Masquers announce ‘Anastasia’ cast

SOAP LAKE  — The Masquers Theater has announced its cast for “Anastasia: The Musical,” which will open in October.

Emma-Jean Wydur will play Anya, a young woman with amnesia who may or may not be the youngest daughter of the Russian Tsar Nicholas Romanov II, who was executed with his family in the Russian Revolution of 1917. Ben McLain will appear as the con artist Dmitry, and Jeremy Hansen will play Vlad, an exiled Russian aristocrat. Alec Lobe will be the Bolshevik general Gleb. Christie McLain will be the Dowager Empress, the grandmother of the real Anastasia, and Auti Kirk will be her lady-in-waiting, the Countess Lily. Other members of the Romanov family round out the ensemble.

The cast comes from communities both inside and outside Grant County, from as far away as Ellensburg and Nespelem; Masquers Publicity Representative Darryl Pheasant wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald.

The story is adapted from the 1997 Disney animated feature; some but not all the songs and characters carry over from film to play, according to the Broadway production’s official website. 

Rehearsals will begin Aug. 24, according to the Masquers website. “Anastasia: the Musical” will run for 12 shows from Oct. 16 to Nov. 8, Pheasant wrote.

More information is available at www.masquers.com.

Anastasia: The Musical cast

Anya: Emma-Jean Wydur

Dmitry: Ben McLain

Vlad: Jeremy Hansen

Gleb: Alec Lobe

Lily: Auti Kirk

Dowager Empress: Christie McLain

Romanov Family & Ensemble:

Katherine Heston

Carlee Howard

Nola Kirk

Paige Perkins 

Henry Silva

Erin Smithgall

Jessica Stredwick

Grant Te Velde

Ensemble Roles:  

Clifford Bresee

Kody Campbell

Clark Dalton

Emma Galloway

Michaela Greely

Clara Kirk

Connor Leasher

Kelliann Lusk

Sherry Joski

Darryl Pheasant

Alicia Lynn Lasley Pineda

Justin Thompson

Natalie Vieira

Leia Watkins