If I could travel through time, I would, without a doubt, go back to the night I saw the brand new musical Anastasia, which opened on Broadway on April 24.

The musical’s simple, yet breathtaking scenery and costumes, along with the phenomenal voices and skills of the actors and actresses, are worth seeing and hearing. It is an excellent blend of action, mystery, and romance, which will satisfy all viewers.

Anastasia is a family-friendly musical for both adults and kids based off of the 1997 animated movie about the last reign of the royal family, the Romanovs, in Saint Petersburg. Russia.

The musical tells the rumored story of Princess Anastasia and the legend of her escape from the castle, which at the time, had been captured by the Bolshevik revolutionaries.

It has been said that Anastasia was the only one in her family who survived the attack, but no one knows for sure what happened to her and where she disappeared to.

The musical follows the amnesiac character, Anya, played by Christy Altomare, on a thrilling, mesmerizing, and adventure-filled journey and a search to find out more about her past.

Altomare’s pitch perfect, astonishing voice takes the audience on an extraordinary trip, on which she encounters many, different people, who help her discover the numerous secrets of her childhood.

Compared to the animated movie, the musical is much more historical, in the sense that it doesn’t include the magical, evil villain Rasputin and his dancing bat. The villain in the musical is a general named Gleb, portrayed by Ramin Karimloo, whose job is to hurt anyone who gets in his way in completing the takeover of the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia.

Although not completely like the animated movie, the musical “Anastasia” contains most of the same songs, in addition to new pieces written specifically for the Broadway show.

The musical’s dark and particularly slow, first act, set in Saint Petersburg, filled with bloodshed and hardships of the Russian Revolution, perfectly contrasts the brighter, more comedic second act, set in Paris, France. The characters of Countess Lily and the Vlad, played by Caroline O’Connor and John Bolton provide comic relief and laughter from the audience, with their especially witty personalities.

The amazing, constantly changing set helps set the mood for the entire musical. It is made up of one big, screen with beautiful moving pictures in the back, along with several moving pieces at the front of the stage.

Additionally, the costumes embody the time period very well. The torn, old, dirty rags worn by the poor are very different from the elegant, shining, colorful costumes of the elite and the royal family.

Lastly, the small size of the entire cast will amaze viewers. Their ability to change quickly and take on numerous, diverse roles makes the cast seem like it is made up of a hundred people, when in reality it is approximately twenty people, which is uncommon and very small for a Broadway show.

Overall, the musical is charming, extremely captivating and a definite must-see. So go get your tickets now!

Christy Altomare (Anya); Derek Klena (Dmitry); Ramin Karimloo (Gleb); John Bolton (Vlad); Caroline O’Connor (Countess Lily); Mary Beth Peil (Dowager Empress); Directed by Darko Tresnjak; Book by Terrence McNally; Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.