Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre's 'Anastasia' opens July 18

Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre is inviting audiences to embark on a journey from the opulent courts of imperial Russia to the dazzling boulevards of 1920s Paris with its upcoming production of "Anastasia: The Musical."

This professional musical theater spectacle, brimming with romance, mystery and heart, opens July 18 and runs through July 27 in the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the North Idaho College Campus.

Inspired by the 1997 animated film and the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, "Anastasia: The Musical" weaves a mesmerizing tale with music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally. Since its 2016 Hartford Stage premiere and 2017 Broadway run, this adaptation has captivated audiences with historical intrigue and emotional depth, trading the film’s magical whimsy for a poignant narrative of self-discovery.

The story follows Anya (Melody Munitz), a young woman in 1927 Leningrad, haunted by fragmented memories of a lost past. When she crosses paths with charismatic conmen Dmitry (David Eldridge) and Vlad Popov (Adam John Bingham), who scheme to present her as the lost Anastasia to claim a reward in Paris, an extraordinary journey unfolds. Pursued by the relentless Bolshevik officer Gleb (Nathanael Fleming), Anya’s quest for truth leads to love, courage and a rediscovery of family. The production includes songs such as “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December,” alongside new numbers including “A Rumor in St. Petersburg” and “Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart).”

Tickets: cstidaho.com/tickets/anastasia

A "Princess Performance" sponsored by businesswoman and philanthropist Rita Case will be July 21 at Schuler. Those who attend the "Princess Performance" will be encouraged to wear prince and princess attire to enhance their magical experience.

"We would love to have this invitation go out to all who would normally not be able to attend a professional musical theater performance, most especially to those with children," Case told The Press.

Boys and Girls Club members and families that work with organizations such as Union Gospel Mission, United Way of North Idaho, Specialized Needs Recreation and others are invited to the special performance. Connect with representatives of those organizations for details.

Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre has also pitched in for the local effort to support the families of the Canfield Mountain shooting victims and their first responder families. All first responders were given free tickets to any performance of Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre's "Hello Dolly." The theater raised $4,712.50 from its raffle proceeds from "Hello Dolly" and donated it directly to the families of Frank Harwood, John Morrison and David Tysdal through the Red and Blue Foundation.

"We will be dedicating 50% of all of our raffle proceeds from our production of 'Anastasia' — we do a raffle every performance — to the families, and we will be offering two free tickets to all first responders throughout the production of 'Anastasia,'" Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre director of marketing and development Christina Ethridge said.

Schuler Performing Arts Center is at 495 College Drive, Coeur d'Alene.

    Melody Munitz plays the eponymous Princess Anastasia in Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre's upcoming production, opening July 18.