Brad Satterwhite, Alex Hsu, and Jillian Smith Photo by Tracy Martin

Rumors swirled that one Romanov daughter, Anastasia, had escaped. Many pretenders made claim to be the surviving heir to the Russian throne and were dismissed by the Dowager Empress. But ten years later, a young woman, Anya, would make a most convincing case that she could be Anastasia. The musical tells Anya's story.

In addition to a dramatic true history, Anastasia , which had a moderately successful Broadway run, was developed by a top creative team with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Terrence McNally. Hillbarn Theatre's generally entertaining rendition offers two excellent performances, good singing voices throughout, and a fine overall production, but it lacks the consistent energy expected of a top musical.

A most compelling feature of the musical is the complexity and believability of the central character. Although the handlers, Dmitry (Brad Satterwhite) and Vlad (Alex Hsu), cynically interview prospective pretenders to present to the Dowager as Anastasia, Anya is special. As an amnesiac, she has no verifiable back story, and Anastasia's memory loss having survived the trauma of her family's extinction is plausible.

As the enterprising men prepare Anya, she sometimes reacts with a sense of connection to events from Anastasia's past and even summons familiarity, perhaps randomly, with some aspects of the Grand Dutchess's 17 years of life. Of course, the technique that Dmitry and Vlad employ is akin to the very real and controversial practice by therapists of recovered memory technique often used to dredge up suggested sexual abuse. Along the way, Anya often feels a fraud, but other times believes she may be legitimate.

Jillian Smith portrays Anya deftly. She excels with her lively dramatic interpretation, depicting vulnerability, genuineness, sensitivity, and when needed, backbone. Vocally, her stage musical singing style fully satisfies. One area for improvement is in the closing number to Act 1, her insightful and reflective solo "Journey to the Past." Although she delivers it well, her microphone should be amped up to give the song more heft.

The score serves the piece well. The music is in a pleasant contemporary style with a blend of Russian themes and an excerpt from Swan Lake for a nicely designed ballet interlude. The lyrics effectively drive the narrative, and the songs are mostly short so that they do not disrupt the dramatic sense of the play.

The action briefly shows the life of the royal family and their being rounded up for execution. Skipping to Dmitry and Vlad's scheming, they stuff Anya's head with relevant information, train and rehearse her for her role. Escaping Russia, they arrive in Paris for the desired audience with the Dowager Empress. But a dark shadow follows them in the person of Gleb (Coleton Schmitto), whose father had been a member of the execution squad that murdered the Romanovs.

A magnificent Judith Miller plays the smallish but vital role of the Dowager with consummate skill. She is loving as the nana to Anastasia as a young child; imperious to sycophants and promoters; and desperate as an old woman grasping for any connection to her obliterated family. Having seen her only in non-singing roles like her astounding performance in August: Osage County, this reviewer was surprised to find that Miller also has a powerful alto singing voice as demonstrated in the sad, wistful "Close the Door."

Although Act 2 redeems Act 1, the first act is somewhat flat. Danger abounds during the Revolution and its aftermath, but the threats are not very palpable in the play. Fortunately, Act 2 set in Paris contains more inflections and vitality, starting with the lively song and dance "Land of Yesterday" led by Countess Lily, lady-in-waiting to the Dowager, played by the vibrant Jacqueline de Muro.

Director Catherine Weidner ensures that production values meet the needs of the musical. Staging is simple, but detailed back wall projections (Steve Muterspaugh) add depth, while active lighting (Pamila Gray) and costumery (Nolan Miranda) provide richness to the scene. Dance, movement, and live orchestration enliven the proceedings.

Anastasia runs through December 29, 2024, at Hillbarn Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City CA. For tickets and information, please visit www.hillbarntheatre.org .