The movie and the play Anastasia are very different, so don’t expect the musical to be identical to the movie. The musical gives more detail into the events and winds an even more fascinating tale. The characters in the musical, however, are the same — the plot centers around the young Princess Anastasia, whose family is attacked by usurpers. While Anastasia is having an excellent royal time at a ball one night, her family is shot to death, and she’s presumed dead as well. Except, she’s not dead after all, just wounded and confused.

Act 1

Years pass, and the people that attacked Anastasia’s family are ruling Russia. They start to hear rumors that the old princess might still be alive, and launch a plot to find (and manipulate) a fake one. They hold auditions for girls who would look like the princess, and Anya, a street sweeper, applies. Little does Anya know, she is Anastasia, the princess, both in reality and for the ruse. She gets the job of “the imposter” and starts building a relationship with the people in charge of the fake princess con.

As any story would have it, Anya (Anastasia) and one of the con-men fall in love and start exchanging secrets. One secret ends up being the music box that Anastasia’s grandmother gave her before she left Russia for Paris.

Act 2

That music box begins to spark Anya’s memories and strengthens her resolve to get to Paris to see her grandmother. Using a family jewel that she found sewn into her dress when she was young, she and the con man buy tickets. Unfortunately, getting to Paris proves to be harder than just boarding a train, and the reunion with her grandmother doesn’t exactly go as planned. To learn how everything works out in the end, you’ll have to see the play for yourself.