Livermore native Nicole King and the cast of Broadway South Bay will star in a semi-staged presentation of “Anastasia – The Musical” alongside the Pacific Chamber Orchestra this weekend at the Bankhead Theater.
Presented as PCO’s second annual POPs Concert, the performance will combine smart lighting, scenic projections and dance with an onstage orchestra. The full visibility of the musicians helps highlight the collaboration between the two groups, according to PCO music director Lawrence Kohl.
“It’s an imaginative and unique experience,” Kohl said in a press release. “This format brings the music front and center — beautiful songs, lush orchestra, theatrical storytelling — all woven together in a way families will find deeply moving.”
The story is based on the 1997 animated movie “Anastasia”, produced by Fox Animation Studios and acquired by Disney, that was adapted into a full Broadway musical debuting in 2017.
Winning multiple Tony Awards and Drama Desk nominations, the story follows eighteen-year-old amnesiac “Anya” who believes she may be the last surviving daughter of the royal Russian Romanov family. Traveling from post-World War I Russia to 1920s Paris, she rediscovers her identity, her family and finds true love.
King, who will star as Anastasia, is a graduate of Deborah McQueen’s Music Smarts youth theater program based in Livermore. Her regional credits include Princess Ariel in Broadway South Bay’s inaugural production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and the roles of Gingy/Sugar Plum Fairy in “Shrek – The Musical” produced by Royal Theater Academy at Cal State East Bay.
“Anastasia has consistently been one of my most cherished experiences throughout my childhood,” King said. “I am immensely honored to have the privilege of presenting Anya’s transformative journey of self-discovery, family reconnection and the resurgence of hope to my hometown audience.”
Broadway South Bay is a new company co-founded by Ken Christopher and King, who serve as its president and executive producer, respectively. Its mission is to bring a regional music theatre company to the South Bay, showcasing local and professional talent and offering Broadway-class performances. “Anastasia” is their second production after “The Little Mermaid”.
Besides King, the show in Livermore will include Christopher as Dmitry, Christopher Vittel as Vlad, Jaraed Lee as Gleb and Marie Ibarra as Lily.
This year’s POPs Concert is the first collaboration between PCO and Broadway South Bay. PCO’s repertoire spans Baroque to Contemporary and includes symphonies from Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. Kohl, their current maestro, leads programs that connect different musical eras and styles.
“Anastasia – The Musical” is set for 3 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 14) at the Bankhead Theater in downtown Livermore. For tickets and more information, go to PacificChamberOrchestra.org.
