This school year, the talented members of the upper school musical will be performing Anastasia after months of rehearsals and dance practices. The students have prepared five dances and over thirty songs to make this ancient tale immersive and alluring, possibly being one of the most challenging performances the cast of 21 students will take on.

Mr. Wafula, the director, has chosen to tell the story of Anastasia, taking the audience through a classical journey. As Mr. Wafula shared with us, “It is a rich historical story that shaped the world, and it’s almost like a fairytale. It’s a tale of love, fun, happiness, sadness, regret, and most of all, lessons learned.” The musical follows the true story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, who was separated from her family at the age of 17 when the Bolsheviks, followers of Vladimir Lenin, attacked the Romanovs. 

Anastasia was never heard from again after the incident and was believed to be dead by the nation except for one person who believed that she was still alive, the empress, Maria Feodorovna. She was the grandmother to Anastasia and had never lost hope offering rewards to any person that could bring her beloved granddaughter back. The musical then follows Anya, a girl with no memories who grew up on the streets, and her two new acquaintances. The con artists, Dimitri and Vlad, are determined to fool the empress into believing that her granddaughter has returned home.

The most exciting aspect of the upper school musical would be the central role that all the students contributed to the production. Not only will the audience get to see the hard work that the students put into the characters on the stage, but the talent in costume, lighting, and scenery. From all the effort the cast poured into this musical, the storytelling of Anastasia’s life will be an unforgettable performance. Chadwick students, staff, and families will be able to see this show on either March 16th, 17th, and 18th for free in our main theater.