Anastasia finds a new home on the Australian stage

When Anastasia opens at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre later this year, it will mark more than just another musical premiere. For many, the story of the young woman who may or may not be the lost Romanov duchess, holds a particular kind of nostalgia: part fairy tale, part historical mystery, threaded with the yearning for identity and belonging.

For Georgina Hopson, who will lead the cast as Anya, the connection is deeply personal.

“I have loved this story and this character since I was a kid,” she said. “I used to dress up as her and sing Journey to the Past on the trampoline.”

The chance to take the role from childhood fantasy to centre stage has left her, in her own words, still “passed out with excitement”.

The Australian production brings together a mix of long-admired talent and new voices. Robert Tripolino, Joshua Robson, Rodney Dobson, Rhonda Burchmore and Nancye Hayes join Hopson in principal roles.

Producer John Frost describes them as “phenomenal cast members”, while Opera Australia’s acting CEO Simon Militano notes the blend of “Australian musical theatre legends and some of its most exciting rising stars”.

The stage version of Anastasia has its origins in both history and cinema. Inspired by the rumoured escape of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov during the Russian Revolution and shaped through the lens of the 1997 animated film, the musical traces Anya’s path from the twilight years of the Imperial rule to the exuberance of Paris in the 1920s.

That animated film became beloved in part because of its beautiful musical score, crafted by renowned Jewish composer and conductor David Newman.

The stage adaptation takes a slightly different musical path, built by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, described as “one of the greatest songwriting teams in Broadway history”. But Newman’s original work remains a touchstone for many who grew up with the film.

The Australian premiere arrives almost a decade after the Broadway production debuted under the direction of Tony Award-winner Darko Tresnjak. Since then, Anastasia has collected more than 15 international awards and built a reputation for its blend of historical fantasy and emotional clarity. Critics have called it everything from “fantastical” and “well-crafted” to “emotionally vital”.

In this production, Tripolino steps into the role of charming con-artist Dmitry, while Robson plays the determined officer Gleb. Dobson appears as Vlad, Burchmore as Countess Lily and Hayes as the Dowager Empress, each bringing decades of stage experience that have shaped Australian theatre.

But beyond the accolades lies a story that continues to resonate. It’s the story of a young woman searching for her place in the world, guided and challenged by those she meets along the way. And, for those who remember the film vividly and fondly, Anastasia the Musical provides an opportunity to introduce the story of Anya to the next generation, journeying through the past and finding a future.

Anastasia the Musical is at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne from December 20, and at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney from April 7.
For tickets, visit anastasiathemusical.com.au