital scenery and inspired performances across the cast it is delightful. Stephen Flaherty (Music) and Lynn Ahrens (Lyrics), responsible for bringing us RAGTIME, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, LUCKY STIFF, as well as the Oscar nominated songs carried over from the animated film. ANASTASIA is a perfect context for this pair. “Stay, I Pray You” (my favorite song of the evening) is evocative of RAGTIME's “New Music”. The two songs literally race my heart in a strangely specific way. My real test of a National Tour at Gammage is how fast I get the music playing in my car on the way home. At ANASTASIA I was already finding, “Stay, I Pray You” walking through the parking lot. The rest of the score is similarly haunting. Lila Coogan, as Anya/Anastasia, powers through the score with nuance, clarity, and passion. Tari Kelly, as Countess Lily, and Stadenmayer (Vlad) were Adalyn's favorite performances and I have to agree. This incredibly gifted pair take the “triple threat” designation (singer, dancer, actor) and go quadruple with the addition of flawless comic timing. The choreography by Peggy Hickey is masterful. It somehow combines inventive and traditional throughout and the ten-minute slice of “Swan Lake” infused into “Quartet at the Ballet” is the highlight of the second act. It's a fun-size version that gets an under-represented art form onto the plate. This kind of trope often means the plot putting the plot on hold. But here, it is the connective tissue between Anya, Dmitry, the Dowager, and Gleb as they each bring us up to speed heading into the show's climax. Ultimately, the show's success comes from applying a higher artistic standard to the “previously-animated-film-now-theatrically-staged” genre. It cashes in on the name draw of the 1997 film then gives the viewer something much more enriched than what they think they are coming to see.

The Ottawa Little Theatre's production of Patrick Hamilton's psychological thriller, Gaslight, takes the audience back to nineteenth century England and into the home of Bella (Heather Archibald) and her husband, Jack Manningham (J.T. Morris). Bella seems to be slowly going out of her mind, just like her mother did, as evidenced by her hiding of random household objects for no apparent reason, as well as her lapses in memory. Jack taunts Bella cruelly, rewarding her for being good with the promise of a night out at the theatre, before almost instantly rescinding the gift because she has misplaced a grocery receipt. Jack further threatens to place Bella in a lunatic asylum if her behaviour doesn't improve. When Jack goes out, a detective named Rough (Geoff Gruson) comes to the house, seeking Bella. He can see that Bella is distraught and, because of his caring demeanour, Bella confides her worst fear to him - she is going out of her mind. She tells Rough that, aside from hiding insignificant household items, she also hears noises when she is alone in the house and has noticed other odd things, like the gas lights dimming downstairs, as if someone is on the top level of the house, even though that floor is unused and off-limits. Rough gives Bella the house's macabre history, providing her with another, more horrifying, explanation for these events. Together, they set out to find the truth.

Award-winning actress and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini takes inspiration from the natural world in her new theatricalized lecture, Link Link Circus, a smart yet comedic look at the links between humans and animals. Illustrated with short comic films, home movies, and animation, Link Link Circus addresses the latest scientific discoveries about animal minds, intelligence, and emotions. Joined onstage by various animals portrayed by Pan, her trained dog, Rossellini transforms herself into Aristotle, Descartes, F.S. Skinner, Charles Darwin, and more, to deliver a vivid monologue about the brilliance of the animal kingdom.

On the eve of her death, Anne Boleyn reflects on the journey that led her to become a queen, a mother, and, eventually, a woman condemned. A fascinating look at one of history's most famous marriages. Part of the 2nd Stages Series.

The Palace Theater, Waterbury and the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra have announced a historic collaboration to commemorate the 2019-2020 season. The two organizations will join forces to present the beloved classic film, Casablanca, with live orchestral accompaniment on Saturday, November 2, 2019.

Penobscot Theatre Company is pleased to announce GASLIGHT, a suspenseful thriller that will keep audiences guessing until the very end.

ANASTASIA, the musical is a charming mix of fairytale and history lesson, all accented by some truly stunning costumes, playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre through October 6th.

Orry a?" You're invited to the funeral of three-time Oscar winner and Hollywood legend, costume designer Orry-Kelly. Don't expect a little thing like death to stop the whip tongue and quick wit of the unapologetically gay Australian rascal who dressed and heard the secrets of stars like Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Merle Oberon, Ingrid Bergman and Mae West a?" just to name a few. Fearless, funny and outspoken, Orry-Kelly lived life to the fullest, from his childhood in Kiama, to reveling in Sydney's underworld nightlife, to chasing his dreams of acting in New York, to Hollywood. Based on his memoir a?oeWomen I've Undresseda?? a?" found in a pillowcase in suburban Sydney nearly 51 years after his death a?" Orry incorporates music, dance, vaudeville routines, puppetry, digital art, special effects and a taste of those incredible gowns to share his irresistible story. Anyone who loves classic movies, fashion, gossip and Cary Grant will love Orry.

Artistic Director Brigid Larmour today announces programming to complete Watford Palace Theatre's season for September 2019 - June 2020, following the world première of Mushy: Lyrically Speaking earlier this month. The co-production with Rifco Theatre Company is now on tour across the UK until 5 October.

Watford Palace Theatre today announce full cast for Patrick Hamilton's classic psychological thriller, Gaslight. Richard Beecham directs Hannah Hutch (Nancy), Sandra James-Young (Elizabeth), Jasmine Jones (Jack Manningham), Tricia Kelly (Inspector Rough) and Sally Tatum (Bella Manningham). The production opens on 7 October with previews from 2 October and runs until 26 October.

Martin Shaw, one of the UK's best loved stars returns to the stage in a new production of Patrick Hamilton's classic psychological thriller Gaslight, in the role of retired Detective Rough.

Watford Palace Theatre today announce a radical re-imagining of Patrick Hamilton's classic psychological thriller, Gaslight, directed by Richard Beecham. The production opens on 7 October with previews from 2 October and runs until 26 October.

A Haunting Tale of Anastasia On Tour

In 2017, the Broadway musical version of Anastasia (which opened at Hartford Stage nice months earlier), based on the 1997 film, featuring music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally debuted to much fanfare, and now Nashville audiences are in the thrall of the cast and crew of the national touring company, onstage at Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall through Sunday, March 24.

It's become second-nature for many in the dance world to refer to Jerome Robbins as a second rate choreographer these days. Or should I say even 40 years ago?

The ever-popular Films in Concert series continues with cinema landmark "Casablanca" in Concert with Utah Symphony playing the romantic soundtrack at 7PM in Abravanel Hall on March 1 and 2. The Utah Symphony under direction of Utah Symphony Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington will play Max Steiner's moving score live while the entire film plays on the big screen. Tickets, priced from $18 to $69 ($10 for students), are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 355-2787.

The month of February at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) marks the returns of singer & conductor Barbara Hannigan, superstar cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Moreover, Interim Artistic Director Sir Andrew Davis celebrates his birthday on the TSO podium, and some principal players from the Orchestra Jonathan Crow, Joseph Johnson, and Kelly Zimba take centre stage performing Brahms and Debussy.

El director del musical que triunfa en el Teatro Coliseum de la Gran Via madrileña nos habla sobre el show, sobre su carrera en Broadway y mucho mas

Se cumplen 21 años del estreno de la película en cines y repasamos algunas de las diferencias con la versión teatral que se pueve

This fable of a musical lacks passion and is rather bland.