#It was Christy Altomare's dream to play Anastasia one day and she fucking did it

[shinidamachu]

I recently watched Don Bluth’s ‘Anastasia’ and while I know it’s not historically accurate or anything, the movie in itself is beautiful, and Ana x Dimitri somehow gave me a similar vibe to InuKag, only in reversed roles; because Ana is the one who’s looking for her place to belong and she so happens to be lost royalty too, enemies to friends to lovers, bickering a lot, etc lol just thought I’d share!

Oh, anon, I don't know if you noticed that from the everything about me, but I love musicals, animated movies, Fairy Tales... and Anastasia just happens to be one of my all time favorites.

It's not only a beautiful movie, aesthetically speaking, but the plot is compelling, the characters are relatable, likeable and very well written, the romance makes you swoon.

Anya and Dimitri definitely give me Inukag vibes. In fact... I wanted it to be a surprise, but fuck it: for years now I've been wanting to write an Inukag Anastasia AU. It's an idea I'm very passionate about, so maybe one day I'll pull it off.

I totally see where you're coming from with the reversed roles concept and I totally agree. I'd just add that it works both ways: Inuyasha and Anya are both long lost nobles looking for a place to belong, but personality wise, I think he resembles Dimitri more, while Kagome and Anya share more similarities.

Either way you interpret the characters, it doesn't change the fact that both relationships have the exact same pleasant dynamic. And that's the most important thing. Now, can I interest you in the Broadway adaptation if you haven't watched it yet?

Lately I've been adopting quite the "anti live actions, sequels, spin-offs and other adaptations in general" instance, so for me to go out of my way to recommend one it means I really, really think it's worth it. If you're looking for something remotely (emphasis on remotely) more historically accurate than the original, you're probably gonna like it.

The new characters fit perfectly well, the extra songs were as iconic as the original ones, the acting was on point, the performances were mind blowing. I don't think they could have come up with a better, brighter, more talented cast if they tried. The costumes were out of this world gorgeous. And sure, there were changes here and there, but the heart of the story was beating just as strong. You can tell they really put effort on making it justice.

And it felt magical.

[taytaybooks]

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MUSICALS THREAD #1: ANASTASIA

So I know heaps of people do/have done this but I really enjoy picking at and analysing things & I’d like to do something for myself rather than just reblogging once in a while, so I’ve decided every Tuesday I’ll post a “What I Love About Musicals” post and it’ll be sort of like a thread (all of them will be under a tag #what I love about musicals thread). So off we go!

*I HAVE EDITED THIS AFTER FINDING AN OBC BOOT*

PROLOGUE: ONCE UPON A DECEMBER

The haunting sort of “ahhs” at the start of the song

The costumes!!! (Romanov’s Last Dance)

The lighting!! It’s so cool, during the Romanov’s Last Dance, the lighting is red and when it goes dark after the last streak of red light (it’s like lightning!) 

THE SNOW!! It’s such a pretty touch😍

A RUMOUR IN ST. PETERSBURG

The sound of a busy town at the start of A Rumour in St. Petersburg

DEREK KLENA AND JOHN BOLTON IN GENERAL

“It’s really very friendly if you don’t mind spies”

LIGHTBULB😂 

 Vlad hitting Dimitry with his hat oml😂

Anya’s “NO”, showing her PTSD

“I could never part with it” “2 cans of beans comrade?” “Done"😂😂

“There’s more to being Anastasia than wearing a tiara, Dmitry”                       “Not much, look how many people you fooled"😂 I AM SHOOKETH

“And with luck we won’t be shot” then the thud that represents a gun shot straight after- that’s clever af

The way Derek sings “The biggest con in hisTORY”

IN MY DREAMS

“Her? Have you gone crazy too??”

CHRISTY ALTOMARE IN GENERAL WHAT A SMOL BEAN

“In my dreams shadows call” 😍😍

Again the haunting “ahhs” right after “But I know it all will come back one day”

“Is it Paris? …Paris”

“I’ll meet you right there, in Paris” the way she sings this oml

“I’ve seen flashes of fire Heard the echoes of screams” 😍

The crescendo of the orchestra at “don’t give up hope come what may”

Christy Altomare is a powerhouse tbh 

 ALSO THE SETS ARE 100% BETTER

LEARN TO DO IT

“Could it be?”

“Am I floating?” “Like a sinking boat” THE DYNAMIC OF THE TWO AHH DIMYA

When Vlad moves his arms so it’s like he’s flapping wings😂 

“You’re the ones who don’t stand straight”                                                        

“It’s all his years of bowing and katowing” 

“Bowing is a sign of respect”

“I bowed to someone once” 

“There, you admit it!” 

“I was a boy, I didn’t know any better. That was the first and last time-"😍😍 the end of In a Crowd of Thousands makes this interaction 1000x better

“I never cared for stroganoff”

“Your best friend is?” “My little brother Alexei” “Wrong! Your best friend is-” “I know who my best friend is!” “What a temper!” “I don’t like being contradicted!” “Well that makes two of us!” And poor Vlad is like fuckkkkkk why? It just shows their whole dynamic and I love it

“I’ve had it, and I hate you both!”

“Get out and let me be!”

Dima getting hit with the chalkboard lmaooo 

 Anya & Dima stepping on each other’s toes 

 The dancing!!! This trio is GOLDEN. 

 "Tomorrow we begin again” 

“In Russian…for the common man”

THE NEVA FLOWS

“A Russian telephone that works” 

 “…that was a joke…yes we have wonderful telephones” 

 Gleb low key gets everyone to leave him and Anya alone haha

The intro to The Neva Flows

“The world stopped breathing"😍

“But I believe he did a proud and vital task” his voice gets stronger and then at “The Neva Flows” the orchestra gets stronger/crescendoes

“Could I have pulled the trigger if I’d been told” I loved the way it was shouted in the Hartford production but I also love how tender it is in the Broadway Cast Recording

MY PETERSBURG

Anya chasing people & fighting them what a girl 

 HER BATTLE SCREEEEEAM

"Wanna see what else I can do!!”

“Black and blue welcome to my Petersburg” and then her jump lmao

“Funny how a boyyyy can grow”

“There’s a sky and quite a view Welcome toooo My Petersbuuuuuuurg”

ONCE UPON A DECEMBER

I love the costumes and dancers in Once Upon a December

THE GHOSTLY SILHOUTTES

Again the haunting “ahhs” after “figures dancing gracefully across my memory”

Just Christy Altomare in this performance in general- she’s amazing in this song

How tender and soft it gets at “things it yearns to remember”

STAY I PRAY YOU

In “Stay I Pray You” the ensemble hums and ahhs again and it’s different from “Once Upon a December” but still haunting in a way and it gives me chills

“How to go where I have never gone before” - it starts off emotional but their voices go down and softer towards the end😍

“I’ll bless my homeland” I love how it starts off as the trio then one by one they leave Anya alone to sing the last line

WE’LL GO FROM THERE

is so jaunty I love it

“Hands shaking, heart thundering, meet the Royal mess” the whole vibe changes and I love it

Those women who are low key very annoyed with Dima for standing on their bench

The canon effect of dmitry and anya

“For a totally illegal lovely getaway” makes me smile every time

The part where they all sing their respective parts 😍

Their long as note at the end

“With orders to arrest two men and a young woman” 

“That could be anyone” 

“I don’t think so” 

*holds up a wanted poster with their faces on it* lmaooo

Anya leading the jump off the train

“Anya can’t go on any further. She’s exhausted”- Vlad

STILL

“is it innocence or guile”

“A son becomes a man!”

“To fulfill!”

“I’m innocent she cries but then you see her eyes and something in them tells you that she absolutely lies”

“Still” at the end because that note

JOURNEY TO THE PAST

When she sits down on the suitcase but gets up at “How the world seems so vast”

The way Christy sings “fear” in Journey to the Past

“Home love family I’ll never be complete until I find youuuuu”

The whole last verse

“And bring me home at laaaaaaast!”- the iconic set change where the scene changes & the Eiffel Tower comes into view 

PARIS HOLDS THE KEY (TO YOUR HEART)

Ok the Hartford version of “Paris holds the key (to your heart)” was hilarious- I loved Gertrude Stein and her “rose is a rose is a rose” quotes

“Paris holds the key to her fate We won’t have much longer to wait And then come what may We will each go our way…” The mood/vibe shifts and it sounds slightly magical (I assume this is when she wears the pink dress?)

I love Anya’s new part in it, it sounds so magical

VLAD “At last, there’s a future”

DMITRY “There’s freedom”

ANYA “There’s hope”

ALL THREE “In the air!” - these lyrics are so optimistic and I adore it

The fucking dancing lmaooooo

CROSSING A BRIDGE

“Somebody’s daughter” I just love the way this is sung I don’t know why

her voice Oml

“In between wondering why and finally knowing”

“Me on the left bank you on the right” again the way she sings it

“Almost in siiiiiiight”

“One of them might be you” again she sings it so beautifully gah

CLOSE THE DOOR

“The Grand Duchess Anastasia is dead. The Dowager Empress is dead with her” this breaks my heart every time

The emotion in “Close the Door” always breaks my heart

The repetition of “to me” in the first verse 😭

It’s just all so raw and it’s beautifully sung with equal amounts talent and raw emotion

“In my heart I know you’re a lie I’ve waited for” I cry man

“Tell them all no more Tell them I close the door” 😍😭

LAND OF YESTERDAY

“No caviar”

“And Russians are mad” never fails to amuse me

“In dire circumstances” I love the way this is sung

The small dance bit with the aristocrats just chatting and watching etc😍 and then the music gets faster

“Let’s live in the land of yesterday” it’s almost as if she’s whispering and it sounds so good

“And let’s hold the world at bay” that note tho and she just danced 😍

THE COUNTESS AND THE COMMON MAN

is hilarious, Catherine O’ Connor is amazing as Lily

“We tiptoed off to Peter Hoff” the way he sings it

THE DANCE SECTION and how they act tired afterwards

THE KISS

“And how my heart beat when you sent me our sign”

“I loved you You loved me”

VLAD GIVES LILY HIS JACKET WHAT

Also Land of Yesterday Reprise is awesome

IN A CROWD OF THOUSANDS

The ahhs and ghostly silhouettes again before Dima comes in

THE WHOLE SONG. JUST ALL OF IT.

The introduction

“How they cheered How I stared"😍

“And then she smiled” the way it’s sung and the lyric itself

“But if I were still ten In that crowd of thousands I’d find her again"😍😍😭

“Then a boy caught my eye” that head lean he does like wtf

“He was thin Not too clean"😂😍 and they both laugh 

“I tried not to smile But I smiled And then he bowed”

“I didn’t tell you that” “You didn’t have to. I remember!” The pure emotion in their voices😍

Then when they hold each other ahhh

And then “in a crowd of thousands I’d find you again”

Ok so in the broadway boot he cups her cheek & they almost kiss, like why do you have to play with my emotions like that

“Your highness” then he bows ahhhh it’s so cute especially since he made fun of Vlad for bowing in Court in “Learn to Do It”

MEANT TO BE

Ok so this is super smart: when the Parisians/Russians etc come on stage the instrumental to “Paris Holds the Key (to Your Heart)” plays, then when the Dowager Empress walks on to the stage, the instrumental to ”Close the Door” plays, and when Dmitry walks on, the instrumental to “In a Crowd of Thousands” plays 😍

Vlad and Lily doing their ‘signs’ lmao

Vlad trying to clean Dima’s cheek bahaha then Dmitry is like shove off

The way it turns sort of magical/enchanting when Anya comes out in that iconic blue dress and Dmitry is shining his shoes and he looks up slowly in awe then quickly holds his arm out for her after he gets up and she takes it and they walk in to the ballet ahhh

QUARTET AT THE BALLET

The dancers are top notch and deserve more recognition

IT IS UNDERRATED

“Am I only dreaming Looking at her face” is sung so beautifully

Dmitry’s part in it (second verse)

The Dowager and her raw emotion and denial in the third verse

“Don’t be ridiculous”

“My heart and mind at war The times must change The world must change And love is not what revolution’s for”

“It’s fate that brought us here"😍 Derek and Ramin singing together gah

When they’re all singing their respective parts

Especially Dmitry’s part when it’s chaos tho “Home, Love, Family She will have all of it! I will help her Find a way Anastasia”

And that last note as all the parts merge into one part “find a way Anastasia” plus the fact that DIma looks at Anya when singing this

EVERYTHING TO WIN

THE WHOLE SONG

“Why should I worry Worrying’s not like me”

“I wonder if our paths Will ever cross again The way they Did when you were eight and I was ten”

“We said this was goodbye But even so You never know You never knowwww”

“I didn’t know she mattered to me But now I can see she does”

“Funny the one small part I never knew… With everything to win The only thing I lose *instrumental to the ‘home love family’ part of Journey to the Past plays* Is you”

Those are some of my fave parts and lyrics because it’s such a cute song

Dmitry stomping on the Dowager Empress’ dress and the Empress slapping him 

ONCE UPON A DECEMBER (REPRISE)

“Save it for your next Anastai- your Imperial Majesty”

I love the new addition of Anya’s new dress

It’s so simple- there isn’t a huge orchestral presence yet it’s so effective

“It’s never too late to come home, Nana”

The “Anastasia!” The Dowager Empress says at the end- it’s so emotional

THE PRESS CONFERENCE

“P-O-P-O-V” Vlad is great, this always makes me smile

“Suffice to say You’ll meet today The little lost princess” and the uproar from both the press and Lily herself, I find it hilarious. Good old Vlad

“We’re nearly read to begiiiin” Love how she sings this honestly

“Is she the princess anastasiaaaaaa” I love how they hold this note because it’s this huge question everyone has, and it’s been on their minds for so long.

“Members of the press This waaaaaaay” Caroline is a goddess her voice ahhh this is sung so well I love it

EVERYTHING TO WIN (REPRISE)

“I didn’t know he mattered to me But now I can see he does..” So cute

“The only thing I lose Is…” *gets cut off by Gleb* but still cute

STILL/THE NEVA FLOWS (REPRISE)

“Gleb” the emotion in her voice Oml

“If you really are Anastasia Do you think history wants you to have lived?” This is so important because that’s actually such a big part of her story- there are those who kept those rumours going to get through the day and those who tried to stop the rumours and hunt down any Anastasias so they could kill her and finish off the Romanov bloodline.

“Yes! why don’t you?” The emotion in their voices

“I am my fathers daughter” “And I am my fathers son!!” Again emotion

The ahhs from the ensemble it’s so haunting and chilling

And how the lighting changes to red to show the danger she’s facing 😍😍 and the ghosts of the fallen Romanovs walking in to show impending death but when she doesn’t get shot they slowly back away to show the danger is no longer there

“Imagine their terrors See their blood” SO EMOTIONAL

“We have a past to bury Anyaaaaa” THE EMOTION & THE LYRIC AND THE WAY ITS SUNG IN GENERAL

The ensemble when they sing “and the Neva flows, a new wind blows” it’s so chilling

And in the Hartford production when Christy shouts “I AM THE GRAND DUCHESS ANASTASIA NIKOLAEVNA ROMANOV”

“Be careful what a wish may bring A revolution is a simple thing!” It’s so emotional, the crescendo of music kind of stops and then there’s silence- we expect a gunshot but he still couldn’t do it - Broadway Gleb is nicer I guess? Like you can’t help but sympathize with him so when he whispers “I can’t” afterwards it’s sort of sad & heartbreaking

FINALE

“She was a dream” “A beautiful dream” symbolises that for so long no one knew what happened and then we found out she really did die- so her survival and Anastasia herself were really part of this beautiful dream.

“Still…” Symbolises those who still had hope she lived.

The ensemble singing the Once Upon a December verse

“Once upon a Deceeembeeeeer” is honestly such a beautiful way to end the musical and with Dimya just standing there together ahhhh so cute

And how there’s a spotlight on Dimya just before all the lights go out at the end

So basically I LOVE THIS WHOLE MUSICAL

Feel free to add anything guys xx💙💙

Other Threads 

Amélie

[weasleyswizarding-wheezes]

Why Anastasia Means A Lot To Me.

Get buckled in girls and boys. It’s storytime with grandmamma! So a lot of you guys keep asking me, “Woah Swe! What’s up with the Anastasia musical and movie shit?” 

Well, Anastasia means a lot to me. It was my first favorite princess movie (It’s not Disney y'all, it’s 20th Century Fox), and still remains today. I see a lot of myself in Anastasia, always looking forwarding to escaping because I don’t fit in anywhere, always looking for my true family, always looking for happiness. 

I was and still kinda jealous of Anastasia. I know, I know, you’re going to say “Swe what the actual fuck? You have a family, her family was murdered and she lost her memory and had to struggle for years till she found a beginning! Don’t be such a spoiled bitch and be thankful! How could you be jealous?” 

You just answered your own question! While she lost everything, she had hope. Because she knew someone would welcome her with open arms. She knew she had a person who still loved her! She knew she can find true happiness and she did! Along with love!

Me? My family sucks y’all. My father physically and mentally and emotionally abuses me and my mother. It’s like a honeymoon phase, where we let it be and the cycle starts all over again. My mom isn’t a lot better. But I let her go because I know she releases her anger and frustration at my dad on me, and it isn’t fair but she has no other outlet. I still have a lot of resentment to my dad and mom because thanks to them, I don’t know what home, love, family is. 

Anastasia did. While her family was killed, she knew what it felt like and found it over and over again. 

This is going to sound very bratty, but... I’d rather have only memories of those things than never experience it.. ever. I’d rather have a loving family taken away from me than have my own. 

I grew up with no one. Literally no one. My sister grew up with my cousins and every time, I know that they prefer my sister more than me because they’re much closer. And it hurts. Because it’s no one’s fault that we were separated.

In elementary school, legit had no true friends. I sat outside our classroom playing with a jacket because everyone bullied me and while I seemed tough on the outside, I was scared and hella sensitive. I had to. It was the only way to survive in our house where an ounce of sadness is disregarded. The last time my parents told me they loved me was never. I don’t remember a single time they told me that. 

My sister, who is 10 years older spent most of her childhood and college years in India with my cousins and aunts and uncles, because of reasons. My mom always used to tell me to be nice to her because she must have been jealous and sad that we’re not with her. 

I visited my sister in Nashville this year, and she told me that she felt sorry for me. She was happy she escaped our parents but was worried about me. I was angry and bitter at her because how could she say those things when my last memory of her consisted of me screaming her name, and her facing the window at the gate, looking at the plane that would whisk her away from our hell. How could she ignore my cries and pleas and look so happy?  

Even now, I truly have no one. I considered my friends family not even 3 months ago. But things started happening and I didn’t want to believe it, but I was forced to when someone straight up told me that I was a misfit and didn’t belong in that group. That was this week. And instead of being around them and hurting myself more, I coped with it the way I do: write and read and escape into daydreams. 

Leading back to Anastasia. 

I’d always been the world’s most hopeless romantic. I wanted to know what love is, and always dreamed of someone being there for me when I needed them and showing me love that I’d never been shown. 

Most girls dream of a prince. 

I dreamt of Dimitri. He was my first love. His and Anastasia’s relationship was everything to me. Like everything. She found everything in him and he found everything in her. 

I wanted everything they had. The haters-to-lovers trope. The way they loved each other amongst the arguments and fights, and didn’t change a thing about each other and loved them for it. 

I wanted him to be real because I wanted him to treat me the same way. To love me for my fiery attitude and temper and the fact that I am not afraid to use my fists and not restrain me, like everyone I know is. Let me be free. Let me find everything in him.  

And the musical came. And he was there. She was there. They were real. I fell in love with Christy Altomare’s and Derek Klena’s portrayal of the characters. It was my dream come true. I fucking cried when I saw some clips and gifs because I’ve waited so long for something like this. 

The songs, Once Upon A December, In A Crowd of Thousands, and In My Dreams are my life. They poured my life into the lyrics. They were me. I’ve felt closer to that than I did to a human. I am free to be me. 

In the song, In A Crowd of Thousands (listen to it!) Dimitri talks about seeing the princess smiling at him and when they were kids and him falling in love with her and about how he lost her and how he’d find her again if he were there again. Then he realizes Anastasia is her and she realizes that Dimitri was the boy who called out her name and whom she fell in love with. 

I WANTED SOMEONE LIKE THAT. AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE AND DREAM FOR HIM. 

I felt free in this musical. I can escape to my dreams where my Dimitri is at the end of the tunnel, waiting to be my earth. 

Someone once told me that I was fire. I had a bright blaze, and the fake personality I put on every day was not me. The only reason why I have it is that people wanted me to change into something else. I was not an awkward, insecure, weird, childish, passive person, I claimed to be. 

No. I’m confident, I’m brave, I’m fearless, I know my rights and what I deserve. I’m sassy. I’m snarky. I’m teasing. I’m full of love. I’m not a dark, depressed person. That’s just me trying to be an attention seeker BECAUSE IT’S THE ONLY WAY PEOPLE WILL TAKE NOTICE OF ME. They’ll ignore me for the fact that I’ve played music longer than them, or whenever I try to show my happiness or excitement at something. 

I show my true personality to one person only because she doesn’t take my bullshit excuse like everyone has every day. She accepts me for this, unlike everyone who has always tried to change me and forced me to be someone else. 

I was fire and I needed the earth. And that was exactly is what Dimitri was to Anastasia. Fire needs a ground to burn in and the ground needs fire to rejuvenate it. I am Anastasia and I need a Dimitri. I need a ground who is not afraid to contradict me and fight with me, but also knows how to nurture my blaze and let me shine. I need a ground who comes to me in times of need, and who trusts me and can depend on me for anything, just like I can depend on him. 

That is why I love Anastasia so much. I hate my name. It means pure, white, innocent, everything I’m not and everything everyone keeps trying to make me be. I love the name Anastasia because 1) its beautiful as fuck, 2) it means rebirth, resurrection. 

Which is why I’ve been planning for years on changing my name when I’m 18 and leave. Because I will be reborn. Into the true me.

It’s coming to San Francisco September 2019, and I’m already buying tickets. I’ve been watching videos and clips of them ever since it came on Broadway last year. I literally burst into tears when I heard Derek Klena is ending his contract on March 25. Because I’ll never see his Dimitri. And Christy might not even come on tour to San Fran next year.  It’s literally breaking my heart. Those portrayals mean so much to me, you don’t even know. I’m sending them fan mail because they literally answer everything and I need to thank them for literally saving my life and giving me happiness and hope for him. 

Anastasia saved my life, literally. It let me escape into daydreams and gave me hope for when I can be reborn, escape and find happiness and love and family in my Dimitri. Where all the things I yearn to know will be found. 

This is why it means so much to me. It has been my lifeline even when I didn’t know it was. 

And I’ve been hiding it because I knew people would not respect my choices and call me out on it. 

Well, fuck you to everyone at school who has done so. I have shown my true self and I love it. I am not afraid to show my love for this. Because it has loved me in a way that is not even possible. And sure maybe no one at my high school will see my true self. But it’s only 2 1/2 more years and it is over. I will be free from everyone who claimed to love me but tried to repress me instead. I hope that he will be there. Because he is everything I could hope for. and want for. he is everything i need.