Travel Reports
Journey to the Past(AGAIN!)
So about a week ago me and a friend took a day trip to New York City to see Anastasia the Musical, again. If you recall i drove to CT with my friend Emily, the same friend i visited this time with, and another friend, to see the pre broadway version of the musical. I am happy to report that not much has changed in my opinion of the show. But before i get to the show, let me backtrack.
Emily and I decided to take a bus to New York City since we are only 2 hrs away and my car couldn't be legally on the road at the time. We started our journey at around 7am and Emily happened to have a friend riding the bus to NYC with us so between chatting, snapping, napping and catching up on my new podcast obsession, *You Must Remember This, it was a relaxing ride.
*sidenote: if you are like me and into old hollywood you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this podcast. take a listen! They just finished up their "Dead Blondes" series today.
I decided to go with a green dress that i wore a few years back for Dapper Day at Disney World and actually put makeup on for once. I think i cleaned up pretty good!
But in any case, we arrive in NYC around 11am and i always feel so special when i am in New York. It just gives you a feeling that no other city can. And of course we passed a Starbucks on our way to Times Square and I simply had to be basic and grab this.
Since it was a limited edition drink, it is gone now but to me it tasted like sweettart candy to me. Most people found it gross but it was completely fine to me.
In any case, we made our way towards Times Square and it was like being greeted by an old friend. I just really love seeing tourists, locals, people giving flyers for bus tours, and just seeing the hustle and bustle of the city gives me such life.
So we made our way to the theater where the musical is currently being shown and it was so exciting to see a show that i saw get its start in CT, all the way in the big apple!
Now this was my first broadway show in NYC since i was in 5th grade so it was very exciting to be there! It was sandwiched in between Hello Dolly! starring the world famous Bette Midler and Phantom of the Opera, which i believe is the longest running broadway show in history if i remember correctly!
We stopped in the Disney Store in Times Square because well,we love Disney! This was my second trip to this store and it always is a treat to see! I especially love their NYC exclusive merchandise and displays for their merch.
After wandering the square for a bit, Emily suggested we get lunch at a restaurant across from the theater. It happened to be a little place called Junior's lol.
I didn't know it was extremely popular because normally i research places before i go but this was spur of the moment. Junior's is famous for its cheesecake, which unfortunately due to a cavity i was unable to try. The wait was about 25 mins and food came out very quickly. Emily ordered a salad and i ordered a grilled cheese with bacon and fries and was not expecting it to be so huge! I actually was unable to finish it, that's how big it was. Overall the food was great and service was good too so i would visit again.
By the time we finished lunch it was time to head over to the theater and we were amazed to see that the line was going down 2 blocks! As someone who got a chance to see it pre broadway, i was so happy for everyone who worked on this show. There is not a bad seat in the entire theater. you will be able to see everything and we thought we had really bad seats! We were pretty close to the stage!
Without giving too much away that hasn't already been given away in reviews, the main differences between the beloved animated Dreamworks film and the musical are the following
Afterwards, we had a quick dinner at mcdonalds in Times Square and by that time it was time to head home.
It was my last visit to NYC before my move to Orlando in 13 Days and it was very pleasant. My final trip before the move will be to Philly where i will be attending rounds 4 and 5 of the NFL Draft with a good friend of mine this saturday.
So about a week ago me and a friend took a day trip to New York City to see Anastasia the Musical, again. If you recall i drove to CT with my friend Emily, the same friend i visited this time with, and another friend, to see the pre broadway version of the musical. I am happy to report that not much has changed in my opinion of the show. But before i get to the show, let me backtrack.
Emily and I decided to take a bus to New York City since we are only 2 hrs away and my car couldn't be legally on the road at the time. We started our journey at around 7am and Emily happened to have a friend riding the bus to NYC with us so between chatting, snapping, napping and catching up on my new podcast obsession, *You Must Remember This, it was a relaxing ride.
*sidenote: if you are like me and into old hollywood you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this podcast. take a listen! They just finished up their "Dead Blondes" series today.
 |
| Bus Selfies! |
But in any case, we arrive in NYC around 11am and i always feel so special when i am in New York. It just gives you a feeling that no other city can. And of course we passed a Starbucks on our way to Times Square and I simply had to be basic and grab this.
Since it was a limited edition drink, it is gone now but to me it tasted like sweettart candy to me. Most people found it gross but it was completely fine to me.
In any case, we made our way towards Times Square and it was like being greeted by an old friend. I just really love seeing tourists, locals, people giving flyers for bus tours, and just seeing the hustle and bustle of the city gives me such life.
So we made our way to the theater where the musical is currently being shown and it was so exciting to see a show that i saw get its start in CT, all the way in the big apple!
 |
| Emily and I |
We stopped in the Disney Store in Times Square because well,we love Disney! This was my second trip to this store and it always is a treat to see! I especially love their NYC exclusive merchandise and displays for their merch.
After wandering the square for a bit, Emily suggested we get lunch at a restaurant across from the theater. It happened to be a little place called Junior's lol.
I didn't know it was extremely popular because normally i research places before i go but this was spur of the moment. Junior's is famous for its cheesecake, which unfortunately due to a cavity i was unable to try. The wait was about 25 mins and food came out very quickly. Emily ordered a salad and i ordered a grilled cheese with bacon and fries and was not expecting it to be so huge! I actually was unable to finish it, that's how big it was. Overall the food was great and service was good too so i would visit again.
By the time we finished lunch it was time to head over to the theater and we were amazed to see that the line was going down 2 blocks! As someone who got a chance to see it pre broadway, i was so happy for everyone who worked on this show. There is not a bad seat in the entire theater. you will be able to see everything and we thought we had really bad seats! We were pretty close to the stage!
Without giving too much away that hasn't already been given away in reviews, the main differences between the beloved animated Dreamworks film and the musical are the following
- No Dog
- No Bat
- No Rasputin
Now before you panic, trust me the story is even more amazing without these characters. In fact, the "villain" named "Gleb" is really struggling with his own feelings and heritage which ties into the story. Gleb is played by Ramin Karimloo and as someone who is fairly new into the broadway scene, i had no idea how popular he was. During the Stagedoor visit i was literally getting smothered by fangirls trying to get to him.
My girl Christy Altomare plays Anastasia and as ive stated before, is a credit to the character. Her voice is amazing and her acting is excellent. She doesn't play this role. she is this role. Derek Klena Plays Dmitry and its like the animated character came to life in the form of Klena. He does a great job of playing his character with minor character background changes that actually help transition the story better. He is funny, sly and suave. Vlad and Lily are comedic roles and do it very well! Especially in their song together in the play. Together and in their own individual scenes, they are witty and hysterical. Vlad is played by John Bolton and Lily by Caroline O'Connor. I love their song and dance numbers. And Mary Beth Peil plays the Dowager Empress and her portrayl of her brings me to tears everytime. You can truly feel her pain as a poor old woman who has lost her entire family, grasping to hope that her beloved grandchild is still out there and that she is not truly alone. I truly wish she came through the stage door because she was honestly in my top three characters after anastasia and lily.
Compared to when i saw it in CT, the special effects have gotten so much better and the visuals are stunning. There was one time where the 3D screen froze for a moment but i dont think anyone noticed besides me. Projections are used gorgeously during "Once Upon a December" that gave me chills. Props were very well built and helped achieve the 3D aspect of every scene change. I have been clamoring for the cast album since last year and with the addition of new songs, i want it even more now. Each song was done with passion and done beautifully, especially by Altomare. Her renditions of "Journey to the Past" and "Once Upon A December" brought the audience to their feet. Songs sung by Gleb, Lily and Vlad , songs that were added, are great to me and push along the story. Dance numbers are really fun and just spectacular. My favorite is the ballet scene which is part of the climax of the story. Beautifully done. Unfortunately the ballet dancer did fall by accident during her dance but she continued on professionally and still did an amazing job. The dance numbers incorporated with the visual effects made it wonderful. Finally the costumes. After music, the costumes are my favorite! Each costume is period perfect and stunning!!!! I just love how well done they are. They are stunning,well detailed and i would die to try on just on of the gowns. and the dress guys. you know which one im talking about. It is my everything.
While we aren't allowed to photograph or record any part of the show, i did get this clip for everyone to enjoy. Overall, if you have the chance to see this show, do not pass it up.
Afterwards, we had a quick dinner at mcdonalds in Times Square and by that time it was time to head home.
It was my last visit to NYC before my move to Orlando in 13 Days and it was very pleasant. My final trip before the move will be to Philly where i will be attending rounds 4 and 5 of the NFL Draft with a good friend of mine this saturday.
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