T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Marshalltown High School cast members of “Anastasia” go through a song during a rehearsal of the musical at the Performing Arts Center. The play will be performed March 6 and March 7.

The story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov has captivated people for more than 100 years.

The daughter of Russian Emperor Tsar Nicholas Romanov II, she and her family were killed by Bolsheviks in 1918, nine months after the 1917 Russian Revolution. However, rumors persisted that 17-year-old Anastasia survived, and throughout history, at least 10 women claimed to be her.

Now Marshalltown High School (MHS) students are bringing Anastasia’s story, with musical numbers included.

MHS Choir Teacher Amy Ose and Daniel Abens, the spring and fall theater director, are co-directing “Anastasia.”

“It’s based off of the animated film, but our story is more historically based,” Ose said. “You don’t have the sorcery that was in the animated film.”

Considering the real history of Anastasia, Abens said one of the aspects that is accurate in the musical is women pretending.

“There have been women who made their career on claiming to be Anastasia,” he said. “In real life, international police did investigations, bodies were dug up and they did DNA testing. The Bolsheviks eventually did admit that they did dispatch of the entire Romanov family. The real history is a little darker, and this is a little less dark. There’s a little more hope that maybe Anastasia did survive in this show.”

Ose said “Anastasia” was chosen because they already had the cast necessary to fill the roles. Usually, MHS has more female actors ready to get on stage, and Ose said they also wanted a play to feature the talents of the male actors. However, she added that some female actors will be filling male roles.

“We also had students familiar with [the story.] It’s one of their favorites,” Ose said. “And the music really spoke to us. Daniel and I were both listening to what shows would work, and the music kind of sweeps you away. It’s more what I would consider traditional Broadway versus some of the newer shows we’ve done in recent years, like ‘Freaky Friday.'”

They also wanted something that was family friendly, and finding such plays are not as easy as it might seem.

Abens said he used the word “educational” when they pitched the idea of bringing the musical to the school board.

“It’s a really interesting period of time with the revolution,” he said. “World War I is not even mentioned, but it’s going on in the beginning. It’s a real interesting point in world history, in Russian history, and the strength of the music — it’s beautiful.”

Ose said the prologue begins after the revolution and the killing of the Romanov family. There will not be any visuals of the scene, but she said the audience will hear gunshots and explosions. Then, the story picks up 10 years later in Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, as people are learning about the possibility of Anastasia surviving. A couple characters are con artists, and they start looking for someone, anyone, to fill the role of the Romanov daughter.

“Then our main character, Anya, comes in by accident and suddenly there is more to her story,” Ose said. “At the end of the production, in my heart if I was taking all of the history of this story – which is not completely accurate — it seems like she really is. This woman could really be Anastasia.”

Twenty students are filling roles, and some actors are playing dual roles, she said. There are also nine crew members who help set and move the scenes, take care of costumes and makeup and more.

Abens said when they polled the students about the play, some were really excited about doing it.

“We’ve got a really strong cast,” he said. “I think we did a good job, because everyone has really taken to their roles and is doing beautifully.”

PLAY INFORMATION:

What: Anastasia

Where: Marshalltown High School Performing Arts Center

Address: 1602 S. Second Ave.

Dates: March 6 and March 7

Time: 7 p.m.

Tickets: $8

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.