OBSERVER: Star role for Georgina


Rising star of stage and screen Georgina Hopson (Titanique, Phantom of the Opera) will lead the cast of Anastasia which will have its Australian premiere at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne in December, before touring to Perth and Sydney in 2026.
“I can’t quite believe that I am going to be playing Anya in Anastasia – I have loved this story and this character since I was a kid,” said Georgina Hopson.
“I used to dress up as her and sing Journey to the Past on the trampoline. I wish I could tell my younger self that this was happening, I think she would have passed out with excitement – which is honestly how I still feel about it.”
Inspired by the mysterious tale of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov’s rumoured escape in the dawning days of the Russian Revolution, and the 20th Century Fox animated fairytale of the same name, Anastasia has been brought to life on the stage by the Tony Award-winning creative team of Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.
Anastasia is said to be a musical for all ages, transporting audiences from the twilight years of the Imperial rule to the euphoria and exuberance of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman named Anya sets out to discover the mystery of her past.
Pursued by an army officer determined to silence her, she enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.
Directed by Tony Award winning director Darko Tresnjak, Anastasia premiered on Broadway in March 2017. It received a Tony Award nomination for Best Costume Design in a Musical and won more than 15 major international awards including Best Musical awards in Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
Further casting details will be announced in the coming months.
Produced by John Frost for Crossroads Live and Opera Australia in special collaboration with Stage Entertainment Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Hunter Arnold and Dan Hinde.
For more information visit anastasiathemusical.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold

Pictured: Georgina Hopson stars in Anastasia. Photo: James Terry